Some places are full of surprises and South Dakota is one of them. It isn’t in our nature to lie and say the state is consistently exciting to ride hundreds of miles through. In total, we made ten turns on our route today – a record low that demonstrates just how straightforward it is to ride in this part of the country. However, South Dakota has its moments – today, we rode over the Missouri River (the longest river in the nation!) and through seemingly endless stretches of grassy prairie fields. We’ve also determined South Dakota’s cows to be the most at peace, which says a lot about the gentle beauty that the state has to offer. Plus, we’ve found that the lack of stimulation has drawn us closer together as teammates – it’s helpful to turn to the entertainment of conversation when the landscape starts blurring together.

ride overview

Mileage: 72.4

Elevation: 2,857’

Ride Dedication: The mother of one of Olivia’s friends, who is undergoing surgery for breast cancer.

Points of Interest: Circle E Drive-In

quote of the day

tales of the trail

The Corn Palace has left a lasting impression on us, as indicated by Claudia’s morning activity. We answered the question, “if you were to build your very own Corn Palace, what would you build it with?” Answers ranged from the humble rutabaga to solid ice – we are a team of truly diverse viewpoints. 

Once we were done envisioning our respective palaces, we rolled out into the cool morning air. The team crossed the Missouri River, and then faced a new type of riding environment – an interstate. This initially daunting endeavor quickly became doable when we remembered we were in South Dakota, one of the most sparsely populated states in the country. Some groups ended up enjoying the unique experience of a largely deserted highway, which was helped by the blankets of hills that encompassed them and the gorgeous sunrise that extended across the sky. Batches of cows and patches of trees occasionally dotted the landscape, which was colored a pleasing palette of green and yellow. Many of us ate our words about South Dakota being ugly during this section of the ride.

A lot of our rest stops on this stretch of the ride have been at the side of roads, enveloped in the countryside we describe above. As we ride through some of the smallest towns we’ve seen thus far, there are moments where civilization seems to cease existence. Save for the periodic farm or water tower, many of us are not used to this level of isolation. The lives that are led here feel quite foreign to ours, and we’re in awe of individuals like Ed (who we had the delight of seeing again today!) who pedal through this land with nothing but their thoughts to accompany them. 

Reaching our destination in Murdo was a welcome sight. With a total population of 460 people, the 18 of us now make up around four percent of the town’s population – with the warmth and hospitality of our stayover hosts at Jones County High School, though, you would’ve never guessed it. They treated us to a delicious dinner and some much-needed showers, as well as some cute “Welcome to Murdo” stickers and snacks for SAV. We also headed to the nearby Circle E Drive-In for their state-famous burgers (which Tommy enthusiastically described as “toe-curling”-ly good) and ice cream. 

Another relatively easy day done, we look forward to tomorrow’s drastically shorter 42-mile ride and the extra down time that comes with it :)

cyclist’s corner

Today’s Rider: Lucas Dion

How are you feeling today?

I’m feeling really good, it was a fun day. I rode with Jack and Riddhima, and Michael and Dylan. It was a very fun day today. We came from Chamberlain, South Dakota, and now we’re in Murdo, where we make up a significant percentage of the population. 

You’ve fundraised thousands of dollars for our cause. What has been the most impactful fundraising experience you’ve had?

Well a lot of my fundraising was a while back. I remember we helped host a really fun concert; me and president Zona worked together to organize a really cool concert in someone’s house that helped fundraise a lot of money and was really fun. I was director of fundraising for a year with last year’s team, so that was really impactful and fun. It was fun to get to like, help other people find strategies that worked with them for fundraising. We did a lot of business calling and stuff, got some donations through that as well as just reaching out to people we knew to talk to them about it. It was really cool to see people get excited about the cause, it was fun to see the donations come in. I’ve been getting a few now, so I’ve got some postcards to send out on the rest day in Wall.

What keeps you going when it gets difficult to put in all of those miles or even to get on the bike?

On really hard days, I try to think about some people I know who have been impacted by cancer and some people in my family who I’ve lost from cancer. It’s the reason why we ride, the reason why we fundraise. It’s a tough thing to think about, but I think that what we’re doing here really does have an impact on the community, so I’m grateful that we got to join that fight. It may be a less direct way, but it’s still really cool to think about, when you’re putting in those miles. Also, me and Riddhima were talking earlier about how the last five miles don’t count, because once you get to that last five, you’re basically there. And as the ride gets longer and longer, that number gets higher and higher. So now it’s like, the last 20 miles don’t count, that’s basically a midweek. We’re basically there. That helps inspire me. Also I just like talking to my teammates. I like that we have speakers now, but sometimes it’s just yap about nonsense. I was singin’ a little today, a little “Lose Yourself” by Eminem. It wasn’t very good. I forgot most of the lyrics. It’s also not an easy song to sing on the bike. Rap is not a genre you should be going for on a bike.

Do you have a favorite accessory to wear with your ride uniform?

I don’t know if this counts as an accessory, but something I have on my bike is I really like carrying my binoculars with me. It’s a little out of the ordinary for many. It’s good for birdwatching, or if I need to see the van from far away. I’ve been getting a little bit of use out of them, but I’m excited to use them a little bit more once we get to national parks and forests and things…Out here, there’s nothing. I like my Aqua X sun sleeves, I like those a lot, those are really cool. I don’t have to slather on sunscreen all the time. And yes, the rumors are true, I did shave my head. So that’s a major change since my last interview…I think it’s a good change of pace, I can shower a lot faster now. 

What’s your rest stop routine?

I’m in, and I’m out. I fill up my water bottles, grab my sunscreen, a little treat if I’ve been good, and I’m out.

In the remaining portion of the ride, where are you looking forward to visiting the most?

I’m very grateful you asked me this today, because the place I’m looking forward to the most is actually tomorrow. It’s Kadoka South Dakota, a fan favorite of 2022. We had a very good time there. It’s a great bustling metropolis, some would say… Another place I’m looking forward to, I’m looking forward to Crater Lake. After Rockville Indiana, this route has been extremely similar to my own ride, like all the stops are pretty much all the same. Which I like, because it’s fun to go back to all the old stayovers and get to see everything, and already be connected to the Wifi, and tell people about all the secret spots to sleep — or not tell people, most of the time. But Crater Lake is going to be a new one for me, so I’m excited to see it. 

Is there anything else you want to talk about?

Thank you to everyone who donated. I appreciate that a ton. I’m also grateful for all of my teammates. I think we’ve come a long way from day one, we have a long way to go, but it’s been really awesome to see all the ways this team has improved, and put the effort in to make this a really successful and fun ride. I’m really grateful that I stuck around.

(A reminder that any unfamiliar terms can be found in our handy I4K dictionary.)