Day 4 – South Dakota

Last night we settled into our one room log cabin for a two night stay in South Dakota.

First thing in the morning, Dave and I went on a 30k bike ride through Keystone and Mt. Rushmore.  We didn’t ride all the way up to the famous mountain (we wanted to save that for when the kids were with us).  However, we did ride along the route and could see the mountain faces in the distance.  We rode to the top of Peter Norbec; the peak across from Mt. Rushmore. It was a beautiful ride through pine forests with pigtail turns and one lane tunnels.

Mt. Rushmore Ride

While we were gone, the girls sat reading in the shade of the tree by our cabin while the boys rode their bikes through the small stream next to it.  They also got in around of mini-putt at the campgrounds’ course, before we returned.

After a quick shower, we loaded everyone up and had lunch in Mt. Rushmore.  We wandered through the souvenir shops, checking out the wares.  Some rowdy cowboys started making a ruckus in the middle of the street pretending to have a gun fight to advertise for their comedy show.  Ben almost got a little too close to the tall one (7’2”)…

We thought it was a good time to head out of town and up to the Memorial site.  The carved faces of the four US presidents were pretty impressive.  We made the short walk from the information building to the base of the monument to examine the various angles and views.

Inside the gift shop we met a gentleman that was one of the original carvers.  He answered questions and signed a book on the construction of the site for us. It was pretty amazing to meet someone that was a part of this famous symbol.

After we explored the Mt. Rushmore sight, we drove along Needles Highway.  It is a narrow, roadway along a mountainside that twists and turns through narrow passages of tall, rock monoliths.  At times, the rock structures lean together high overhead and we had to thread the van through a single lane passage way.  

After dinner in Custer, we headed back to our cabin.  Along the way we saw wild buffalo, elk, AND deer grazing at different locations along the roadside.  

It was a pretty amazing day!

Day 3 – Wyoming to South Dakota

It was cooler, but the air was still quite dry, this morning as we cycled around Rock Springs, Wyoming.  It is a small,quiet town.

Wyoming Ride

We headed north through Wyoming.  Along the way, as the landscape changed from rock cliffs to rocky plains, we crossed the Continental Divide. 

We stopped for a break at the Mormon Handcart – Martin’s Cove Historical Site. We learned about the history of pioneers that walked across the country from the East to settle in the West.  Even after reading journal passages and looking at photos, it is difficult to imagine the determination and resolve of the individuals that attempted the trek.

The boys tried their hand at pulling a handcart with some special cargo.

While we were there, we made a small hike to the Devil’s Gate; a small cleft in the rock barrier where an unassuming river (at this time of the year), cuts through from the plains on the other side.

Just before crossing into South Dakota, we stopped for dinner in a small coal mining town.  On our way out of town, we passed the mine. The trucks were working away and the train cars were loaded with coal.

It was after dark when we arrived at our cabin in Keystone, South Dakota.

Day 2 – Utah to Wyoming

This morning we woke and made a short ride around St. George, Utah.  The breeze was warm and dry as we cycled around (we even saw a few other cyclists!).  We enjoyed a sweeping view of the area from the top of an escarpment.

Utah Ride

continued our journey north, with a slight detour to Salt Lake City.  We went all the way to the edge of the Great Salt Lake.  It was very aromatic (!) and Alia put her toes in the salty brine.

From the lake, we drove around downtown Salt Lake City; somewhere between S 300 N, W 200 S, N 200 E, E 300 W…confused??? If you’ve ever been to Salt Lake City, you’ll know what I mean…

After Salt Lake, we headed east, through ski country.  The hills are a deep green, speckled with chalets. The permanent snow fences on the roadside gave us an idea of how high the snow must get in the winter.

Not long after crossing the border, we stopped for the night in Wyoming.

Day 1 - California to Nevada to Arizona to Utah

Snacks, water, favourite books, games, DVDs, bikes… All packed up and ready to go.

To kick off our Transcontinental adventure, Dave & I rode our first 5k ride in our “first state”, California.

California 5k Kickoff

We headed out on a familiar Californian route; through mountain passes, past a snowless Mountain High, across the desert of cacti and Joshua trees.  We crossed into Nevada and the temperatures outside sky rocketed to 111F.  We made a brief stop in a popular Nevada landmark, Las Vegas, to marvel at the spectacle, before continuing on. 

At the edge of Nevada, we stopped again, at a small park.  And, with the sun beginning to set and a warm wind blowing, we rode our bikes into Arizona and back again.

Nevada to Arizona and back again

Before we reached our destination for the day, we crossed one more border, into Utah.

Not bad – Four states in one day!
...only 2,300 miles to go!!