Serious road riders will want to get out of town and explore the rolling countryside on many of the lightly traveled back roads. There they will experienc firsthand some quintessential eastern Great Plains agricultural countryside, and most probably battle some hot sun and summer prairie winds.

The spot where three states meet

One such possibility is a 35-mile jaunt I've called the Tri-State Tour. Bring plenty of water and snacks; there are several small towns in the area, but they are all a bit off the route.

The Ride

You can start this ride in the nearby town of Brandon, or ride out to Brandon from Sioux Falls (seven miles) by heading east out Madison St. from Sycamore Ave. From Brandon, head east on County Route 138, numbered 264 on some maps. (In case of construction, County Route 146 four miles south is an alternate route.) Continue east past Valley Springs into Minnesota and the village of Manley. Turn south for six miles to the Iowa border and 100th Street. Now go west one mile to the Tri-State Monument, where South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa meet. Here you will be surrounded by cornfields in every direction.

Take a break and bask in the obscurity of this geographical point, then continue west about three miles to State Route 9 and head south into Iowa. After a mile, turn onto Beech Avenue, continuing south two miles to County Route A-18, where you turn right and head west. Take a right onto County Route K-10 and ride north through the village of Granite, winding your way back to South Dakota along the Big Sioux River valley. Continuing north, County Route K-10 turns into County Route 115. At the State Route 42 crossing, follow State Route 11 five miles back to Brandon.