Keep up with Matt along the Tour de Kota!

Finishing the Tour

And just like that, it's over.  Today we concluded the tour with what turned out to be a 79 mile path from Brookings to Sioux Falls, via Rutland, Wentworth, Chester, Colton, and Crooks.  With so many miles under our belts, many of us barely gave a thought to finishing off this last leg.  But since it was another windy day, finishing off the tour required us to work a little bit.

At one of the rest stops I talked with my friends Leah, Matt, and Saul, about why they were riding in the tour.  Obviously their goal was not to pass the miles as quickly as possible.  A car would have worked better for that.  They likened it to riding a roller coaster - an opportunity to experience emotions that we might not encounter as often in our everyday lives: the feeling of desperation when climbing a hill into the wind, and the feeling of relief when you reach the top; the feeling of camaraderie involved in riding with a group; the feeling of accomplishment after a long ride.

We had all those, this past week.  In my case, I also experience a intense feeling of gratitude -- both for the many people who supported this ride for Senator Johnson and his re-election campaign, and for the smiling faces of my friends on the Team Johnson Welcoming Committee, who cheered me on to the finish line at Falls Park in Sioux Falls.  It was the perfect end to a wonderful week.  So to them, and to you, thanks again.

 

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12:00 AM Jun 13, 2008 - 0 comments permalink

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DAY 5: A big improvement in the weather

If you've ever lived through a South Dakota winter, at some point you have probably asked yourself why we (or our fore-fathers and mothers) chose to settle in a place with such inhospitable weather.

Anthropologists would might tell you part of the answer is that the cold climate kills off diseases that once thrived in more tropical climates. But as far as I'm concerned, much of the reason we put up with our winters is that the contrast in seasons allows us to truly appreciate a day as beautiful as this one. If they were all this nice, it wouldn't mean as much.

Today's route covered the 90 miles between Huron and Brookings. With an occasional breeze at our backs, and barely a cloud in the sky, we happily recounted the week's more challenging moments as the miles ticked by.

Before setting off in the morning, the Huron Kiwanis Club served a fantastic breakfast at their pancake house on the State Fairgrounds.

In Iroquois, a team of four local youngsters greeted all the riders with high-fives on our way into and out of the rest area. And Oldham served a wonderful sit-down lunch, including an awe-inspiring selection of pies, in the school gymnasium.  They also provided free American flags and flag stickers, which adorned many bikes on our way out of town. The refreshments and hosts in Cavour, DeSmet, and Sinai were also excellent.

Here at Pioneer Park in Brookings folks are settling down for one last night away from home before we pedal back to Sioux Falls tomorrow.

Among the best lines I have heard here in camp came from one local person who surveyed the bikers and observed that "I haven't seen this much spandex since the 80's..."

 

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12:00 AM Jun 12, 2008 - 0 comments permalink

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DAY 4: Extreme weather

Farmers and bikers are alike in the sense that they both love to talk about the weather. (Though bikers struggle to understand the concept of "praying for rain").

Weather has been the talk of the tour last night and today on day four. Most bikers camped last night in the outfield of Highmore's baseball/football field. As we went to bed, the field was abuzz with talk of hail, tornadoes, and rain in the forecast. Most of us slept with one eye open, hoping not to be the last tent on the field in case of evacuation. But in the end, all we ended up with was the rain and some wind.

This morning, as we headed east, the rain came again. Unfortunately, at this time we were all perched atop two narrow wheels touching slippery pavement, and some of us fell. To my knowledge no one was badly hurt.

The folks from Ree Heights were a welcome sight, as they provided hot coffee and a little shelter from the cold rain. And by the time we got to Miller, the rain had let up. There we were free to dry off and enjoy the other hospitality at the school gym.

Later in the day we had a happier weather variation -- a strong wind at our backs. Benefiting also from with downhill path into Huron, we made up a lot of time in finishing today's 71 miles.

Tonight the weather will not be a factor, as we are "inside camping" within the spacious buildings on the South Dakota State Fairgrounds. Thanks to the staff here for making us feel at home. Finally, an enthusiastic thanks to you for your interest in this ride, and your outstanding support of Senator Johnson's campaign.

 

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12:00 AM Jun 11, 2008 - 0 comments permalink

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DAY 3: Several Reminders of Senator Johnson's work for SD

Today's 53 miles from Chamberlain to Highmore via Stephan and Fort Thompson featured beatiful scenery, especially along the Missouri River. The water was pretty calm, as the wind finally stopped blowing, to everyone's relief.

Over the course of a week-long event like this one, each of us has the opportunity to meet hundreds of other people -- fellow riders, community hosts, support crews, and so forth. In my case, the Tim Johnson stickers on my bike and jersey make for a convenient conversation starter. My informal polling tells me that South Dakotans (and a lot of out-of-staters) are excited that Senator Johnson is running for re-election in 2008. This is a group that knows dedication when they see it, and the Senator's recovery and continued service is a remarkable story of dedication.

As we rode through today's route, on several occasions I was reminded of Senator Johnson's work for South Dakota. Outside of Highmore we took a break at the Wind Energy Center, which features numerous majestic-looking windmills. Without wind energy advocates like Senator Johnson, who helped extend the Production Tax Credit and is pushing for a Renewable Electricity Standard, the wind industry would not be generating the dollars or kilowatt-hours that it is today.

Also in Hyde County, I acquired several much-needed glasses of water from representatives of the Mid-Dakota Rural Water System. Few infrastructure projects are more fundamental to economic development in our state than the regional water systems like Mid-Dakota, Lewis and Clark, Mni Wiconi, and others. Without Senator Johnson on the Senate Appropriations Committee and serving as Chairman of the Water and Power Subcommittee of the Senate Energy Committee, it would be a lot harder to find a glass of high-quality water in our state.

The sight of four-dollar-and-five-cents-per-gallon gas at Mac's Corner in Stephan, SD, also reminded me that there's a lot more work that needs to be done in the US Senate. And Senator Johnson's ability to work with Democrats and Republicans alike is just what we need more of at this time of such political polarization.

Gas at $4.05 also reminded me that today was a good day to be traveling by bicycle...

 

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12:00 AM Jun 10, 2008 - 0 comments permalink

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DAY 2: Lots of wind, and "pheasant nuggets"

After yesterday's perfect day, I guess we had to come back to earth. Today we continued west, from Mitchell to Chamberlain. Unfortunately we had a strong wind in our faces nearly all day. On the bright side, that meant a less rushed opportunity to take in the picturesque landscape and festive towns. And the sense of accomplishment is a little greater after a hard day.

Today's rest stops were once again full of nice people, great food, and enteraining entertainment. In White Lake, I got my picture taken with a talented and friendly singer who played some old-time country favorites, AND I had my first-ever order of "pheasant nuggets" -- they tasted kind of like chicken. In Kimball we dined at the South Dakota Tractor Museum. And at each of the stops, including Mount Vernon, Plankinton, Pukwana, and too small to have a name, we found patient people who waited for us to creep our way along the road.

My uncle, who helped convince me to ride the tour, also talked me into the optional 26-mile loop that allows you to claim a full 100-mile day today. He is persuasive. Apparently I am easily persuaded. Fortunately he helped us to pass the time by sharing a wide range of classic Ole and Lena jokes.

Tomorrow will be hilly but relatively short. And rumor has it the wind may be at our backs. Here's hoping... 

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12:00 AM Jun 09, 2008 - 0 comments permalink

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DAY 1: Great weather, great time from SF to Mitchell

After a lot of bad weather around the state, and some pessimistic forecasts, I think most of the riders on the tour were surprised by the absolutely perfect conditions we experienced today. The sun was shining, but not too much, and the wind never mustered much force.

Today I rode with my friends Matt (just like my own name) and Saul. We made great time over the first 70 miles of the tour, from SF to Mitchell. Hartford was our first stop, and there we found lots of friendly folks with refreshments. The peanut butter and jelly sandwiches from trinity lutheran youth group were a highlight.

We found similar hospitality in Humbolt, Montrose, Salem, Spencer, and Farmer. After pedaling for hours, those rest stops were a sight for sore eyes. And it was positively shocking to have the local residents thanking ME for stopping in, when I could hardly have been more grateful to them for helping us along our way.

Tonight we're enjoying a pleasant night of camping at the park. Tomorrow we head farther west to Chamberlain. The big question is whether to opt for the extra 26 mile loop that would make tomorrow a full 100 mile day. My uncle, who helped convince me to ride this year's tour, makes it sound like a piece of cake. I'll give you my own opinion tomorrow night. Thanks for reading!

 

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08:00 PM Jun 08, 2008 - 0 comments permalink

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