Pictures: Me and my SURLY steed
Queen of the grasslands
Me and my Surly steed
Me, Susan, Diane and Kevin in Akaska
Our Shadows lead the way
one tree hill on way to Mobridge
the lake and hills along 1804
rolling hills
Susan & me at Bait Shop Diner
Sylvia and John at Bait Shop Diner
The following morning the Canadians ‘racked up’ (their bikes) and drove to a town 30 miles down the road to begin their ride leaving us to ourselves for the day. But we made plans to cross paths again in Pierre. We had a glorious 40+ mile ride along 1804 to the town of Mobridge. The rolling hills looked like they had been mowed. You didn’t see dirt double tracks where ranchers had driven all over the land. No piles of trash hiding in the gullies. At Mobridge we started laundry, ate at a famous chili spot, and took naps in the park. Evidently some kids we giggling and pointing at me while I slept.
My sister, Susan, and her son, John, were on their way up from Edmond to meet us at our destination Akaska (pop 52). We made it to Akaska around 6 completing a 75 mile day. Susan, like a lot of women, has had her fill of sleeping in a tent and requested motels for her stay. The owner of the RV/campground where we were tenting told us there was a fishing tournament going on and that we had a slim chance of finding a room. After spending the next hour fruitlessly riding around town trying to locate accommodations for my sister she and John arrived. The RV park owner came out to mention that she had one room available to rent, a converted garage bay, for $35 for a single person or $60 for two. Susan snapped it up and John agreed to sleep with me in my tent. It was really a nice room and bargain.
Now we headed to dinner on foot. Having ridden around the town on my bike, I thought I knew where to go and we went into an establishment was called the Steakhouse. I turned out to be a bar. The place we needed to go eat was called the Bait Shop (wth). So we walked to the end of town near the decrepit grain elevator, past dozens of fishermen who were having some kind of auction, to the Bait Shop. A great establishment. Café then Bar then Casino then Bait shop all in one neat package; surprisingly fish is not on the menu. During dinner we found out that the fishermen in town were all from Iowa and the tournament was hosted by a judge seated at the next table behind Sylvia. Thinking that making the acquaintance of an Iowan Judge could be advantageous during the RAGBRAI adventure Sylvia was quickly on the case. They had brought their on freshly caught walleye in to be cooked. Sylvia feigned that she hadn’t eaten walleye before talked about our ride and RAGBRAI plans. She found out that one of the other guys at the table is a EMT that will be working RAGBRAI one day this year. Before we left a plate of the judges walleye made it to our table then later another plat full found its way to our campsite. It was melt in your mouth yummy goodness. Far and away the best fish I had ever eaten. BTW the judge didn’t figure he would see any of us at RAGBRAI. Commenting that, “it’s pretty hard to get yourself arrested at RAGBRAI.”
The following morning the Canadians ‘racked up’ (their bikes) and drove to a town 30 miles down the road to begin their ride leaving us to ourselves for the day. But we made plans to cross paths again in Pierre. We had a glorious 40+ mile ride along 1804 to the town of Mobridge. The rolling hills looked like they had been mowed. You didn’t see dirt double tracks where ranchers had driven all over the land. No piles of trash hiding in the gullies. At Mobridge we started laundry, ate at a famous chili spot, and took naps in the park. Evidently some kids we giggling and pointing at me while I slept.
My sister, Susan, and her son, John, were on their way up from Edmond to meet us at our destination Akaska (pop 52). We made it to Akaska around 6 completing a 75 mile day. Susan, like a lot of women, has had her fill of sleeping in a tent and requested motels for her stay. The owner of the RV/campground where we were tenting told us there was a fishing tournament going on and that we had a slim chance of finding a room. After spending the next hour fruitlessly riding around town trying to locate accommodations for my sister she and John arrived. The RV park owner came out to mention that she had one room available to rent, a converted garage bay, for $35 for a single person or $60 for two. Susan snapped it up and John agreed to sleep with me in my tent. It was really a nice room and bargain.
Now we headed to dinner on foot. Having ridden around the town on my bike, I thought I knew where to go and we went into an establishment was called the Steakhouse. I turned out to be a bar. The place we needed to go eat was called the Bait Shop (wth). So we walked to the end of town near the decrepit grain elevator, past dozens of fishermen who were having some kind of auction, to the Bait Shop. A great establishment. Café then Bar then Casino then Bait shop all in one neat package; surprisingly fish is not on the menu. During dinner we found out that the fishermen in town were all from Iowa and the tournament was hosted by a judge seated at the next table behind Sylvia. Thinking that making the acquaintance of an Iowan Judge could be advantageous during the RAGBRAI adventure Sylvia was quickly on the case. They had brought their on freshly caught walleye in to be cooked. Sylvia feigned that she hadn’t eaten walleye before talked about our ride and RAGBRAI plans. She found out that one of the other guys at the table is a EMT that will be working RAGBRAI one day this year. Before we left a plate of the judges walleye made it to our table then later another plat full found its way to our campsite. It was melt in your mouth yummy goodness. Far and away the best fish I had ever eaten. BTW the judge didn’t figure he would see any of us at RAGBRAI. Commenting that, “it’s pretty hard to get yourself arrested at RAGBRAI.”
Great pics!
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