9/26/83. On the road before 8:00. 56 miles before lunch in Winner, South Dakota (highways 44 to 183 to 18). Rode to tiny Colome, where I bought a Pepsi and fixed two broken spokes. Around Winner, hills flattened out a bit and sharp-tailed grouse were replaced with MANY ring-necked pheasants. Got groceries in Gregory and camped in Burke Lake State Recreation Area. Very nice. There was a swimming area and I was all set to go until I saw the brown mucky water. Found a deermouse in a trash container. It was on its side with eyes closed but would move occasionally. I figured the heat got to it so I dropped some water in its mouth. I then noticed maggots moving in the mouth. The movements I saw were caused by maggots. Many night insect sounds to accompany the omnipresent crickets. I expected raccoons but didn't get any. Washed my hair in a spigot. As usual these days, I was the only camper. Maize, sunflowers and a few dairy cows.
9/27/83. Wind in the morning, but couldn't tell for sure which direction it was coming from. I thought it was from the southwest, which wouldn't have been too too bad since I was going southeast. Of course it was really coming from the southeast. I wished I had stayed at the nice park. Went into Burke, where I put my old tire spare on the back wheel. The "new" one was dangerously shot (I guess I could, if I wanted, figure out how many miles a tire is worth). Ate at a cafe in Bonesteel SD -- good and cheap with free refills of lemonade. Nice conversation with someone who drives a chemical truck. Trudged on to Fairfax. Total mileage: 27 miles. Stopped at a grocery store and conversed. Set up my tent in a free city park. Fixed two broken spokes. Went to a bar and had a good time. Wrote some postcards, heard about a local trial involving the suing of a bartender who got in a fight, and talked with the bartender, an accountant (Paul) who loves the dammed (not damned) river, and a woman who seemed hot for Paul. Very nice small town -- I really liked it. I scared a small dog that obviously always takes a shortcut through the park, when I spoke to it as it passed by. Poor thing -- really spooked.
9/28/83. Wind was gone. On the road by 8. Was advised by several locals (including Paul and his girl) to stay on the South Dakota side to avoid hills. The store keeper thought the Nebraska side was more scenic, though. I opted for the South Dakota side. Nice downhill with beautiful hillsides (some leaves are beginning to turn and the sumac is bright red) leading to the Fort Randall Dam. In Pickstown I saw some prairie dogs. Stopped and got a distant picture. I took the un-numbered road heading south about 5 miles east of Pickstown on highway 46. Went past Marty (had a beautiful church - I should have taken a picture). Northwest winds! Road follows the Missouri River and is fairly level. Went north before Springfield (mistake) and east on 52 past Kingsburg (just a grain elevator). Had lunch there but was out of water, and it was hot. I had to go south 3 miles to Springfield for water, then backtracked back to 52. Saw a dead king snake. Continued on 52, which joins 50 leading into Yankton. 50 had obnoxious ridges about every 20 feet on the shoulder to wake up wandering motorists. I stopped at a bowling alley to find out where a campground might be. Was told the only one was Army Corps of Engineers along the Missouri River about 7 miles southWEST. Went there. Very nice with showers - I had never been more filthy in my life. My legs and arms were grayish-black from playing with tires for days on end. My shorts were covered with salty residue from my sweat. A few RVers. I camped near but didn't talk to any of them. I had heard at the bowling alley of two bikers (middle aged) found a heap in the middle of the road next to the campground. The bikes weren't hurt but one of the men was in a coma and the other had amnesia and couldn't even remember his own name. Nobody could figure out what happened. A girl at the bowling alley thought it must have been a UFO.
9/29/83. About the all-time worst bicycling I've ever done. Crossed the Gavins Point Dam into Nebraska then rode on a nice quiet road to 81. I was going to catch 12 to Sioux City, but by the time I got there the wind had picked up seemingly more out of the east than the south. No shoulder on 12 and since I had no broken spokes the day before, I decided to skip Sioux City and continue south on 81. Winds increased. Rain, rain, rain. Shoulder disappeared. Semi traiffic was heavy and increasing as I neared Norfolk. Had a rear flat during one heavy period of rain. Then a front flat about 50 yards from a truck stop. I ate and piddled around there hoping a trucker would offer a ride. No luck. Fixed the flat and left. The road had a shoulder for a little bit, then none. Heavy, heavy traffic. More wind. More rain. Woe is me. Pulled over whenever traffic was coming from both directions. One time I did this, someone (Carrole - female) offered me a ride about 7 miles into Norfolk. No question; I took the lift. I really felt my life was on the line. I camped in a city park with an Indian name ($3 with showers) which, it ended up, was the hangout for the local delinquents. Noisy highway traffic and occasional cars passed my tent on the way to the bathroom. One sped and rammed into some trees. I got out to make sure everyone was OK. They said they were; they were more concerned with the illegal substances in the car. They left the car lodged in the trees. I didn't get to sleep until after 11. Thursday, September 29, 1983: what a nightmare!
9/30/83. Woke up to the sound of wind in the trees and didn't feel like fighting it. I piddled around and decided that I would at least move to the campground north of Norfolk (with the wind) so I wouldn't be in the park on a Friday night. I slowly packed and left. I headed into town to a bike shop to get a new tire, grab-ons, and, of course, spokes! A nice conversation with the bike shop people convinced me to try to make some progress. The wind was out of the south and highway 275 headed due east. I left around 1. Although not delightful, it really wasn't too bad. I stopped at a truck stop and sat at the only vacant seat. I can understand why it was vacant: the person to my left was a total jerk. He gave the waitresses a hard time. I decided to stop in Wisner NE, only about 26 miles. I really could've gone farther but didn't feel like it. I stayed in a very nice city park adjacent to the Elkhorn River. I went through two books of matches trying to get my stove to work. When I got down to my last match, I decided to build a fire to cook on. I put fallen branches in a barbecue pit with Coleman fuel. Nice fire. I walked to town after setting up my tent to get ice cream from a stand, and another book of matches.
10/1/83. My two month anniversary. Newly padded handlebars felt good. As I was pulling out of the park, I got a flat. Not too windy and, since I was upset at myself for not going further the day before, I was determined to make many miles. I stayed on 275. Had expensive breakfast bars for breakfast since the stove didn't work again. From 275 to 6 to Gretna, to the area where 6 intersects with 80 and 31. I pulled into a KOA as it was getting pretty dark. $10. Tent sites weren't level and didn't have water. Of course laundry (which I did) was extra. I was pissed at being screwed. I'll avoid KOA's at all costs now. I played with my stove and discovered it would work if tilted -- a good thing because I had no alternatives for dinner or breakfast. More and more trees.
10/2/83. Crossed 80 to 31, then an immediate left onto a gray road (not numbered on my map) to Springfield. Then south on 50 to Louisville, then east on 66 to Plattsmouth. I was walking into a store there for some milk and noticed tables set up in the parking lot. Found out it was a band parents' pancake feed. All-you-can-eat for $1.50. Good pancakes with applesauce, sausage, orange juice and milk. I sat with some older folks and listened to the not-very-good band. Crossed the Missouri (no toll for bikes) into Iowa. Strong wind out of the south so I decided not to take 29 although it had a nice shoulder. I went north on 20 about 3 miles to 34. Terrible. No shoulder and much traffic. Decided to turn south on 275 which also lacked a shoulder but had less traffic. I turned east on 184, then south on 59 to Shenandoah. Fighting the south wind so much tired me out. Had a full meal deal at Dairy Queen and talked with a couple and their two kids. Nice people. Camped behind a motel, the owner of which was a nice old man who always wanted to go to Alaska. Showers, etc.
