They say hell is supposed to be hot, but Devils Tower did not follow that stereotype.
After heavenly rides through South Dakota in 80 degree heat, Charlie and I could both agree that the Needles Highway, Mickelson Trail, and Spearfish Canyon were trip highlights.
When we awoke to a chilly, cloudy day, my persnickety side quickly came out. My mood depends heavily on whether we can see the sun, and today we were in constant cloud cover.
We left Spearfish with full stomachs, having eaten some scrambled eggs with peppers, garlic, and shallot, muesli, pickled beets and bacon. We rode along Old U.S. Highway 14, and I started the ride without wearing all of my layers, thinking Charlie was soft for bundling up. Big mistake. The first 10 miles were miserable, for the first time in my life, I actually preferred exerting effort uphill then flying downhill. The windchill when coasting was that brutal. Thankfully, Charlie stayed by my side; we chatted about our potential energy, childhoods, and the future of our trip.
Shortly after putting on my extra raincoat layer, we entered the beginning of a 50 mile long blanket of fog. It was both frightening and thrilling to have limited vision; hills seemed more daunting and cars seemed more threatening. The primarily empty road on top of the enveloping weather made the ride today feel like a clandestine mission.
We stopped at the Bearlodge Bakery in Sundance, WY, not the home of the Sundance Film Festival, for lunch. We had some yummy sandwiches and soup to defrost from our first 30 miles. We spoke to the owner and chef, Joni, who was very eager to help us find places to stay as we progress westward. The highlight of the meal was a dirty chai latte that warmed my body and soul, reminding me of my days relaxing in the Coffee Club on campus.
The closer we got to Devils Tower, the thicker the fog got. As Charlie froze in silence, I laughed hysterically at the notion that we would not be able to see America’s First National Monument. My thought proved true as we are currently sleeping right next to Devils Tower and have not seen its top half.
To escape the cold, we made an extended stay at Devils Tower Gulch, a bar, restaurant, and gift shop within a mile of our campsite. We attempted to warm up, while eating 4 pieces of pie and a chocolate lava cake. Charlie finally had feeling return to his hands, and we decided to head to our cabin.
In tight quarters with a broken heater, we draped ourselves in our sleeping bags, researched our Yellowstone trip and watched the Warriors lose :(
Today was one of the wildest and coldest days of the trip, and tomorrow ain’t looking too warm either. Sweet dreaming of the ability to see Devils Tower in the morning!
-Maddie
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