A Day to Remember

There are so many events that come and go along the way that make it impossible to remember them all.  But today few will forget our visit to Bryant Parkview Care Center, a nursing home facility of about 34 residents in Bryant, South Dakota.

Each day after about 15-20 miles or so we have a water break. Cycle America locks a few water coolers to a tree or post along the road allowing us to fill our bottles and move on.  Today we had our water break at this small nursing home that provided us with coffee and rolls and opened up their facility for us to come in and sit down and have a chat with their residents for about an hour as we moved along our ride.  I met with Leone Acres, a 89-year-old resident who homesteaded in South Dakota many, many years ago.  It was fun to see so many of the cyclists enjoy this special time of interacting and chating with so many of the residents.  

I was especially touched as it reminded me of my own Parkview Care Center in Buffalo, MN where my 87 year-old father-in-law, Earle,  is staying.   It allowed me a chance to pray for Earle and the chaplain, Pastor Highland Goodman.   Each day I dedicate a ride to a friend or family member.  Today it was for Highland Goodman and my friends in San Diego, Cottery and Rose Bryant, as we were in Bryant, South Dakota.    It is a simple thing but these are small ways I can engage with those in my life even though I can't be with them because of this ride.  

Well, we moved on and I had an opportunity to visit the South Dakota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame (lots of old gloves and pictures), and the Toy Museum with shelves full of farm toys in Lake Norden.  They were both off the route but because our ride was shorter (60 plus miles) it gave us a chance to do some other things along the way.

Even though it was shorter ride, I rode with a few other cyclists through a closed road that was flooded to save about 10 additional miles of going around it.   We rode through the flooded road -- slowly trying to avoid slipping into the water as it came close to our lower gears and sprayed up at us as we crossed.    Yesterday our tour organizers saw carp crossing at this very point.  It was all great fun until one of the riders slipped into the water and snapped off his handle bars -- completely broken.   Even on shorter days things can sometimes go awry.   He has a recumbent bike and it may be hard to find the replacement parts quickly.  

We all arrived rather early into Watertown, South Dakota.  I connected with the first bike shop I found and bought a new tire -- my back tires were completely worn down from all the miles since we began the trip.  So far I've somehow avoided any punctures but yesterday I could see there wasn't much rubber left on the tire and it was time for a replacement.    My tent is now pitched at the Watertown Middle School -- looks like we may have some rain tonight.