Our Last Day In South Dakota

We took one day off while in Rapid City to tour the area and take care of personal and bike issues. After acquiring a car we visited two bike shops before I found a tire. About one week ago my front tire was making a clicking noise. Not having experienced such a problem before I wasn't sure what to make of it. Looked at all the obvious, but not until we pulled off the road to check our tires for glass we rode through did Rosie see a bulge on my front tire. It eventually grew as pictured in my latest Kodak pics. Appears the tire was defective given the inner layer was incomplete leaving a gap. Only if wasn't such a load....

We enjoyed our tour through the Black Hills. Our touring was shorten due to the bike issue, but we at least got to visit Deadwood, Lead, Spearfish Canyon and Spearfish. Mt. Rushmore and Custer's Monument was to the south and more crowded than the direction we took. Coming off the mountain into Spearfish the descent was over three miles at 7% grade. I mentioned to Rosie we should ride this route. She told me otherwise. Got her to drink beer and eat biscuits and gravy on this trip. Still working on riding the hills.

On Tuesday, August 3 we rode to Spearfish, stopping in Sturgis for lunch.  Spent about three hours in a diner waiting for a storm to move through. Our bikes were just outside the door and a gust of wind pushed my bike. Rosie jumped up a ran outside grabbing the bike and dragging it inside. Not far behind her we secured the bike and I turned to the customers and said if I could move as fast as my Little Woman I could enter the Olympics.

It continued to rain for several hours. The streets turned into streams. When it finally broke we hit the road and completed our remaining 17 miles to Spearfish, From our room we look out at the Black Hills.  Tomorrow we will be entering Wyoming, heading for Moorcroft, 62 miles.