Wednesday July 8: Fort Pierre to Miller

73.1 miles, shorter only in the numerical sense.

Ro's Phrase Of The Day:
*This* is our camp???

The most interesting parts of the day were at the beginning and the end -- at the beginning because we crossed from Fort Pierre to Pierre. Most of the day looked like this, and it was a very hot day with a strong headwind from the east. We took Hwy 14 through Blunt, Harrold ( where we ate lunch), Holabird, Highmore ( where at pit 3 lots of people were sleeping), and finally into Miller. Camp at Miller was amazing; their Legion Park is fantastic -- soft grass, and lots of trees. Also, today was the first day that The Bike Detail guy started following us. Our bikes were so dirty from the Badlands (and previous days) that we would have gotten them cleaned then and there but for the fact that he was booked up.

Most of this day was okay, but tiring (having done almost 200 miles in the previous 2 days), and one thing really pissed me off. In the Stables restaurant in Harrold, next to all the other bar humor posters and stickers and papers, was one that read: "Help Needed: small black man for mud flap. Must be flexible and willing to travel". I haven't lived anywhere where you could get away with posting something like that. I don't like being around people who think that is funny -- especially those who seem to be nice in every other way. I wonder if those idiots who dragged the black man behind their truck (in Texas? for how many blocks/miles?) had seen this "funny". Hmmmph. Unfortunately, I didn't see the sign until after we'd eaten, but it certainly would have ruined my appetite. I couldn't get out of there fast enough after that. Hmmmph.

Side note: at the announcements that night, we were told of the gastrointestinal bug going around (people not washing their hands after using the porto-johns; we didn't have antibacterial soap to do it with anyway), and the strep throat that had hit a few people. Needless to say, just after that we finally got antibacterial gel put outside all the PJs. Finally.

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