Incredible shrinking towns

The wind swings from south to west to southwest during the morning, too strong for me to advance 70 miles to Highmore today. No other place has services in between. Towns in the Plains have been losing people for decades, and I often ride down main streets with only half the storefronts occupied. Hoven's population is holding steady. Crucially, it still has public schools, a motel that contractors in the area regularly fill up, plus a tourist attraction (St. Anthony's church) as a bonus. The exceptionally friendly people also indicate a tightknit community.

The town I found refuge in yesterday, Java, is an old Milwaukee Road (full name: Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad) stop that Burlington Northern freight trains now run through. Less than half Hoven's size, Java recently lost its cafe and grocery store. Freezers and other equipment from the cafe—donated by townspeople over the years—were sold by an owner with a gambling habit, so a new business there is unlikely. No matter how nice Java is—I thought nothing of leaving my bike in the park when I entered the bar, nor did I have to look both ways before crossing the street—it will have a tough time surviving. I heard of some good deals on houses.

Ethanol will be a short-term boost in eastern South Dakota, especially for corngrowing ethanol-plant investors who can use one as a hedge against the other. The long-term problems are that it uses more energy than it creates, plus water isn't reliable in these parts.