After our day of rest, we were back to waking up at 6am. We had told the hostess and cook in charge of the motel cafe, that we usually leave about 7am and luckily they open as early as 6. I was looking forward to blueberry pancakes again. To our delighted surprise, the cook whose name is Tim (and fiancée to the hostess Deb), gave us each a necklace carved from buffalo bone in the shapes of feathers. These were such kind gifts, and hopefully would bring us good luck (especially with the wind!). I was so grateful and happy; among the kindest gestures we have received. We both put them on straight away. It will remind me of our wonderful time in Faith SD and the good people there. After we finished eating our breakfast, there was yet another surprise. Deb, the hostess, told us the meal was on them! I couldn't believe it. This left me beaming all morning. We thanked them both and went to get our bikes together. When we wheeled them outside and got on, both Deb and Tim came outside to see us off and wish us luck. I told them that if they were in Minnesota, of course say hello! And they both encouraged us to come back to Faith one day. I very much hope to! For now, all I can say is thank you so very much! Me left feeling rested and cheered. So if you are in South Dakota, please do visit the Branding Iron motel and cafe, and say hello.
And that was not all. As we headed out of town, I looked hesitantly at the lightly waving grasses. It was difficult to discern, and I was nervous to discern to closely for fear I might be wrong, but it looked as though the wind was from the south! Perhaps our luck had turned, at least for today. We continued north on 73, and it was a beautiful morning. The light wind in our advantage, combined with our more rested legs, brought us whisking along. The land unfolded around us, soft almost dusky pastels of blue and brown and yellow. Far in the distance, rising up for flatter or smooth horizon were the mound like and cone like shapes of far flung buttes or lonesome hills. Some were shapes such as distant volcanos, in a flatter sea. I wondered at them, as I might spy such shapes here and there. The cook, Tim, had said that though he had not often gone towards Reva, he seemed to remember that it became more bluff and cliff like, and was rather beautiful. So we were curious what would unfold. In addition to the good favor of the wind, we noticed that the road was ever so slightly descending. Normally, this makes me nervous as it has always climbed on our days so far. But this did not seem to be the case. Perhaps we were finally going somewhat down. Or at least up long hills that came down again a bit.
To me, I felt this to be so encouraging. I felt so grateful for the grace of the land and the wind. Perhaps all our challenges the past days with hills and wind were a sign that we were fighting against rest. And now, having rested, we were set again in better favor. I knew it may well be a coincidence, but this felt very right to me.
The land continued to slope gently and subtly downwards. Or perhaps it was merely, as I said before, that now the downhills actually went downhill instead of somehow climbing up. We eventually turned onto 20 west, but the wind, though not now as strongly with us, did not hamper us either. We made it some 50 miles to Bison (there are no stops in between Faith and Bison), and stopped for lunch about 11am. In Bison we had what has become one of our main meal options, grilled cheeses and chocolate milk.
Today we were aiming for a campground near Reva -- a town that, in fact, is so small it is not even incorporated. From Bison to Reva was just under 30 miles. This took longer, as the distance was beginning to catch up to me. I think that, likely, 70 miles is my maximum comfortable distance. Today we would be going just over 90 miles. It is lucky indeed that we rested.
The hills became a bit more of a climb, but still the ride was very decent compared to past days and we were moving much quicker. As we gained ground towards Reva, we could see some strange shapes far ahead, perhaps bluffs or hills or even tree line, but in very curious forms. It was not nearly till Reva that we could see that they were indeed bluffs. Light white and yellowish and of all shape of stone.
There is a small store in the "town" of Reva (indeed, it IS Reva). We picked up food for the night, and learned from the lady at the store that there was no water at the Reva campground. Darn. We had known it was a primitive sight, but had thought based on its description that it had water. So we filled up our water bottles and finished the last for or so miles to the campsite. Which is, in fact, part of Custer National park (a despicable namesake for a beautiful area). We had not even realized.
It is surrounded by rock and buttes and cliff and rock, as well as the most trees we have seen in a long while -- many ponderosa pines I believe. Some with scorched trunks. We were the only ones there. The gravel road loops back some ways, with many sights and overlooks a sea of flat topped and sanddune like grassy hills. Ah, a beautiful place. There were laden grasses and silvery sage and prairie roses and yarrow and prairie plants. We had covered the 93 or so miles by about 4:30 and so we had some time to sit around (more often than I would like chased by flies and later on Mosquitos). But it is a lovely campground, and seemingly scarcely used. For most of the evening it was only us, until one RV pulled down the road.
Swatting Mosquitos, we watched the sunset into the west, over our road for tomorrow. If all goes well, we will be entering North Dakota, and making for Bowman.