Welcome to the Tar Pits

Note: I tried a different way to put the pictures in this entry, and it worked only on my computer. I will fix them soon. Stay "Tuned"

Today should have been an easy day, but road construction made for one of the more miserable days on the road. Just out of Rapid City, a service road we were supposed to use was closed about 3 miles up the road for bridge construction. I missed the first group that got turned around because I had ducked into a truck stop to get some band-aids, and saw nobody on the road when I came out. I got to the bridge, and was turned around by the construction crew, forced to retrace my path to where Susan was redirecting riders onto the interstate. Once I got onto the interstate I cranked up the speed to about 30 and made up a lot of the ground I lost. After the first (and only) SAG stop we rode rolling terrain for several miles, then transitioned back to the interstate.

The worst part came just before the last climb up to Wall. They were repaving, and we were catching up to the messy part. At first there was nice new pavement, with pylons separating us from the traffic. Then it got much softer, and finally we were waved off the new pavement onto the old, in one lane with all the traffic. This was also coated with new tar, and the drivers were not too happy with our presence, but we did our best. We made it through and pulled into Wall. Ilkka, Kent and I went into the famous Wall Drug and had a bite to eat. Afterward we went to the motel where most of the riders were cleaning the tar off of their tires and bikes. The State Police were also there to complain about the riders on the interstate, and after that the ABBike staff had to SAG a number of riders from the La Walla Tar Pits. It was really hot, and miserable , messing with the tar. I am going to keep my bike out on the 2nd floor deck, and let the road clean off my tires.

Leaving Rapid City
Kent, Ilkka and Me at Wall Drug
Cleaning the Bikes
In the afternoon, four of our group hired one of the off-duty motel workers to take us the few miles to the Badlands National Park. We felt it would be a shame to have come so close and not seen them. I got some good pictures and really enjoyed the bizarre landscapes.
Me at the first overlook
The eroded landscape
Some idiots trying to prove something
A furry friend