PowerCycle

05/14 The wind today was just horrendous. I ended up staying in Mission yesterday. I knew Tuesday I’d be staying–not sure why I didn’t mention that. Today wasn’t as bad as yesterday but I still got stuck with a brutal 25-30 mph headwind all day. There’s just nowhere on US-18 to escape it either. There are zero trees along the road and the hills are rounded so the wind just flows right up and over. And is it necessary for the wind speed to increase by 10 mph when I’m going up a hill? Every time? I don’t think I climbed up so many hills since I left Georgia.

Once I left the Rosebud Indian Reservation the land went from open grassland to mostly plowed fields. There were many spots when I wasn’t ducking down to avoid the wind that really made me appreciate how vast this area of the country is. Saw a few deer and lots of prairie dogs.

While riding along I met Little Reece. He was standing at the end of his driveway waiting for his ride to the University where’s he’s working on his master’s degree in Law. I waved when I passed him and said hi but he asked if I could stop. So of course I did. We spent the next 20 minutes having a very interesting conversation about life on the reservations and how even something as seemingly inconsequential like my traveling through it on a bicycle is seen by the residents as a sign that some of the negative stigmas are loosening up a bit. I told him about what happened with Robin and he said that would be something she talks about for years to come. I’ll probably do the same.

I wish him the best because it sounds like he’s exactly the kind of person needed to help bring about some changes in the tribal council that manages Indian affairs. They have as much of an issue with corruption in their leadership as the rest of the country does.

Had a much needed break at the R Bar and Grill in Vetal. It didn’t even matter that I had 3 Sam Adams either. I was already weaving all over the road from the wind. The bar was really nice and the food was great. The owner and her son were there so we hung out and watched Deadliest Catch. The son was stocking up on beer because they start branding cattle tomorrow and I guess they go through a lot of beer on breaks. I’m kind of bummed that I’m going to miss the big dance next week.

Tomorrow and the next couple days after that are going to be eye-opening based on conversations I’ve had with one sober person and one not sober person. The not sober person is pretty sure I’m going to get robbed as I pass through the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation or run over by a drunk driver. The other person said I should definitely be extra careful.

Although its the 8th largest reservation, Pine Ridge is the poorest. How bad is it? Here are some numbers from an article that talks about conditions on the Reservation: A 2006 Special Resource Report by Stephanie Schwartz of the Native American Journalists Association reveals shocking statistics about the difficulty of life on Pine Ridge. The tribe estimates that 40,000 people live on Pine Ridge. Median income is between $2,600 and $3,500 per year, with 97 percent of the population living below the federal poverty level. The average family home has an estimated 17 people squeezed into it. Thirty-nine percent of the homes have no electricity, in a climate with extremes of cold and heat. There is little industry or commercial infrastructure on the reservation, and as a result, the unemployment rate is soaring at 83-85 percent.

Those numbers were incredible to me when I read them. And what the hell is wrong with the people in Whiteclay? The business owners and law enforcement in the area sound like some world-class scumbags. I’ll be just as careful as I always am but now I’m starting to regret touring through an area while so many people living in the area have nothing.

GPX Track