Save a Buck or Two

I think after we finish cycling through the United States I will distinctly remember two things about our neighbour to the south: the freak weather and the generosity of its people.  I thought Iran had the title in the bag for the friendliest and most hospitable country but I think I am going to give that award to the United States.  Similar to Iran, almost every day someone offers us something or wants to help out in some way.  Plus we get lots of waves and overall positive vibes.

Leaving Colorado we met a lady outside Walmart who offered us to go to her spa/massage shop to shower and freshen up.  Very kind offer but we kept on since it was early in the day.  When we entered Wyoming we went to their visitor center (which I might add is one of the best I have been to on this whole trip) and this army guy gave us his leftover pizza from the day prior.  Even though it wasn’t hot, it was delicious.  The big act of generosity came in Nebraska.  Going into the State I thought it was going to be dull and I just wanted to speed through it as fast as possible to get to South Dakota.  About 25km from Scottsbluff a man in his truck stopped and chatted with Trevor.  After Trevor explained what we are doing he offered us lunch at his Chili’s restaurant in Scottsbluff.  When I caught up to Trevor he told me there is a free lunch in Scottsbluff.  At the time I was exhausted from battling the winds but knowing there was a free meal waiting for me down the road I quickly jumped back on the saddle and got going.  Can’t let food wait, it must be eaten.  Sure enough we get there and Stan, the owner of Chili’s says we can have anything on the menu!  Sweet deal.  We both had burger and fries and shared some Buffalo wings to start.  But it didn’t stop there.  He also got in touch with a reporter from the Star Herald to come by and interview us!  As Stan put it, there had to be better news stories out there than what made the front page news that day: Newlywed couple jailed for getting it on in a public park.  I always enjoy answering questions about this adventure so it was once again very fun to do.  You can read the well written article by reporter Joe Dutton here: www.starherald.com.  But wait, there’s still more!  Stan got in touch with Jennifer, the manager of the Scottsbluff Holiday Inn and she kindly offered us a free night at the hotel!  I am not used to sleeping in a bed, having a shower and eating a delicious breakfast buffet but it was all really great and totally unexpected.  They sure are hospitable in Nebraska. 

I really thought as we kept heading North the thunderstorms would die down and the summer I know, i.e. just sun and no rain, would take over.  Seems that hasn’t been the case.  For the most part we have been getting lots of sun but at times there have been some freaky thunder and lightning gong shows.  I always thought the chances of getting hit by lightning are just as good as winning the lottery but after riding near some intense lightning I am beginning to question my perceived chances.  One really shouldn’t take getting hit by lightning lightly.  I saw on the news and spoke with a Wyoming man about numerous incidents where people were hit by lightning in and around the areas we have been cycling.  I admit I worry when we are out in the sticks and there is lightning nearby with nowhere to duck for cover.  We have seen many instances where the lightning bolts have gone mental and the flashes are blinding.  I really hope once we enter Canada all these freak thunderstorms will disappear.  That said, Calgary was recently flooded as was Toronto.  What is going on with all this freak weather around the world?!  Climate change, that is what. 

One of the advantages of cycling for hours on end, every day for a year and four months is that you can listen to podcasts with the hope of educating yourself on various topics.  Trevor downloads podcasts every time we get Wi-Fi and I in turn download them from his laptop.  Our main go to podcasts have been The Bill Good Show (to keep in the know with the issues affecting British Columbia), Freakanomics Radio, 60 Minutes, Global Public Square with Fareed Zakaria, PBS News, Frontline, and TedTalks.  Trevor also gets for himself Talkin’ Shit with Eddie Ifft, 99% Invisible, The Critical Path, and his personal favourite, Security Now!  For the past couple of days Trevor has been out of podcasts and wasn’t keen on listening to any of his audiobooks (which by the way, he devised a program early on this trip that converts kindle books or text files into actual audiobooks!  This is also why I call him Super! … Nerd… all kidding aside I wish I had the knowhow to do something like that).  So he decided to hear what was on the radio.  First station, Christian Talk, skip, next station Christian music, skip, next more Christian radio, skip, finally a good song, song then ends, oh wait, this is actually Christian radio again.  So for the past couple of days he has been listening to Christian radio here in Wyoming.  And from what he has told me, it is quite entertaining stuff, just because it is rather far-fetched.  He has come across Glenn Beck radio where they have commercials mocking science; another station had a discussion about poking holes in Darwin’s silly theories about evolution; and another station where the radio host talked about how he prays to Jesus to get rid of the demons that visit him in the night from midnight to 2am, because that is when they come out.  Once this host was visited by a demon, or as Trevor says ‘Boogeyman’ and the demon prevented him from calling out to Jesus.  But he struggled loose and managed to call ‘Jesus!’, and then the demon released his ankle and went away.  Seriously, this stuff is golden and provides endless amounts of entertainment.  Really I should be listening to this but I like to listen to tunes while I cycle.  Just to note, I don’t want to come across as being cynical towards Christianity here, just want to share what we have heard that’s all.   As I always say believe in whatever you want to believe in, it’s all good.  Just respect other people’s beliefs and don’t try desperately to change their beliefs or persuade them to side with your beliefs.  I do believe, I believe in myself.  We have met a few en route who have tried to entice us to turn to the Good Book and have a read through. 

Another interesting fact Trevor picked up on the radio is that Wyoming is the number one state for suicide.  If they were their own country, they would rank 10^th in the world according to some radio commercial he stumbled upon.  Cycling through the terrain it was quite dull.  The Rockies are in the far West of the State and the rest of the state is very windy and has lots of barren land.  It was pretty boring most of the time.  So I can see why they hold this unwanted distinction, they have a small population and live a rural lifestyle.  Not a whole lot goes on around here.

 

Anyway, lucky for us we are back in the Rocky Mountains proper and are about to explore the primetime part of the State.  Downside is we have to watch out for bears disrupting us in the night in search of food.  The Grand Tetons and Yellowstone are next.

The United States is really a diverse country that has it all in many aspects.  I didn’t think they had camels though.  But they do. 

It was nice to visit our building and see how things are going in Cheyenne.  I think our building needs a renovation because I don’t like the design. 

Trevor about to chow down on his delicious burger and fries at Chili’s.  Yummy.  This doesn’t happen very often (that is, eating a proper meal in a restaurant) so I must capture these moments. 

A group photo with the staff at Chili’s restaurant.  And a big thanks to Stan, centered, who really made us feel special that day.  It is experiences like this that really make this trip that much better and rewarding.   

A sad moment for me occurred shortly after we entered South Dakota.  My Schwalbe Marathon tire and I had to say goodbye.  It had been with me from the beginning of this trip and was even with me for the first attempt, or what I now like to call the pre-game warm up of 2011.  It had seen all the things I had seen on this trip.  Shame it came so close to making it back home to Vancouver but it blew up and had a gash in it so I had to let it go.  I was going to take it back with me but thought why?  I don’t want to become one of those hoarders who keeps everything.  It was still tough to say goodbye.  We had been through a lot together.  

Trevor may not get excited over beautiful vistas but he does get thrilled over freak weather.  Our first night in South Dakota Trevor awoke at 2am, not to the boogeyman, but to some hardcore hail.  He was amazed at the size of the hail.  It was as big as a quarter but quickly melted to the size of a nickel, as shown in this picture.

You know I like to think of myself of frugal when it comes to spending money.  And if I may, I would like to share some of my new found wisdom to save you, the reader, money in case you find yourself on a road trip around these parts.  First up, the Crazy Horse Memorial.  Now I understand this is a work in progress much like the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, but this one is hardly finished and work began on it in 1948.  So at this rate, it won’t be done in my lifetime or yours.  As such, I suggest you do as we did and view it from the information center just outside the entrance gates.  You can clearly see the head and the drawing of the horse.  If it was done, then yes, I would probably pay to see it closer up but since it is far from completion, maybe best to call me when it is done and then I’ll come on by and pay to see it.  Personally it seems somewhat of a scam because they market it as the largest rock sculpture in the world!  Well, this gives me an idea, I’ll buy some huge ass rock, do a tiny bit of carving on it but have an elaborate plan to carve it into the biggest and best rock sculpture in the whole wide world just so I can promote it as such and then charge everyone $10 to see the tiny bit of carving which cost me next to nothing to do.  But people will be satisfied at seeing what will eventually become the biggest and best rock sculpture in the world even though it will never get finished.  But let’s just leave that last bit between you and me.

I did a good deed in Custer, a town en route to Mount Rushmore.  I found a wallet and returned it to a Custer policeman who was gigantic and very intimidating.  I thought I was kind of big but next to this guy I looked like a scrawny weakling.  Anyway, I like to think because of this good deed the weather turned itself around for the better because first thing in the morning the clouds were laying quite low and I was worried that Mount Rushmore would be covered by clouds.  But they weren’t!  As you can see.  It was pretty cool to see this memorial as I have always wanted to see it.  It costs $11 to park a vehicle but if you cycle in, it is absolutely free!  Just another perk to cycling.  But if you must drive I did see one van park it quickly on the hard shoulder and snap a couple of shots.  The view from the road is pretty good too.  Out of the four Presidents, I would say Theodore Roosevelt is my favourite.  Why not Lincoln you ask?  He is usually regarded as the best President of all for he abolished slavery and led the country through the American Civil War.  Or why not Washington, for he was the first President.  And let’s not forget Jefferson, for he was behind the Louisiana Purchase and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence.  No, no, I like Theodore the best.  And I’ll explain why.  I can relate to him in that he was an adventurer/explorer when he wasn’t politicking.  He embarked on an African Safari to discover new fauna and flora and explored unchartered territory in the Brazilian jungle.  When he was politicking he was big on conservation and established many national parks and monuments that we have cycled through in the U.S.  For that, I salute him.  On an aside, sad that I know more about the American Presidents than I do our Canadian Prime Ministers.  Shame on me.    

I’m A North American Badass!  Not quite, but trying to be in Sturgis so I can fit right in.  This town is known for its annual motorcycle rally.  Lots of rally merchandise around and of course lots of badass bikers with their biker chicks in the back.

We even have a street named after us in South Dakota!  Unfortunately it is out in the sticks.      

Devil’s Tower National Monument, which I might add was the first national monument established in the U.S.A. and done so by Theodore Roosevelt.  I was thinking I was going to have to fork over $5 to get in but not so.  You can actually get great views of it as you near the entrance, so no need to spend the $5.  Now you can spend that hard earned $5 on yourself because you deserve it.  Unless you are keen to climb it, then I can’t help you there. 

Trevor also gets excited about huge ass clouds that have freak lightning going on in them.  The big cloud cover to the right in the picture looked like an atomic bomb explosion.  Later it went haywire with all this lightning and flashing going in.  Trevor just sat in his tent and watched the show.  Lots of the time cycling we have had to read the clouds in the sky and see if a storm is brewing.  Trevor is pretty good at reading the skies and predicting storms that come our way.  Unfortunately this happens more often than I’d like.    

Did you know that Wyoming is the nation’s number one coal producing State?  I didn’t either going in.  But now I do.  They produce a lot of the dirty fossil fuel that is coal.  I enjoy taking tours and trying to learn new things so I jumped at the free coal mine tour offered in Gillette.  Trevor wasn’t keen so he stuck behind and browsed the Internet while I checked out the Eagle Butte Coal Mine for about 2 hours.  It was pretty cool to see the whole operation at work.  Mining equipment is massive and very expensive.  The tire of a coal haul truck costs over $30,000 and to replace a truck would cost $4.3 million.  Big money.  It seemed most of the vehicles out in the open pit were reclaiming the land as opposed to digging up coal.  So they appear to be very good when it comes to reclamation of land.  Even though I am all for clean renewables, we still need coal for things like steel so I can ride my bike as well as energy so I found this tour quite interesting and informative.  This is how I learn.  I go and check things out.  Regarding energy, I am no scientist or engineer, but with all the wind we have been battling throughout the U.S., they really should invest more heavily in wind turbines.  Just a thought.      

Once again, we were hit by some insane winds and hard rain that actually hurt my arms and face while I was fighting through it.  This picture shows the aftermath.  I would have liked to capture it while I was in the midst of it but I really had to get out of it as quickly as possible.  We parked it at this rest stop out in the middle of nowhere and decided to spend the night there even though there was a ‘no camping’ sign.  Seriously why do they have that sign?  I think if you are a cycling tourist you should be allowed to camp at a rest area if need be.  Surprisingly, the caretaker was around when we were there and asked us what we were doing.  I said we planned to spend the night because of the crazy storm.  After a bit of hemming and hawing he said fine, even though it was against policy.  When we got up the next morning we saw the parking lot full of truckers and other vehicles.  So why are they allowed to sleep there but we can’t technically camp there?!  Doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.   

The things they can do with antlers these days.