Daily Update for Cycle Across America

July 10

July 10, 1999

Huron to Highmore

Brian’s Ride Miles Biked: 72.5 Average Speed: 14 mph Max Speed: 21.8 mph Time Pedaling: 5 hours 9 minutes Total Feet Climbed: 1840 Start/Stop Time: 9:30 am to 3:30 pm Wind: More wind (low velocity) from the south. Comments: Highmore received it’s name because it was the high point between the Mississippi River and the Missouri River by way of the Chicago and Northwestern train tracks. Although, I climbed 1840 total feet, it was barely noticeable as it was spread evenly over all 72.5 miles.

As I ventured into rural South Dakota, the state motto boasted "Great Faces, Great Places". Accurately enough, it did not claim Great Cellular Connections. Our attempts to locate one another using phones proved frustrating, only 30% of words spoken were words heard. Somehow, we found each other.

We rode to Brookings for an art fair where we sampled home brewed Root Beer and Wild Rice Pretzels and checked out local art work before we ventured onward to find Brian who continued to ride, oblivious to all of our excitement.

"Happy Half-Way"

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I drove on to the town of Miller, the halfway point of our journey! I met up with Joan and Dave at the local grocery and had personalized a cake with "Happy Half-Way Brian". We asked the baker to cut the cake in half to it read "Hap Half Br" and surprised him upon arriving at our home for the evening in Highmore!

We made a yummy Mexican dinner of fajitas, nachos and salad. We all enjoyed arriving at camp early enough to hang out on lounge chairs and to contemplate the days ahead. For after dinner entertainment we made a visit to our neighbors…a wooly family of sheep who at first, timidly ran from us (oh I just passed up the chance to say they were sheepish!) Once they realized we beared gifts of freshly plucked clover, they fought their way to our clump-filled hands. One became quite enamored with Dave’s tennis shoe and gnawed on it, trying to get a bite! I was reminded of the sheep farm at the Hopewell Inn, many miles ago in Mesopotamia, Ohio, and wondered how the residents were.