North to Alaska - 4

June 23, 2007

Today we got out just after 8:00, with reasonably dry cloths but again we had some short cuts…
no breakfast so the coffee stops started early. The weather looked just like yesterday, very 
grey and overcast but with fog. Did we learn anything from yesterday…..no. Neither of us put 
on our rain gear but we did at least close our jacket vents before we started. We also had 
some drying to do on the bikes. Everything was wet, including the seat. I guess I did a better 
job than Jim because my butt stayed dry. 

As we started west on route 3,  a 200 mile back road that was almost entirely straight before 
we crossed into South Dakota, the sky continued to get darker. The fog a little heavier and 
water was now collecting on the wind screen. We stopped for breakfast after about 100 miles. 
We still didn’t change into rain gear and when we came out the weather had started to turn. By 
the time we got to South Dakota the sun was shining. Iowa grows corn! The whole ride was 
through flat farmland. Mostly all corn with some soy beans for variety and a few beef feed lots.

We stopped just short of the South Dakota border for a break…coffee. We had another 100 miles 
to go to get to Mitchell, South Dakota, our next stop. We didn’t eat or fuel up because both of 
us could probably go another 50 to 100 miles before we ran out of gas and we had a late 
breakfast. We would stop somewhere along the way for fuel and lunch. The first leg was 60 miles.
 Another very straight road through farmlands but there was no commercial activity at all! Not 
a single store or gas station. The next leg was 40 miles. We didn’t find a store or gas station 
for 30 of those miles. We were both on reserve, the sun was very hot and we were hungry. I 
guess South Dakota is one of the least populated states because there are no stores! Shopping 
must not be a priority. When we came out of the restaurant my thermometer in the sun read 112. 
I think tomorrow is supposed to be hotter still. I can’t wait.

We arrived in Mitchell around 2:00 which gave me a little time to spend with a high school 
friend before dinner with him, his wife, son and granddaughter. Jim found Cabela’s, a large 
sporting goods chain and Mennards, a tractor supply outlet. I think he is trying to fill up the 
empty spaces he had. It was another good day!