Success or failure is measured in hundredths

I'm currently in Vermillion, SD, and I've ridden 2126.7 miles. Pretty close to half way done I think.

The title for this post came from my stop at Mac's gas station in Stephan, SD. Mac's is owned by Bob. Bob is in his early 80's probably and is the local seed guy for most of the farmers. Where most gas station/convenience stores have useless junk for sale next to the register, Bob has ear tags for calves. In many colors and sizes. As I ate my afternoon snack of a Dr. Pepper and some kind of hostess treats I listened to the other farmers come in and greet Bob. The conversation always started with some variation of "how many hundredths did you get Bob?" The first time Bob replied with "I got 25, you?" To which the other farmer said, "I got 45 hundredths." It took me a bit to figure out they were talking about rainfall amounts. For them, the scarcity of rain and the success or failure of their entire year's worth of crops is measured in hundredths. A little too much our too little can spell disaster for them. So the conversation always starts with the most important question. They don't say "how are you doing," as one's wellness is not self-centered, but harvest-centered. Most of the rest of us speak in terms of hundredths as it relates to sporting events we watch. But, let's face it, any sporting event we watch is really just a leisure time activity. Unless we have a gambling problem our wellness is not contingent on the outcome of some athletic endeavor. Even what I am doing on this ride is just a leisure time activity. I do not have to ride, I choose to do so. It was a good reminder that the food we can buy at any time we wish was contingent on some farmer betting his family's fortune on "hundredths."

I met two business owners whose stories I want to share briefly. The first is a family who owns the South Whitlock camp and RV park near Gettysburg, SD. The family started as farmers, raising cattle but it did not work out for them so they shifted to the RV place. Randy and Pat, along with their grown children Jessica and Derrick have operated the place for decades and it is an awesome place to camp. I paid 12 bucks for a spot with full services and it included the cleanest shower facility I've ever been in. Most federal campgrounds also have showers but they cost extra and are not kept up well. The pride this family took in what they offered was obvious. I arrived the day after a major storm with baseball sized hail had bitten through causing a lot of damage. They were already out there cleaning it up and making repairs. Most government campgrounds just closed of the damaged areas to be cleaned up later by the designated cleanup crew. Personal ownership and the pride therein was obvious to this family. I spent a good time chatting with Jessica and you can tell she is proud that this is her place, and the place her kids will eventually take over.

The second story is about Gallo's Mexican restaurant in Pierre (pronounced peer by the locals, not pee-air). I showed up at normal old person dining time and was the only one there. It had been recommended to me by the woman who works at the dam visitor center just outside of town. She said the food was authentic. The owner was there and he sat down to chat with me. Antonio Garcia is originally from Guadalajara, coming to Pierre by way of Federal Way, WA. He's worked pretty much in the restaurant business since coming to America and ended up in Pierre when a friend asked him to come help out in his Mexican restaurant, called Guadalajara. Go figure. The deal was if he helped his friends it then they would help him open his own place, which didn't happen. Antonio played professional futbol (soccer) in Mexico and his nickname was Gallo, rooster. This the name. He had to petition the Pierre city council to open the restaurant because as they pointed out, Pierre doesn't really need two Mexican restaurants. Antonio told them his goal was to be not just a restaurant, but to be the best one in the Midwest. In his third year he made it to the best 100 restaurants in the Midwest. He said his biggest problem is finding good workers, a comment I hear from a lot of people on my ride. I can say his Mole was superb, and he makes it fresh daily.

America is the best only when good people are willing to bet their well-being on hundredths, or being the best, and then pouring everything they have into achieving the best. The three encounters I shared above all have that common theme.

I can also tell you the doctor in Burke, SD is awesome at stitching people up. I stopped in Burke three days ago for a late breakfast snack - Dr. Pepper and a cruising covered sticky bun, and a banana. On my way out of town I stopped to adjust something, now forgotten and the wind blew me over before I could fully unclip from my pedals. On the way down to the pavement my right ankle ripped across the top of my pedal and carved out a dime sized chunk of skin down to the meaty part, and then lacerated my leg right on top of my achilles tendon. Fortunately there weren't any cars coming because it would have been heads, zero, big truck tires, one. Immediately after it happened a car did stop and ask if I was okay. To which I said yes, not knowing the extent of the damage. Fortunately another car stopped shortly after I assessed the damage and they found the hospital for me. They couldn't fit me into their vehicle so I one-leg pedaled to the clinic (only a couple miles back to town, thankfully). It was Sunday and the town doctor was already there having just finished another patient. She got me stitched up and I spent the night in a motel just outside of town. The wound is healing nicely and I've been able to get back on track with a 97 mile day yesterday.

I figure if this is the worst thing that happens I'm doing okay. Besides it was on my right ankle so it was nice to keep all the scars on the same leg...

Torture will