Day 22. Rapid City, SD. 74 miles. 5,100 ft. climb

The day started out great through the Black Hills, which get their name from the dark Ponderosa pines.  They went through Wind Cave National Park, which had numerous prairie dog colonies.  The critters barked if you looked at them too long or tried to take their picture.  Huh?  Then past the Crazy Horse Memorial, which is still being carved.  When it's done (there's no published due date), it will be the largest carved mountain statue in the world.  There were good hills to climb and the scenery was green and very interesting.

The Black Hills Are Green

One of many in the Colony

Crazy Horse Monument So Far

The destination point of Rapid City is very interesting in that the entire city and several hundred square miles of surrounding territory may belong to the Sioux Indians.  In 1980, the Supreme Court ruled that the United States had illegally stolen the Black Hills from the Sioux by breaking a treaty guaranteeing Sioux ownership of the area.  The court ruling offered monetary compensation but the Sioux said the land was not for sale.  The question of ownership is still in dispute.

Then Roger Thornhill called me from Mt. Rushmore.  Well, OK, it was Terry, but anyone familiar with Alfred Hitchcock's, North by Northwest, knows Mr. Thornhill,  played by Cary Grant, and the thrilling scene on Mt. Rushmore.  Terry is a HUGE Hitchcock fan and has been looking forward to seeing the site first-hand and letting his imagination put him in the scene.  I guess that makes me Mrs. Thornhill---but I look nothing like Eva Marie Saint!  Mt. Rushmore is much bigger than he expected and he was really excited to be there.

Mt Rushmore

  But, then, it happened.  On his way into the main parking area of the monument, on a descent, his front wheel got caught in the lip of the curb and his bike skidded out from under him.  He went down pretty hard on his right side, but he seems OK, except for being very abraded with road rash on that side.  The bike is OK.  His helmet isn't--cracked in 3 places. Since he was near the main parking lot, it was filled with tourists, and many rushed over to him to assist.  By the time he got up, some other ABB riders had arrived, and they phoned the SAG van.  He had to finish the ride in the van for the last 16 miles. The ABB staff thoroughly checked him out and advised ice and rest.  They'll be  observing him tonight and in the morning, and they'll decide if he can ride tomorrow or needs more time out.  Most of you know that last year Terry fell while hiking and broke 2 ribs and punctured his lung, but fortunately, he seems to have escaped similar injuries this time.  I just talked with him, and he's feeling much better after a good dinner, a little bruised, but no pain anywhere. ABB took him to a bike store to replace the helmet but there weren't any in his size, so  ABB is lending him one until he can find one that fits at the next good bike shop.  The ABB staff really are well-equipped to handle just about everything that comes up, which takes phenomenal organization and skill.  Then,  Zippy got a rousing ovation from all the other riders when he came back for the  evening RAP meeting.   That made him feel MUCH better!

He was most anxious about telling me, since as most of you also know, I've read him the riot act about getting any more injuries.  But I put Nurse Ratchet on hold.   I really  feel bad for him, not just because he fell and is probably pretty hurting, but it happened at one of the tour stops that he most looked forward to.    Of course, it could have been worse, so let's be grateful it wasn't and keep rolling.

This Was As Close As Terry Got--See George's Profile?

At Least His Bike Avoided This Fate