Tour de Kota started in Harrisburg, near Sioux Falls SD. Nephew Darren and his wife Jenn graciously allowed us (Mom and I) to stay at their lovely home before the start of the ride. Their home was only a couple of miles from the start. I had planned to head out with friend Lyla and her two daughters Alyssa and Taryn. We all had breakfast at the start site and then the girls announced they were going to drive to Worthing (about 10 miles into the ride) and start there! They said I could catch them. Yeah right! After I was about seven miles down the road they called and said they were at Worthing and heading out. Lots 'o luck catching them with a three mile head start, right? Well, I had four young fellows pass me in a pace line and I asked if I could hook on. Being the nice fellows they were they said OK and towed me along at 20 - 22 MPH, nice. Yeah, I know, some folks routinely cruise at that speed – not Geezer! I kept right up with them, though!
We eventually caught up with the girls so I dropped off the pace line to join them. We proceeded to Beresford where we stopped for food. There I found a rhubarb muffin. Yes, rhubarb muffin, never had one of those before. So obviously it qualified as the BEST EVER rhubarb muffin. We proceeded to Hub City and then Volin where we made another food stop. At that stop I did find some strawberry-rhubarb pie. It was only OK though, not the BEST EVER. At Volin Taryn had enough and got a sag from her Dad. We three remaining survivors finished in Yankton about two o'clock after 74 miles. Oh yes, the girls did a few miles less with their "down the line" start. In Yankton we found the BEST EVER chislics. What are chislics? Some sort if deep fat fried lamb. They were being done in a booth manned by Lyla's husband so I had to try them. Yep, they were the BEST EVER chislics. (And, coincidentally, the only ones I've ever tried.)
We had ridden in about 50-55 degree weather all day with a light mist before Beresford. I had been nursing a chest cold with a cough and it was not getting any better. Queen Judy had been kind enough to wait around in case I didn’t feel better. Well, I didn’t so I decided to go home and try to heal up rather than continue and risk more illness. I really did want to continue the ride, well, maybe next year.
While my tour of de Kotas was a little shorter than planned, I had the chance to visit to my nephew and his family, discover a few "BEST EVER" foods (need to brush up on that for RAGBRAI), hook on for a bit with a fast pace line, enjoy riding with the Sonnenfeld girls, and test out two rhubarb baked goods... an overall solid 74 mile adventure. Next up... Tour de Nebraska with Evan in a week or so. Hopefully I'll have knocked off this cold by then!
Geezer
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