Four Corners Tour – Ride Day 22 – Tour Day 19 – August 5, 2015 – Wednesday
Start Time: 8:06 AM MDT
Stop Time: 6:59 PM CDT
Start Location: Wall, SD
Stop Location: Mason City, IA
Lodging: MacNider Campground
Breakfast: Campsite (bagel with cream cheese)
Lunch: Arby’s (brisket sandwich, potato cakes)
Dinner: Campsite (PB&J on flour tortilla, peach, baby carrots)
Miles Traveled Today: 533
Weather: 72-82, overcast all day
States visited so far on this tour.
Route: I-90, I-35, 300th Street, Birch Drive.
Got a little later start today since I knocked a few miles off of today’s run by heading east for an hour or so instead of staying in Spearfish yesterday. But losing an hour in the time zone change made the day pretty long anyway. I did cover a lot of miles today.
Had to drop by Wall Drug or Ken Clark would be gettin all up in my grill next time I see him.
I thought it was really cool that they made this chapel available to people of faith (not a lot of businesses would give up all those square feet for something that does not generate revenue). Thank’s to whomever made that decision.
When I crossed the Missouri River, there was a really nice Rest Area, and the sign said it had a scenic view. They were not kidding.
Not sure what this is, but there was one at every rest area I saw coming across South Dakota (my best guess is it is supposed to represent a tee pee).
Not too long after my rest break, I crossed another state line. Kudos to Minnesota for the best Welcome sign so far (they win by a landslide, nobody else is even close).
Most of the ride today was under the threat of rain, but not one drop fell.
Two other things you might notice about these photos are windmills and crops, lots and lots of crops.
If we starve to death after the Zombie Apocolypse begins, it will not be for a lack of crops. Every single state I have visited had had tons and tons of crops, so crops won’t be the problem, transportation will most likely be the problem (transportation and people trying to eat your brains).
The upside as I understand it is Zombies don’t like Brisket.
Oh wait, this is a motorcycle touring blog, scratch all that Zombie Apocalypse mumbo jumbo. As I was nearing the end of a long ride day, I picked up another state.
I was really skeptical of tonight’s campground after finding out that it was a city park/campground that was right in the middle of a residential neighborhood, but as soon as I pulled in, I knew I had made an excellent decision (better than most).
This my friends is one awesome campground with a huge bath house, clean and cavernous showers, laundry facilities and WIFI. Well kept first class facilities all the way. Great job Mason City, Iowa.
Once again, I thank my Lord for keeping the bug guts covered end in front, and the Jesus is Lord end in the back, and me on top. Also want to thank you Lord for holding the rain behind me one more time.
Tomorrow, I’ll be pulling yet another interstate marathon for most of the day. Heading to Shipshewana, Indiana.
Tour Tip:
Always take your rain gear in with you each night, whether ‘in’ is into a tent, or into a motel room, you will be very happy that you did when you wake up to a thunderstorm. I keep all my rain gear in a backpack so it’s easy to grab out of the saddlebag and carry in with any other luggage.
Product Review:
Rain Gear. I have a full Frogg Toggs rain suit (jacket and pants), and their over boots. I also have a pair of Aerostich Triple Digit Raincovers (gloves).
I have had my Frogg Toggs rain suit for almost three years now, and have used them about 6 times in those 3 years. They do an excellent job of keeping me dry if I get everything on in the right order (I’ll explain a little later).
The weakness of the rain suit is that it is made of some sort of paper like material, so it tears pretty easy (I tore one of the boot straps off within the first year putting the gear on).
The Frogg Toggs over boots also do a great job of keeping my feet dry, but not if you use them as they are intended. As the name implies, you put them on over your boots and pants, but if you put them on over your rain pants, water eventually runs down inside them.
So the trick to the over boots is to put them on over your boots, then put your rain pants on. Worn like this, they will keep your feet dry in an all day monsoon (I know this from personal experience, I also know how they don’t work if you put them on over your rain pants).
The only weak feature of the Frogg Togg over boot is that the buckles are not attached or tethered to the boot. Can’t tell you how many times the buckle has come off in my saddlebag, but it’s a lot.
The Aerostich Triple Digit Raincovers are rain gloves you wear over your riding gloves. They also include a little windshield wiper on the thumb, which works pretty well at wiping your helmet face shield.
Like the Frogg Toggs, if you put them on after/over your rain suit jacket, sooner than later, water will run down into the gloves. But, if you put them on first, then your rain jacket, they will keep your hands dry in an all day monsoon.
I will say that having to put your first two fingers into one slot, and the other two fingers into the other slot is just plain awkward, but worn under you rain jacket, you will stay dry.