Yankton, SD -> Rapid City, SD

I used to believe that continental breakfast was not real breakfast. Out here, it counts. I ate my real breakfast and set foot into the real world. I was delayed by a pleasant surprise. The weather was turning out to be better than expected, so much so that I had to pull my liners out. I was tempted to chat up the woman in the lobby wearing the Infowars shirt and cameo pants but I decided I had better things to do. On my way out of town I stopped to render aid to a young man who had laid down his R1 in shorts and a hoodie. The municipal worker operating a riding mower in the median had already come to his aid. The youth was taking his time to punch the ground in anger. I decided to leave. Adrenaline is a hell of a drug.

Grind

The

Interstate

My first stop of the day was the corn palace. On the billboards it is advertised as the world's only corn palace. To that I say, who asked? I heard that there are some folks in China who are looking to build a corn palace, better differentiate. Really it is a small convention center which is annually decorated with half ears of varying colors. Each year the mural takes a new theme. This year's was still under construction so I saw mostly bare wood walls.

I broke the lens on my camera for this photo

Farther out to 1880 Town, another tourist trap, I took another rest. In their horrible designated motorcycle parking (on soft earth, the bane of sidestands) I struck up a chat with another rider. He mentioned he was in need of an energy drink. I asked why. He had done a full third shift at work and set off, further east than I, to Rapid City. I prescribed sleep. "That's why I need to get to my motel room." Idiot. I hope he had a boring ride and slept like a rock after.

I stopped again at a lookout to change from my sweater into a t shirt. It was getting hot. A pair of women and a dog in a Subaru pulled up. One of them opened the hood and squinted. I've seen this face before. My offer for assistance was politely refused but they called to me when I was about to set off. Their main hood latch was no longer holding the hood down. I tried to secure it to no avail. Alas I was unable to repay my debt to the road gods. I'll make up the kindness to other strangers.

I got into my Airbnb. Simple accommodations. I'm sleeping on a couch tonight but the price is barely more than a truck stop shower. This place is a bit of a frat house. The host lives here alone and rents out every square inch of the place for cheap. Effectively he has a constant stream of short-term housemates. At one point he was renting out the backyard for someone to park an RV in. I went out to dinner with one of the guys living here. He's a law student from Omaha and is spending a month in town working for the local DA. His job affords him the privilege of presenting arguments to a jury, thrilling for someone who has not yet passed the bar. The beer here is good and the couch calls to me.

Today's Distance: 359 Miles

Total Distance: 6324 Miles