After 1800 miles, I am now on the banks of the Missouri River - at the doorstep to the West. Here my route intersects with the Lewis and Clark trail for the first time. My 100 mile ride today took me through flat and expansive plains populated with either corn or cattle. A light tailwind today made for a far more pleasant ride than the grueling slog two days earlier.
After an early start this morning, I stopped for a mid-morning snack of eggs and hash brown (some might label this breakfast) at the Lammon Restaurant in Ipswich, SD. The proprietor, who was quite shocked that someone might ride a bike from New York to South Dakota, asked to take a picture and generously provided my meal free of charge. If you click the link and go to their Facebook page, you will see that picture of yours truly. Needless to say, the food and hospitality are well worth a visit if you find yourself on that stretch of US-12.
The folks at Lammon's also informed me that I was cycling on a historic automobile route - the Yellowstone Trail. Much like the Lincoln Highway, this transcontinental route was conceived and built by private businessmen, and the Yellowstone Trail had its roots in Ipswich, SD as local businessman Joseph Parmley initially sought to improve the roadway from Aberdeen to Ipswich before undertaking a more ambitious project.
The interest of South Dakotans in my bike trip continued into the afternoon when I stopped at Mr. Bob's - a drive-in restaurant in Selby, SD. Taking a break in the shade, I struck up a conversation with a retired couple and a gentleman - Uncle Mel - who gives tours of the state capitol in Pierre, SD. The retired couple had moved from California to South Dakota for retirement - an unorthodox choice given the severe winters, but they relished the peace and quiet of small town life.
Despite the booming farm economy, my interlocutors confirmed that these small towns continue to decline in population as young people leave and farms are increasingly consolidated and operated by absentee owners. Below a critical threshold, the absence of basic services renders life in the towns untenable. Further south in poorer regions in western Nebraska and Kansas, this process has returned many of these towns to the prairies.
Distance - 100.5 miles
Cumulative Distance - 1786.4 miles
Vertical Elevation - 2218 feet
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| Signpost outside Mobridge, SD for the Lewis and Clark Trail |
After an early start this morning, I stopped for a mid-morning snack of eggs and hash brown (some might label this breakfast) at the Lammon Restaurant in Ipswich, SD. The proprietor, who was quite shocked that someone might ride a bike from New York to South Dakota, asked to take a picture and generously provided my meal free of charge. If you click the link and go to their Facebook page, you will see that picture of yours truly. Needless to say, the food and hospitality are well worth a visit if you find yourself on that stretch of US-12.
The folks at Lammon's also informed me that I was cycling on a historic automobile route - the Yellowstone Trail. Much like the Lincoln Highway, this transcontinental route was conceived and built by private businessmen, and the Yellowstone Trail had its roots in Ipswich, SD as local businessman Joseph Parmley initially sought to improve the roadway from Aberdeen to Ipswich before undertaking a more ambitious project.
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| Railroads shipping corn and wheat to market |
Despite the booming farm economy, my interlocutors confirmed that these small towns continue to decline in population as young people leave and farms are increasingly consolidated and operated by absentee owners. Below a critical threshold, the absence of basic services renders life in the towns untenable. Further south in poorer regions in western Nebraska and Kansas, this process has returned many of these towns to the prairies.
Starting Point - Aberdeen, SD
Ending Point - Mobridge, SDDistance - 100.5 miles
Cumulative Distance - 1786.4 miles
Vertical Elevation - 2218 feet
Counties - Brown, Edmunds, Walworth, SD
Wind - variable tailwind
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