Early Morning Outing...

 

Having taken the day off from riding yesterday, I was in need of some scoot-time.  The forecast high today is 102º in Rapid City, so early is better.

I got out just after 7:30; it was already 81º.  I took the curvy roads south - very little traffic.  I wasn't riding "hard," but I was moving right along.  I guess I wasn't moving as fast as I thought, because the only vehicle I encountered on South Rockerville Road was a work van (Ford Transit chassis), and he was gaining on me.  It keeps you humble.  ;-)  I did twist the throttle a bit more so as to not slow him down.

There is one spot on South Rockerville that I consider "my favorite view;" it's as you crest a hill and you get a view of the rugged hills in the far distance.  On Tuesday when I was on this same stretch, I slowed as I went over that crest, just to take in the view... I said to myself, "I'll be damned - that is Mt Rushmore in the distance!"  Over the years, I have ridden this road at least 100 times... how could I just now notice that you get a glimpse of the faces here??"

This is a grab from a video I shot earlier this summer...

 It doesn't do the view justice.  I will have to go back there one day with a decent still camera with a longer lens.  I mentioned seeing Rushmore to Joan - she hasn't seen it from that vantage point, either... so it isn't just me being oblivious.

Back to the ride: no traffic in my lane on Playhouse Road and only a couple cars and maybe 5 bikes going the other way.  As I got towards the end of Playhouse Road before it intersects with Iron Mountain Road, I came up on a slow(ish) moving Audi; the guy came to a stop on a curve (could see around him) and waved me around.  Now I know he probably thought he was being nice to let me around, but... maybe consider doing that on a straight section, where the person passing you can actually see if anything is coming at you.

It was more of the no-traffic thing on Iron Mountain Road - what a lovely start to my day, having that road pretty much to myself.  I pulled into the parking for the overlook area - one car and three bikes were parked there.  I don't think I've ever seen it that empty.

Yep, all the switchbacks, tunnels, splits, and pigtails were free of traffic in my lane, and very light in the on-coming lane.  A delight!

Coming into Keystone, the parking lot in front of Peggy's Home Cooking was packed with bikes... no doubt, these are people looking to get out early to avoid the heat of the day as well.  Rolling north on Hwy 16, the lanes on the other side were heavy with traffic.  Timing.

As I pulled into the lane leading to Hart Ranch, there was a motorhome pulling a large enclosed trailer and a truck pulling a big 5th wheel toyhauler heading out.  And still some empty sites as I rode through the resort on my way to our site.

Joan and Rufus were out on the patio, getting some outdoor time before it gets too hot.  Yesterday while we were at Walmart, we picked out a new Rufus chair for the patio; the one we got him several years ago was getting brittle on the fabric.  Here he is this morning, in his new chair...

He looks pretty content.  He enjoys sitting out with us, and he knows which chair is his.

93º at 10:30, with a hot south wind.  There won't be much sitting out the rest of the day.