Day 27, July 11, 2015, Mitchell, SD to Sioux Falls, SD, 73 miles and 1000 feet of climbing.  Today was in many ways a repeat of yesterday.  Up and on the road by 6:30 a.m. under cool but overcast skies with a slight wind out of the south.  By 10:00 it was heating up and so did the wind.  By the time we arrived at the motel it was 85 degrees, with clear skies and 18 mph wind that was blowing at our right side.  I got in at 12:30 p.m., got a quick lunch and went to a bike shop.  I was happy to get a very good deal on a new set of shifters and returned to the motel and assisted our mechanics Rocket and Mike in getting them installed.  My trusty bike is now whole and healthy again.  The area we road through was primarily agricultural with lots of corn and soy beans.  One of the things I noticed is that the crops are far more advanced along this stretch of the road than they were just a few days ago.  Here the corn is easily 6 foot tall and just back a few days it was barely knee high.  I can only assume that they get more rain here.  The other change that I have been meaning to mention but always forget is our change in elevation above sea level.  A week ago when we were in Lusk, WY we were at about 5500 feet.  Since then we have been consistently descending and today we are at 1400 feet.   The drop means that the air is decidedly heavier and humidity is definitely increasing.  It is beginning to feel a lot more like home.  Tomorrow is a rest day.  I have already done my laundry so I have nothing to do but rest and boy do I need it.  I am tired!!  Apparently they do have a nice bike path around town, so I will probably check it out and find the Falls, but it will definitely be a slow, relaxing ride.  Right now, I am going to bed!

 

It was a day of very few pictures.  This one is an early morning shot leaving Mitchell, SD.

 

Our route followed the east - west rail road line.  Every 10 miles is a small town.  Back in the days of steam locomotives they had to have a stop to replenish their water supply.