the queen travels: Steadily moving west now

We’re at a point where we need to keep moving west to get to California. That has not stopped us from seeing oddities. On the road today Frida, July 17, near Miller, South Dakota, we saw a big painted target, with an arrow that was stuck into the ground, totally missing the target. Strange things, kind of out in the middle of nowhere.

I’ve seen a bit more game today, too, which is always exciting … a beautiful pheasant in a field and four deer, one a doe with a fawn.

And we played the train game, and won. No, that doesn’t mean race the train to the crossing. Our game is as we approach we start pumping our arms up and down, trying to get the train to blow its whistle at us. If it does, we win. Yay!!!!!

Several times we’ve seen cows in ponds, cooling off. It’s been a very amusing sight. We finally stopped to take a photo.

They were really funny to watch, but it sure makes you understand the herd instinct.

The whole group wasn’t in the pond when we stopped, but as we watched them, the others slowly started moving to the pond. Finally there was only one rebel left, and he just kept eating. Then he, too, moved into the pond. We did not stay to photograph him enjoying the cool water on his legs and tummy.

Finally, only the bad boy was still out on his own, not following anyone.

We stopped in a little town not even on the map, Harrold, South Dakota, as we needed to pick up mailing boxes. There’s a bar next door. Not of interest to us, of course. But we also stopped at the gas station. And there some guy said, so you’re the two bikes that were at the bar? Was us, but not at the bar. Word sure travels fast in these one-horse towns. Two girls on bikes whooping it up in their bar. Must have been us. Haha!!!

We hit some construction with pilot cars. We were glad the weather wasn’t so hot as we had to wait 10-15 minutes each time. We struck up a conversation with the flagger. She works 12-16-hours a day, and there’s no outhouse. She has to go down into the ditch. And she’s wearing the brightest, most visible gear she can be. Wow. That is hopefully a well-paid job. She and her husband have an old shovel head. We laughed about them. Work on it all week to ride on Sunday.

The wind started coming on strong from the north after Pierre. We were riding somewhat sideways, but it wasn’t as bad as some I’ve had to contend with on other road trips where you have to put something over your nose as it’s so strong it takes your breath away.

We've seen a lot of these silos.

We also saw what apparently the wind can do to them. It was like taking a piece of aluminum foil and just crumpling it up. A tornado had been through here a week or two before we came through.

Once again, an oddity, in my mind, near Pierre. It was a sign for the Varmit Hunters Association. I wondered if it was for two- or four-legged varmits. Sometimes when there’s not much to see, you have to look harder.

There are lots of crops, corn, and lots of soy beans. Soy beans is also a huge crop in South America. It appears to be coming bigger everywhere.

We think they were harvesting wheat. We weren't sure. I just like the big machines.

There is a certain contentment riding along with no traffic, no cows, nothing but the wind. You’re all alone on the road, and then you go around a corner and there’s a lull in the wind … and you hear birds chirping. You really aren’t all alone after all.

We stayed at a little motel in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, getting ourselves lined up to go to Devil’s Tower in the morning Another cop bike showed up. White, and of the 1980s vintage. It looks a lot like mine except he still has a siren on his. I wish, I wish. Nah. I’d only get in trouble.

This guy was from Indiana.

Our evening walkabout got a few photos … a grain elevator because they’re just cool.

These are beautiful buildings.

And John Deere equipment rolling through town on big trucks. That’s just even cooler. I love John Deere. It’s the color scheme, I believe, although I sure do love those big old machines.

Three or four big trucks went by with the same type of machinery on them. We think they were some type of harvesting machine.

This cat was down near an overpass. He watched to be sure we didn't invade his space.

Our final look for the night was at the geographic center of the United States, right there in Belle Fourche, South Dakota. We had to take a photo before heading back to the hotel for the night.