Day 19

Gillette, WY to Spearfish, SD

• Miles: 108 mi

• Elevation Gain: 4,779 ft

Today’s Ride
Another century in the books — 108 miles with 4,779 feet of climbing! Our group is absolutely over the moon excited knowing that our rest day is right around the corner — Wednesday in Rapid City. Even better, my parents will be there to greet me! My mom has been baking cookies, and I’m pretty sure they’ll be a big hit after three centuries of climbing. Let’s just say, we all have an appetite right now.

The morning started strong with about 30 miles of slightly downhill riding, the perfect warm-up to tick off some easy miles. From there it was a mix of climbs, side winds, headwinds, and tailwinds — a little bit of everything. Thankfully, none of the tough stretches lasted too long, and the variety kept the ride interesting.

Highlights

• 🌄 Spotting Devils Tower from about 10 miles away — an iconic sight!

• 🎉 Crossing into our 6th state — and my home state — South Dakota!

• 😅 Rolling through Beulah, WY, home of the annual “Testicle Festival” (yes, really). We couldn’t resist a photo op.

• 🦬 Stopping at the Vore Buffalo Jump, where some kind RVers snapped a group photo for us.

• 🍦 Ending the day in Spearfish with a great dinner with my riding crew, followed by some much-deserved ice cream.

Days like this remind me why I signed up for this adventure: big miles, new places, beautiful vistas, and moments of laughter with this incredible group. Tomorrow we head to Rapid City, and I’m giddy for two nights in the same place, a little rest, and some time with my parents. 💗