Leaving around 6:30 am headed to the western part of South Dakota. Traveling 564 miles to the Badlands National Park, and hopefully getting to Mount Rushmore, and Custer, South Dakota before the sun set.
As in life plans don’t always work out. The day started out wonderfully, I passed Le Sueur, MN where the Jolly Green Giant and Little Sprout reside (another giant figure in the state). It reminded me of my trip to Australia where they have a number of similar giant sculptures in the form of a pineapple, flip flop and lobster. Toward the southwestern part of Minnesota I was greeted with rows of giant modern windmills dancing in the wind. Happy to see that the state I grew up in is taking a forward approach to alternative energy sources.
Crossing the Missouri River into South Dakota noticing the beautiful rolling hills that looked like scoops of ice cream piled next to each other. Everything was going smoothly until my bike started to sputter 3.6 miles outside of Kadoka, South Dakota. Yes I ran out of gas. My gas light never went off and the Italians aren’t know for their expertise in electronics, that said I pulled over to the side of the road and gathered my thoughts.
Hoping someone would stop to help me out my wishes were never answered. Here in the heartland someone would surely offer me a ride or gas to get me to the next station. Nope, Nada, Nothing. Pushing the bike 3.6 miles up a 5-degree incline to get gas. I had to run out of gas at the bottom of the only hill in South Dakota. Ugh. My saving grace was the wind was blowing westward for some reason and helped me push the bike or at least that was what I was telling myself. Still it was 3.6 miles in the beating sun and no water. Note to self, stock up and fill the “Camel Back Water System” and if you ever see a motorcycle on the side of the road stop and ask if they need assistance.
Chugging 3 bottles of Gatorade and full of gas, the bike not me, I made my way to the Badlands National Park. I visited as a kid but wanted to see it again. 2 bees, 3 grasshoppers, and 1 horse fly ended up in my helmet after a head on crash into my chest, bouncing up into my helmet, visor opened with the passengers being sent off to join the other road kill. Approaching the Badlands a huge storm was approaching and I wanted to get to the other side as to avoid the fate of the 2 bees, 3 grasshoppers and thousands of bugs that met their demise.
Through the 20+ miles of the Badlands the storm provided a very dramatic backdrop to the hills. Thankfully I never had to deal with the storm as it passed just north of I-90. A woman from the gold coast of Australia was the only one that offered to take a picture of me on the bike. We spoke about my trip to Australia and she explained that this is her and her husbands 4th trip touring the USA this time ending in NYC. Exiting the Black hills toward the town of Wall, South Dakota my bike started to sputter again. “No not again” I thought I was sure there was plenty of gas in the tank. Pulling over I pushed the bike a quarter mile to the gas station. Trying to start the bike but it never fired up. Sounding like a clogged fuel filter, which fortunately could be purchased at NAPA the next morning, checking in to a hotel and calling it a day.
Bright and early I was sitting outside of the NAPA store like an eager puppy in the window. My new fuel filter purchased but dreading the instillation because the filter is located inside the tank. My hands are just small enough to be able to get my fingertips on the filter and pry it loose from the clip. Draining the full tank of gas into clean empty Kerosene containers that the NAPA owner had sitting in the back. Fighting with the rubber seal that goes around the gas cap. Frustrated for not having all of the tools I needed but smiling because I fixed the problem myself after 4.5 hours of working on the bike headed toward Rapid City, South Dakota, which was to be my destination the previous day. I never made it to Custer to see the buffalo, historic sites and Mount Rushmore; fortunately I saw them, as a kid so all was not lost. Smile straightened out after the past couple of day’s forks in the journey. Definitely the right decision to ditch the cycling shorts.
No comments:
Post a Comment