Day 16 – Stone State Park to Vermillion

42.9 miles today – 776.2 total miles

We entered South Dakota today.  There wasn’t even a sign to greet us as we crossed the Big Sioux River, which wasn’t very big.  The ride today was uneventful.  We left our ranger friend’s house at about 8:30 and made it to Vermillion by 12:30.  The heat index was very high again this afternoon and we wanted to ride in the morning, before it got hot.  The ride was relaxing and flat, on up the Missouri River floodplain.  We have one more day of flat riding tomorrow to Yankton before we hit the hills.  Keith is enjoying the slower pace for the next three days.

The weather is scheduled to cool off beginning tomorrow though the rest of this week.  If we can dodge the rain in the next 24-48 hours we should have good weather for the rest of the ride.

We stopped in Elk Point and saw the site of the first election West of the Mississippi where the Lewis and Clark expedition selected a sergeant to replace Sgt. Floyd who died in Sioux City.  Then we got the all-important second breakfast.

Keith is looking forward to Yankton tomorrow because there he was told there was a Wal-Mart there and he wants to price some things he has been dreaming of the whole trip.