Day 24 Wall, SD to Pierre, SD

I rode 85 miles today. It was a BRUTAL day. It is 7:15 PM and there are still a couple of riders out there who are determined to make it in. They started at 5:30 AM this morning. Only about 10 riders made it the entire route today. It was 105 degrees, and the wind was unreal. The riders were falling like flies after the last sag stop at 84 miles. It started out really great this morning, getting out by 5:30, after a breakfast buffet at the restaurant near the motel. It seemed cool and we had a tailwind. I saw 5 bikes who were changing flats within the first 25 miles. Could be something to do with riding on that mess yesterday? I was in and out of the first SAG at mile 30 in about 4 minutes flat. I did not want to waste any time as it was heating up fast. The 55 mile SAG was a quickie too -- and oh my was it getting hotter by the minute. It was 98 degrees by 11:00 AM. We were getting some headwinds right before that stop - but after a big climb and a change of direction to head North for the next 22 miles we had a tailwind. But it was SO HOT that I drank 4 bottles of water from the second SAG to where we turned East and into the most brutal head/side winds you can imagine. Gusts up to 40 mph. It was not flat road either, and I was fighting the wind for 6 miles trying to make it to the 85 mile mark. It took me over 30 minutes to go 6 miles. I had no one to draft off and it was every man for himself. I started to feel sick to my stomach, and then I got the chills. I knew I was in trouble as I was dehydrating real fast. I was looking for some shade - - any shade somewhere just to lay down in the shade to cool off. I was pouring the last of my water on my body to try and cool down. Finally, there was one lone building (about 3/4 mile from the SAG) and I pulled in there. I couldn't even go inside until I rested up against the shady side of the building for about 10 minutes. This place out in the middle of nowhere was also an antique shop and tiny convenience store. They had cold Gatorade and ice cream bars. They wouldn't even fill my water bottles, as they said they don't have drinking water there. They have to bring in bottled water. I had some of Gadorade and ice cream. Nancy A pulled in there too. We revived enough to make it up the next hill and into the SAG stop. Everyone there was calling it quits. Nancy went on until mile 108. An ABB van was pulling up with a load of more riders who did not even make it to this third SAG. There was 35 more miles to go and some started out -- but most were just too beat up to continue. We have another brutal ride tomorrow and the temperatures in the 100+ again tomorrow. I did not take my camera with me today.
We had a time change today, so we have lost an hour.
The weather has been overall -- until today very bearable -- but today it was really very unsafe to be out there riding. Stay tuned, we'll see how it is on the 84 mile day into Chamberlain, SD tomorrow.
Time to go to bed. It is 7:45 PM. What a day! God bless us all, and I thank Him for protecting all of us. And many thanks to our wonderful ABB staff who did an outstanding job running the route to keep our water bottles filled all day long.
Goodnight