Crossing into Colorado (Benkelman to Yuma, CO)

4:30 pm Mountain time and I have arrived in Yuma, Colorado.

"One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things. Henry Miller

This is a spiffy town with significant agricultural commerce. Just east of town, I passed the Three Rivers Feedlot, one of the largest commercial cattle operations in the U.S. It seems to go on for several miles and cattle can be seen everywhere.
I'm posting from a really nice Yuma City Library, staffed by two friendly librarians. They are, Tish, and Alicia. Thanks ladies, for answering all of my questions about Yuma.

Going back to last evening in Benkelman, Betty, the motel proprietor, had an interesting story about Amtrak. The passenger train operates between Chicago and Denver with a regular stop in McCook. A few weeks ago, the train made an emergency stop in Benkelman, to drop off a very ill Amish woman who was heading home to Pennsylvania. You see, Benkelman with a population of just 1006 residents has a small hospital. The local medical staff was able to save the woman's life and arrange for alternative transportation. Someday, I would enjoy traveling across the U.S. by train, and it would be fun to see this countryside again.

After breakfast this morning, I said the weather was perfect. Well, it was perfect for about an hour. As I approached Haigler, NE, dark cumulus clouds suddenly appeared, thunder was heard, and it just poured buckets of rain. And my did the temperature drop! I would estimate during the rainstorm we felt temperatures in the mid forties. As quickly as the storm arrived it departed. An hour later we were riding under clear blue skies and warmer temperatures.
Right now it's about 78 degrees and still sunny.

While crossing into Colorado, I stopped for a mandatory photo of the "Welcome to Colorado" sign. This passage rekindled good memories of my first Colorado crossing, twenty seven years ago. Cathy and I had left Clear Lake, IA for a family get-together just east of Denver.
Since this was my first time to see true mountains (not like those little ones back east), I had to stop and take a picture almost every mile. By the time we made it to Breckenridge and Estes Park, I had exhausted all my film. (What was film?)
Today, I had those same feelings of wanderlust, just like all those years ago.

While posing for pictures at the Colorado border, I met a most interesting and enthusiastic gentleman named Jay. We had a super conversation covering the gambit of bicycle touring, hiking, and mountain climbing. Jay just turned fifty and is embarking on a new phase in his working career. He and his wife have three children including an adult son in Boulder, CO.
Jay was on his way to climb Long's Peak with his son, and then head out to Portland, OR, to pick-up his wife. From there they will drive down the pacific coast for some relaxation in Napa Valley. Note: Jay had mountain climbing gear, hiking equipment, and a competitive bicycle in his car. Talk about a man that loves the outdoors!
Jay also has a blog at http://www.jaywalks.blogspot.com/.

This afternoon, a perfect tailwind expedited my arrival here in Yuma. Thank you God.

About twenty-five miles east of here, I stopped and talked with Joe, who each day cuts about twenty miles of roadway grass. His tractor and mower appeared brand new. Cutting grass alongside a highway might be dangerous, but he appeared calm and collected. I suppose you must constantly remain alert and watch for debris that could jam the mower blades.
Thanks Joe for keeping Colorado roads so beautifully maintained.

Last evening my brother, Dan, assisted with last minute trip routing adjustments. Thanks Dan for researching all the lodging possibilities within a fifty mile radius. It's probably worth mentioning, that had I not stayed in Benkelman, I would have been camping in a city park at Haigler. That's too rocky for comfort!

Best wishes for a fine evening.

PS: Seasons are a changing with crop harvesting, Friday evening high school football, and "rolly pollys crossing the highway.