The landscape changes keep coming, and with each one I become more and more in awe. South Dakota slowly changed from farmland to cattle country and culminated in the Badlands and the Black Hills. The riding was challenging in the hills, with climbs we haven't seen since the Appalachians, but once our climbing legs woke up it became one of the most enjoyable rides of the trip. The Badlands were phenomenal, even though the tourist traffic made riding a bit life threatening at times.
While in the Black Hills we visited Mt. Rushmore and had the experience of a lifetime, witnessing the Greenpeace banner that's been all over the news. As we stood looking at the monument we noticed some people in climbing gear standing on Lincolns head. As they rappelled down his face they unfurled an enormous banner that read, "America honors leaders, not politicians. Stop global warming." For ten or twenty minuted the climbers struggled to anchor the billowing banner while park rangers and police scrambled to apprehend them. Shortly after they had succeeded in stretching it across the rock face, rangers showed up atop the mountain, rappelling down themselves to arrest the protesters. Once all the climbers were apprehended, the rangers cut the banner loose to applause from the onlooking crowd. Quite an experience.
After seeing Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse we descended into Wyoming while an enormous storm was brewing in the distance. With twenty miles to go our group started to hammer, catching a tail wind and cruising at 30-35 mph. When we entered Newcastle, Wyoming we could see enormous cloud formations rotating in the distance. Some groups behind us saw these turn into violent funnel clouds but nothing that touched ground. Nevertheless, the sirens in the town blared for about twenty minutes and the winds were incredibly fast to our north. Almost enough excitement for one day.
Today we headed west on I-90 since it is the only route to where we're headed. While not the safest path in the world, the drivers out west have been incredibly courteous, with almost everyone giving us a very wide berth and many giving honks of support and waves out the window. None of that frustration that we often experienced in the east where traffic was heavy and people were in a hurry.
From early in the ride I could see the Big Horn Mountains in the distance, growing closer all day. These are the first snow capped peaks we've seen and I can't wait to ride over them. Word on the street is there is an 18 mile climb followed by an 18 mile descent in a couple days...really hope I don't have to drive the support vehicle that day.