Starting out early...

Good morning from Benkelman, NE.
I just finished breakfast and it's time to warm up the bike. Weather conditions are excellent with light winds from the north. High today should be about 80.
Enjoy your day.

Nebraska Countryside

Good morning from McCook.
Breakfast here and then on to Benkelman. Sunny and 47 degrees right now with winds shifting from north to south later today. Expect a high of 86.
Looking good for bicycling...

May not have a library this evening so posting could be delayed a day or two.

Good morning from Benkelman, NE.
Breakfast is finished and it's time to start bicycling. Weather appears perfect with light north winds
Enjoy.

Challenging the headwinds of Nebraska (McCook to Benkelman)

Good afternoon!

"Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen." Benjamin Disraeli

Can you believe that I started early today and actually arrived at a destination
before 5:00 pm ? A magnificent morning greeted me as I departed McCook. Bright sunshine and just 47 degrees. What perfect riding conditions, and did I mention no wind? It was a quick fifty minutes to Culbertson and then all of a sudden a character building south wind at 15 to 25 mph appeared. Heading in a southwesterly direction this wind took control, and finally I capitulated to "slow speed" mode.

Let's step back to last evening when I met Randy, and Peggy, just outside the McCook library.
They are both marathon runners and Randy had just finished an amazing feat in Utah.
He completed a 100 mile run in thirty hours. That's simply amazing but underscores his dedication to running and physical fitness. Peggy has completed several marathons while Randy has finished more than thirty. Congratulations to two outstanding athletes who are still running in their fifties.

Just a little bit of information about McCook, NE. It's claim to fame relates to U.S. Senator George Norris, who lived here and now has the main street named in his honor. Senator Norris probably is most famous for creating the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
Most of my Ohio and Kentucky friends are familiar with Norris Lake & Dam in Tennessee. It's a beautiful place to visit. (Duane, I think Julia visited this lake a few months ago.)

While visting an historical roadside marker, I stopped to chat with Jeff, who works for the Nebraska Department of Highways. He travels a large area of the state working on data collection. He is the person that might be involved with putting a counter hose across the highway, as well as working with electronic data collection systems. Interesting work, Jeff, and you sure see a lot of neat places and people. He also is quite the photographer. His pictures of "birds of prey" were fantastic. Enjoy the ride home Jeff.

Have you ever wondered about life on a rural farm? Well, earlier this afternoon I stopped and chatted with Jim and Ted who were preparing to harvest a corn crop. Two friendly souls who took time to talk to me. Looking at the size of their corn field, I imagine it would be a long days work. I chatted for several minutes and left them to their important task. Note: Corn, wheat, and bean crops are in good shape here. Farmers are pleased with their higher crop revenue but I'm certain their costs of doing business also must be escalating.

I had a feeling that this was going to happen. You think about when and where it may occur, however you just put it in the back of your mind. Then out of the clear blue sky it happened to me! What you ask? Well, it was my first encounter with two other long distance bicyclists.
(You were thinking I was talking about some mechanical failure, or maybe a slow speed crash on loose gravel. Ha-ha.)

Nick and Bryan, two freshly minted college graduates were out to see America. I believe it was Nick, who had a degree in Meteorology, and Bryan, a degree in Electrical Engineering.
These two bikers had a full compliment of gear on their Trek 550's. Talk about loaded down and ready to tour...
It was exciting talking to other riders who were essentially on a similar trip. We shared a few stories, and then wished each other safe riding and a fun time. Wow, I can't believe they were planning to ride 160 miles today. That's simply awesome and properly reflects the athletic capabilities of two guys in their early twenties. Oh, to be twenty-three again...
They decided to complete a cross country tour prior to embarking on careers and all other associated life responsibilities. Good call Gentlemen, and I'm sure you will never regret the time and effort spent to complete your journey. You will have a unique perspective on life and on America. (They flew to California, and left Santa Cruz, near San Francisco, and plan to take eight weeks to cross the U.S. and arrive in New York City in mid October.)

Nana is the local librarian here. This particular Dundy County library has been open for more than fifty years. Thanks Nana for allowing me to use the computer.
I'm heading to a nearby motel for a much needed shower. Current local temperature is 86 degrees and the sky is clear blue.

Note: The next three days will be in sparsely populated eastern Colorado. It appears that some route adjustment will be required so that I end each day in a town with services. That of course, may translate into no public library. Also, you may wonder about all the photos taken each day. Once I arrive in Denver, there will be Sprint PCS digital services, and all the images will be uploaded. Until then just use your imagination.

Enjoy your evening.

PS: Thanks for the phone message Cathy. I love you and miss you so much.

McCoy in McCook

Good evening from McCook, NE.

"The journey not the arrival matters" T.S. Eliot

This was a marvelous day to ride. Comfortable sunshine and a favorable breeze worked together and allowed for an early arrival in McCook. For whatever reason the "ups and downs" on Highway 6 always seemed to be in my favor. You crested a hill in speed 9 or 10, and before you knew it the bike was going downhill in speed 23, at about twenty-five miles per hour. That's fun don't you think?

Just east of Arapahoe, I saw a magnificent vista of three large deer bolting up from a valley. It reminded me of a high quality video taken from a helicopter. The deer were moving quickly and in unison. As they jumped a fence, I paused to take in their incredible beauty.
This wasn't the same as seeing three deer on the Minnetonka trail back home. Instead, I had a snapshot view of nature in motion. Where were they going? As the deer climbed the hillside wrapped around the valley. Once they reached their apogee they were over the hill and gone.
That's the type of experience you feel and see on a bike tour.

Earlier today, at Holdrege I mentioned how pronounced the senses are when you bicycle at 12 miles per hour. However, I failed to mention the sense of taste. You can relax knowing that it's not only food that triggers your taste buds. It's also the sand grit (somewhat salty), and fresh rain water that has a unique flavor. Also triggering your sense of taste are the little bugs and now grass hoppers that seem to be everywhere.

We are now in the High Plains region of Nebraska. The horizon goes on forever and you sense that something big is just ahead. (Might it be the Colorado Rockies?) Large farms have given way to full scale ranching and beautiful spreads of golden land. You know what, Nebraska is indeed a beautiful place.

At lunch, I chatted with Troy, who is a State Farm insurance adjuster covering a large expanse of territory. After playing college basketball he traveled to Australia and played professional basketball there for two years. He, his wife and daughter enjoy life in Nebraska, and I'm certain they will have a prosperous future. Troy mentioned how neat my trip was, and wished he could do a similar tour someday. Hold on to those dreams Troy, the future is closer than you realize.

I have a nice motel tonight (The Chief Motel), and with this post almost finished it will be time for a shower and dinner. Good news, the restaurant is just outside from the hotel parking lot. Tomorrow will be another long day, and hopefully our calm winds will remain just the same.
We plan to ride from McCook, to near Haigler, NE. (about 76 miles)

PS: The bicycle is handling well and other than a daily chain lube hasn't required any special care. My body has adjusted to a new daily routine. Lot's of food and plenty of fluids and restful sleep.

Note to Duane: Food has been basic but plentiful. No exotic menus in this part of the country.
Subway whole grain sandwiches with lots of veggies are my favorite lunch.

John Dean, are you reading this blog?

Experiencing Small Town America (Today's route is Holdrege to McCook)

Good morning everyone!

"Traveling tends to magnify all human emotions" Peter Hoeg

We have a beautiful morning here in Holdrege, and I'm right back at the library.
Sue and Brenda (library staff) are smiling, and I have a feeling this will be a great day.
Currently, bright sunshine and about 50 degrees. Forecast is sunny and a high of 74. Perfect.

A couple of days ago, I learned about a gentleman who a few years ago walked across the U.S. on Highway 6. He actually stayed at the same motel where I stayed last night. Can you believe anyone could walk across the entire country. That's a wow in my book.

When you come to Holdrege stay at the Plains Motel, owned and operated by John and Jan Konzack. It's really superb. Jan and Karen even upgraded me to a "King Size Bed". Everything was clean and perfectly maintained. Thanks ladies.

When I checked in at the hotel Jan gave me a ticket to attend a Spaghetti Fundraising Dinner for the family of Tim Brown. Tim, recently had died of cancer and left several young children.
Well, this dinner was sponsored by the Masonic Jachin Lodge # 146, and it really was an interesting event. I was fortunate to be seated with Harley and Mae, who were so gracious and we had a enjoyable conversation. I learned more about Harley's Masonic Lodge and also gained information about Holdrege. Harley retired after 52 years in the newspaper business, and he and Mae were married about seventeen years ago. (Both had lost their spouses)

As I waited for the library to open I happened upon Phillip, who is married to Pam, the Director of this fine library. Thanks, Phillip for your kind words today.

Since all of you reading this blog are in fact participating in a journey, you might want to know what goes on in your head as you pedal mile after mile. Quite simply, everything you see, hear, and smell resonates with a specific part of your mind. The sense of smell is so powerful, especially as you take in fresh scents of wild flowers and moist farm fields. Vistas are notable and change by the second. Whether it's God's pallet of cloud paintings or a fast approaching train. And by the way, there are many trains passing along this route. I enjoy waving to engineers and hearing the train horns. They signal that commerce is alive and well in rural Nebraska.

I must admit this trip has taken on an intense degree of spirituality. You have lots of time to think about life and what your purpose may be. We can talk more about this later in the trip.
Suffice to say, bicycle touring opens doors that most people will never see. That my friends is a shame. Today, do something differently, and change your routine by even a minute. Take ten seconds to learn something about the clerk at your local convenience store. You may be pleasantly surprised by their response.

73 miles are on tap for today so it's time to head on out. You all enjoy a super day.

Arrived safely in Holdrege, NE

Good evening everyone.

"A traveler without observation is a bird without wings" Moslih Eddin Saadi

The library is about to close so this post will have to wait until tomorrow.

Hastings to Holdrege

I'm on my way out the library door...

PS: Thanks to all for your encouraging feedback. You are with me in spirit on this ride.
For those who want to post a comment, simply click on the word "comments". (not the icon)

No cell service here so posting photos is not possible. Photos will be posted eventually.

Welcome to the birthplace of Kool-Aid

Good morning from a cool and rainy Hastings, NE.

"When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money." Susan Heller

Not surprisingly, many who bicycle long distance tours prefer to ride in cooler rather than warmer temperatures. This is certainly my take on the matter. Yesterday, temperatures never exceeded 60 degrees and this made for comfortable riding.
Tom and I meandered the early hours of the riding day, stopping for coffee and lunch. He, of course was in a beautiful Corvette and I on a spiffy bicycle. Funny how he would drive ahead and the next thing you know I would appear on the horizon. Riding conditions were outstanding. Picture a strong north/north-east wind pushing me along my south westerly route.
Along the way Tom and I encountered such friendly people who took a genuine interest in our travel. While in Friend, we met Edward who was on a 3-1/2 year journey around the U.S.
God speed to you Edward.
Another interesting person was Georgia Walter, who along with her husband Hillman, reside in Porto Velho, Brazil. They are missionary assistants that assist a flying service providing help to those in remote jungle areas. (Joanna, isn't it amazing that you can meet a foreign missionary on a bicycle trip)
Parting time had arrived and Tom now was on his way to Omaha.
It was sad to see Tom go, but we had enjoyed a memorable twenty-four hours.
I kept pedaling and Tom, I thought, had started his trip back to Omaha.
Well, with Tom another surprise was just an hour away.
Just as I approached the Grafton boundary, Tom jumped out from behind a fertilizer tank and startled me. This encounter was even more shocking than yesterday's first surprise. Tom, you are amazing and so resourceful. We will remember this experience forever.

Sue, who manages the Grafton convenience store (owned by her brother), was such a nice person. We also met Bill, & Frank (your directions to Hastings were right on.). It just was a typical Sunday in small town Nebraska. By the way, Grafton has a population of 167.
After lots of conversation I departed for points west, and Tom finally headed to Omaha.

Thanks to favorable winds and cool temperatures, I made it all the way to Hastings, NE.
Ninety-five miles for the day, wow, that really feels great. Arriving in a nice Hastings motel I was forced to break a cardinal rule. That rule is, never get back on the bicycle after you have a shower, and have called it quits for the day. Well, if I wanted dinner, I would have to ride a mile into town and then a mile back. Hunger took priority so it was back on the bike.

(A sidebar for my mother) Hello Mom! I want you to know that it's OK to worry about me and for my safety. I love you, and thank you and Dad for all that you did for me. I have been so blessed in life with a loving wife, a wonderful family, great friends, outstanding co-workers, and the best Mom. You did a real good job Mom, so kick-back, relax, and enjoy yourself.

Rain is falling now and it's a little chilly (52 degrees). I will depart Hastings right after finishing this posting. Long sleeve shirt is on as well as my rainsuit. The journey continues on US Highway 6. By the way, US 6 is an fine road for bicycling. Wide paved shoulders and limited traffic are just right for bicycling.

Fact: Kool-Aid was developed here in Hastings, NE, by Edwin Perkins in 1927.
This information confirmed by Kathryn, a most helpful and friendly librarian.

Let it rain, but please, softly.

Breakfast with Tom

Tom and I enjoyed a really nice evening in Lincoln.
It's cool this morning so bicycling should be comfortable.

Crossing the Platte River

Durring the next several days I will try to upload all of the older image files. Enjoy your Sunday.

A Nebraska "Surprise of a lifetime" (Elkhorn to Lincoln)

"They change their climate, not their soul, who rush across the sea." Horace

You won't believe what happened today.
Nick Gunderson decided to bicycle with me for about twenty miles, so we started pedaling, and were enjoying a nice Saturday morning in Nebraska. After stopping for lunch in a small cafe, Nick and I parted company. He took off for home, and I continued west on Route 6 towards Waverly.

Earlier this week, my friend, Tom had arranged for some type of real-time satellite imaging. This would allow Tom to actually see me on the bicycle. How cool is that technology?
We had spoken every day concerning logistical issues about this service. After I leave Nick and about a mile ahead I notice a person walking my direction alongside the road. Immediately, I thought it might be a hiker or possibly someone down on his luck. As I passed this person I said, "hello"and then amazingly, the person turned, looked at me, and said, "Hey Captain." It was my friend Tom Costello all the way from Cincinnati, Ohio. He developed this plan in the past week and it worked beautifully. The satellite imaging was just an excuse to determine my location.

I was speechless and felt like I might have a heart attack or faint. This was an incredible surprise to see your friend here in Nebraska, on the side of a road.
Tom, you are simply the best and most amazing person in the world. Thanks for sharing a surprise that will indeed last a lifetime. Finally, we were calm enough to resume the journey and headed directly to a convenience store for refreshments.

Tom, in his Corvette drove ahead and checked road conditions and scouted potential motels.
He discovered that if I went much further West, it would be a night of camping.
So after driving about one-hundred miles, Tom located a perfect motel. He checked us in and now we are in the city of Lincoln, looking for a nice place to have dinner. I'm positive that our conversations will last long into the night. (Note: Tom and I, for many years motorcycled around the country. We estimate our travels together to exceed 40,000 miles and 35 states)

Tomorrow, Tom heads to Omaha to pick up his bride Annie, and together they are traveling to Clear Lake, IA, and then to Michigan's upper peninsula. May you both have a great trip home.
For me, tomorrow will be about riding and only riding. I'm just too shocked to do anything else.

Tom at point of encounter

An Incredible Encounter

I have just experienced the most amazing surprise of my life. My dearest friend, Tom Costello, from Cincinnati just appeared roadside as I was biking to Waverly, NE.
You can't imagine my expression as Tom said " Hi Captain". I am just shaking with joy and total disbelief.

More details later...

Sailing in the breeze at 14-1/2 mph

Good morning from Omaha!

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." Mark Twain

Yesterday was simply the best. While leaving the Tekamah library I happened to strike a conversation with Joyce, head librarian. She was excited to learn about my trip and offered words of encouragement. When you think of an ideal and perfect librarian, picture Joyce.

On the road things were moving quickly. With a superb tailwind, the bicycle was moving close to fifteen miles per hour. This was a far cry from the previous six days. I relished the speed and sunshine and just kept booking.

Stopping in Blair, NE I happened to meet Jim Realph (pronounced Ralph just with a tricky spelling). Guess what, Jim is the current mayor of this fine city (pop 8000) and his enthusiasm spilled into our conversation. Blair has lots of significant industrial operations including a new ethanol plant and a major investment by Cargill. The streets are nicely maintained and people were very friendly. The city is just thirty minutes to Omaha's airport and is well prepared for future development. Good job, Mr. Mayor. (Jim was a former high school football coach, teacher, and still farms a little.)

While fueling the bike (food for Dennis), I talked to Roy who had an older pick-up and a beautiful
white lab named "Brutte". As Roy drove off with Brutte in the open bed I couldn't help thinking about how wonderful this day was.

Then, after several days without any way of uploading images from my phone to this blog, I found a Sprint Store in a few miles from my destination. Justin, a sales rep greeted me at the door and asked, how can I help you today? He proceeded to spend the next ninety minutes working on my Treo 700wx. Eventually, with the help of Sprint's national tech service he was able to get it working. Thanks to Justin, I am now able to immediately upload images in real time. I will try to catch up all the backlog over the next several days. Justin, you are a model of superior customer service. Thanks!

I arrived at the Gunderson's and spent an enjoyable evening reconnecting with our old friends.
We celebrated Greta's birthday (11), and just had a great time. Nick, Angelique, Greta, Eva,
and Tommy, are such a fun family. Love is alive in America!
Neighbors Matt, and Angie, who also have three children dropped by to say hello. They had just relocated back to Omaha after four years in Chicago. Matt, go for that new Lemond Bicycle.
You will really enjoy it.

It's Saturday about 8:10 am and Nick is preparing to bicycle with me for 15 or 20 miles.
Sunny with a projected high of 76. No wind.

Have a great day.

Next stop: Milford, NE (West of Lincoln)