Monday July 14th Miller, SD or … Gone with the wind?

It is weird not to sleep in the Green Turtle, but in a normal room. Our room mate Sue is the first one to get up. They told us a cold front from Canada comes in:  I wonder whether my fur will do. I do not pack any winter clothing with me! The breakfast people are a bit later – a hungry dog is not a pleasant view, but I manage to control myself. My woman makes up by taking an extra muffin with her … for along the road, she tells me. And yes, the temperature sure has gone down. Next to that we also lost an hour which means the sun is just getting out. All of this makes the ride along the Missouri river very pleasant and crisp. 

The grass seems greener and the river looks colder than usual. 

An Indian tribe is having some kind of ceremony in the morning. 

Our main direction in the morning is East, which isn’t too bad considering the winds coming from the North. We lose the view of the river once we start to climb a bit. 

I keep looking for the sign of the Crow Creek Sioux reservation, but they must have taken it down. By this time the Shuli woman is way back and it feels as if we are the only ones cycling here. 

A dog’s memory is a strange thing but it’s nose, on the other hand, is something one can count upon: the picnic station is getting close and … it’s Tom who’s baking fish!

After resting a bit, my woman decides it is time to climb the rolling hills towards the windmills standing along the road in the fields of grass or corn. But what a tough headwind is this…my ears are almost blown away. Together with the rolling uphills, I know my woman is working hard. But the grin on her face tells me she just loves this: it’s as if she’s cycling to Knokke, Belgium straight into a headwind of 50km/hr. Hey look, one of the windmills lost a blade!

I try to keep the 2 American flags in the bag – they should not fly away. The 20 miles into the headwind ends in the small town of Highmore. A general store brings relief to a thirsty dog!

Just up the road we’ll make a right turn and have the cross wind again, while cycling on US 14 East. It’s one of those roads which seem to have no end at all. The low patches of white clouds make it feel as if the sky can touch us. 

At last I get it: the smell of the DQ waiting at the crossroads. Since it is already kind of late, my woman does not stop there but heads toward Miller School. But everyone seems to have left for dinner. Hurry woman…we do want food! On Broadway Avenue, the Virginian is a small town restaurant. The plastic cups for water or soft drinks which are so typical American, mashed potatoes (alas not homemade) and of course the salad bar and ice cream for dessert. Good food in good company after a hard day of cycling.

Back at the school my woman does pitch her tent and I’ll snuggle next to her into the sleeping bag to keep ourselves warm.