Cycle Across America- Day 44

Rapid City to Interior

73 Miles / 1,128ft climb

The directions said ‘follow road for 73 miles then turn left’. It sounds like it couldn’t be easier but we didn’t commit to this expecting it to be easy and it was far from it.

The route would take us through the Badlands of South Dakota, a vast, bleak, almost lunar landscape.

The weather forecast suggested temperatures of over 35 degrees by midday and a significant headwind from the outset but getting stronger as the day wore on. We also knew that we would find no facilities along the route and yet despite carrying 5+ litres of water each, we ran out long before our thirst was quenched.

The day got hotter and hotter, the headwind got stronger and stronger and I got slower and slower. We could not find even the slightest shade along the route so we were still overheating when we stopped to rehydrate.

The weather warning read ‘those doing energetic exercise will be at risk of dehydration and heatstroke.’ We weren’t far from either by the time we had cycled 73 miles in these conditions.

Lunch was a picnic of the most bizarre combinations of leftover food which we found to be surprisingly tasty. Who knew sweaty Swiss cheese, humous and crisps made for a fabulous sandwich? We stopped in the almost deserted town of Scenic. A rather grand name for what transpired to be little more than a ghost town.

A painfully slow final couple of hours on my part, meant that we didn’t get to Interior until 4pm. Paul, leading our group headed straight for a bar. Never had an air conditioned room and a cold drink been more welcome. Pints of water to rehydrate and then (out of courtesy of course) a beer or cider too. Eventually we reached our rooms in the Badlands Campsite and after a quick shower fell asleep almost immediately. Only the need to eat enticed us to get up. Note, need rather than desire. There is no breakfast option in the morning if we are to leave early to try to avoid the worst of the searing heat again. Lunch will be twice sweated Swiss cheese on three day old bread.

The only option for supper this evening when we arrived was a buffalo burger or pizza. We devoured one each and went straight back to bed in the hope we can rehydrate, reenergise and refresh by 6am when we will set off on another long, hot ride with a headwind.