Weekly Summary

Some Great Rest Day Activities

We got the hotel shuttle to take us to a restaurant that overlooked Falls Park in Sioux Falls. The first picture above the falls is from the patio. Then, we went down to the main part of the park after dinner and you can see the other pictures. It is a really nice park and worth a visit.

After the park, the driver drove us through some neighborhoods near downtown. They were stunning and straight out of a movie. Old, unique homes with perfectly manicured lawns for a mile or two.

We finished with a local ice cream place. I got licorice ice cream, something I’d never seen before. It was yummy. I got a scoop of chocolate cherry too just in case I hadn’t liked the licorice. We should be fueled up for tomorrow’s 100 miles!

There Are Some Awesome Sights And Towns In America

I had not anticipated how much I have enjoyed the scenery and sightseeing components of the trip. You get a lot longer to enjoy views or study a landmark when you are riding by at a slower pace compared to flying by in a car.

Also, the people have been so nice everywhere. Many people in the bigger city areas like where I live can be too into themselves and snobby and rude. We haven’t had any of that. Most everyone is friendly and polite and enjoyable to be around.

Most of all, I would recommend visiting some of these national parks. Just the few we’ve seen have convinced me that I need to see a lot more. 

The Ups And Downs Are As Expected

I knew coming in that I’d probably have days when I wondered why I was doing this and days I loved what I was doing. That’s been true. Not too many bad days, though. And a big plus for me is that it looks like we are going to finally feel some summer temperatures in a few days. It will be nice to not have to start cold or chilly and wear layers every day!

Update On The Person Who Wrecked

It has been a real struggle for him. He developed pneumonia and sepsis and a staph infection the last few days. He also had surgery for his lung. It was apparently touch and go yesterday. We are all hoping that he recovers, but he has a long way to go and is expected to remain in the hospital for at least a few more weeks. We are getting daily updates from his fiancé.

Long And Flat Is Next

Our next leg is 6 days. Two days near 100 miles, 2 in the 80’s, and 2 in the 50’s. All fairly flat routes! It also looks to be warm. I am hoping the wind will be in our favor too.