Badlands, Mt Rushmore, and More

   The Gypsea just completed a 7-day supported bicycle trip with the awesome Bicycle Adventures (not to be confused with Adventure Cycling).  We rode every one of the 7 days, except the day we hiked 7.5 miles to the top of historic Harney Peak.
    Our point-to-point daily rides began in Rapid City, SD and took us on mostly quiet, scenic routes with plenty of climbing.  We saw roaming bison up close, bighorn sheep, and many communities of prairie dogs.  The prairie dogs were quick to encourage us to move on as we slogged uphill.  A private tour of the Crazy Horse Monument was amazing as we got up close and learned the history of this decade-spanning project. Mt Rushmore is definitely a tourist destination but in spite of the crowds, it is really something to see and worth learning more.
   Headwinds lingered for most days with one particularly nasty day with headwinds AND rain.  Our group of ten prevailed, though, and made it to Devils Tower, one of the group destinations. We ate well, with a variety of dinner spots, slept well in good hotels, and rode a great diversity of mountains and plains.
  Time for a week of rest before taking Stanley on a 5-day self-supported tour close to home.  More to come!