July 28: Tom, A Good Samaritan helps me get to Chamberlain

Prairie Skies Country Inn  saves my day

It was very bad news to find the restaurant and convenience store closed at the Snake Creek Camoground. I’ve been relying on my cycling map to provide information about services along the route. Snake Creek provides the only services between Bonesteel and Chamberlain, a distance of around 80 miles.  With the campground restaurant closed on Monday and Tuesday, not only did this mean no supper on Monday night at the campground, but also no food for the ride on Tuesday until my destination 48 miles later.  My food for Tuesday would be some snacks, namely a package of licorice and a bag of peanuts.  My water situation was worse. I had tossed a couple of empty bottles into the garbage yesterday. There was water at the campground, all that I could carry. But I only had two liter size bottles, while normally I was consuming four bottles in a day.  

So I broke down my campsite, and I drank about two liters of water before leaving hoping that could help for the upcoming ride.  Sort of like carbo loading, but I don’t know if that works for “water loading”.  The route to Chamberlain didn’t Seem to challenging. There was a long uphill pull of 300 feet of elevation or so to start the day as I pull myself out of the river valley, but then after that, the route was all on highways and no serious hills.  However, I began to realize it was going to be tough, as I was already sweating heavily on that initial pull. The temp was higher than it should’ve been compared to the forecast, and not a breath of a breeze.

 

I had figured out that I could have four pieces of licorice for every ten miles traveled, and lunch would be the peanuts. So around ten miles into the ride, I had just had my ration of licorice when I came upon the sign in the photo above.  The cycling map did not mention the Prairie Skies Country Inn. It was  3.5 miles off route, but I thought there was a good chance I could get food and water there. But what if the place was closed or no longer in business? It would be 6 extra miles for no benefit.  So technology to the rescue. I thought there might be a website, and if so maybe a phone number for the place. While I had terrible luck yesterday with the closed restaurant, my luck turned favorably now. Luckily I had cell coverage, and luckily a website provided a phone number.  And luckily, Tom, the owner of the inn answered my call.  I told him about my predicament, especially my need for more water. Tom asked my location, and agreed to bring me some bottles of water; I didn’t even have to ride to the inn, as he was willing to deliver the water bottles to me!  He showed up a few minutes later with the water he promised but also enough food to last me for the rest of the ride.  He brought a couple ham sandwiches, some nuts, a chocolate chip muffin, and three pieces of fruit.  He brought me exactly what I needed to get through the day.  And he would not take any payment. 

 When he found our I was from Wisconsin, he proceeded to tell me the story about his 11 year old daughter, who became gravely ill, while performing on an honors choir tour to Wisconsin. She was originally mis-diagnosed, and when finally the doctors understood the severity of  her situation, the doctors basically provided no chance for recovery. In fact his daughter did recover, in a manner which could only be explained as being a miracle, actually a series of miracles. His daughter is now 13 and has lost her legs due to amputation, but now looks forward to a rewarding life.  We talked about “paying it forward”,  and I only hope to have a similar opportunity sometime in the future to pay it forward.

It is amazing that Tom seemed to know exactly what I needed to make it through the rest of the day. But it was by no means an easy ride for the rest of the day. It was a very difficult ride, as I had to ride through the heat of the afternoon, with no breeze, and almost no shade available.  I took several breaks, whenever I could find some shade, and one of my breaks was in the broad daylight. Finally I got to a little town named Pukwana. Tom had mentioned a place to get food there, and he was right. The cycling map didn’t know about it.  I was so thirsty for something that wasn’t water, and I drank three cans of Coke. I ordered some food, and my meal was paid for by a couple of the local patrons. An amazing day.

Now somewhat refreshed, I finished the remaining 10 miles to Chamberlain; slowly but without further incident.  Exhausted by the ordeal of the day, I decided a couple rest days were in order in Chamberlain. As for the situation at the campground, I will be writing to Adventure Cycling letting them know that the campground restaurant is now closed on Mondays and a Tuesday’s, and that cyclists needing food should plan to reroute if they are going to have a Monday or Tuesday arrival.   The toughest rides of the trip so far have been on a Monday’s when  places noted on the cycling map have been closed.  I am going to consider making Monday’s a rest day, if I am in an area with few services, which unfortunately describes most of the rest of the trip.  Also I will plan to carry emergency food, in case something like this happens again. Live and learn.

Miles: 53

Elevations: High: 1825: Min 1410

Max speed:  23.6 mph

North Component: 51 miles (2 days)

West Component:  41 miles ( 2 days)

One and only field of sunflowers so far

Snake Creek campground

                                                           My campsite. But no food to be had