Hot Springs, South Dakota to Chadron, Nebraska
Day 40
Miles: 55.81 – Total accent: 1,883 – Hours: 5 hours, 1 minute
Totals:. Miles- 2,020.18 – Accent- 73,461 feet climbed – 178 hrs 26 minutes in the saddle
It was a torrid night filled with bizarre lights flashing, swirling against the tent walls. Lightening flashes mixed with the lights from the trucks on the road…the sound of thunder pounding, jake brakes shuttering , tires on the tarmac, the stream nearby…brewed a fitful sleep. Listening to Drew’s breathing wrought with congestion. Light rain pinging. All a bit of sensory overload.
Morning could not come soon enough.
At the break of dawn, we were up and breaking camp with few words spoken. Our routine has become perfected. Coffee is 5 miles away. Into a headwind. The road is mostly flat with some descents.
We are both tired from the night and I’ve learned Drew does not complain when not feeling well. He focuses and buckles down. The ride to coffee is quick.
24 ounces of coffee and a breakfast burrito at the gas station brings some life to us. A quick dose of Emergen-C takes the place of orange juice.
Allergies or illness? What are the symptoms? A super runny nose- so bad he’s losing considerable fluids and is miserable. Do we medicate and if so what? We don’t want to take a chance that reactions are slowed while riding on the highway. Deciding on a half dose of benedryl and a dose of Sudaphed, we’ll see how the symptoms respond. No fever seems to be present.
With 30 minutes, the meds are working. Thank goodness.
How fortunate today is a relatively flat route with a generous shoulder. One can see forever. The vegetation is changing too. Hopefully, we’ll travel away from whatever is ailing Drew.
After about 14 miles, it’s time for a short break. And there’s a sign every real estate agent laughs about: Dirt for sale. Too funny!
I look at my Garmin, and am amused by the sequence of numbers. How does that happen?!
A few hours in, we get to the Welcome to Nebraska sign. Stopping in its shade, snacks are in order. A couple stops and chats a bit. They are coming from Rapid City, South Dakota. They told us about a hail storm and the damage to their vehicle. They are from Danville, CA. This crazy weather is new to them as well.
A little further down the road,
a little yellow butterfly, like the ones we saw on the Michelson Trail, was laying on the road. It seems his last flutters were coming to an end. Oh what joy it was to ride amongst them days before!
The next, yet very small town, was Oelrichs. A Philips 66 gas station has all we need-Powerade and a bathroom.
Now with a countdown on miles, there is a group of cows on the side of the road. Oh how I love cows having raised day olds as a child. I approach to get a closer look. They aren’t sure about the bike. Mosquitoes are swarming around them-poor guys. As I get closer, I notice one of them is not a cow but a bull, probably not the breeding bull but a young bull. Alrighty now. I’m out of there!! I’m not taking chances. Ask anyone who has grown up around animals and they will surely has stories to tell you. Tom turkeys, geese, Leghorn roosters-not the friendliest critters on earth!!
Just beyond, there is something laying on the side of the road. A quick u-turn and we discover a most magnificent Great Horned owl which appears to have been hit with the past few hours. His eyes are still full and blood not yet dried. Its wingspan is about 3 feet across, talons long. These dead things along the road have allowed us to see…study these beautiful creatures without harming them or endangering us. Sad, yes but otherwise, so intriguing. Opportunities not available every day.
Next, we learn about the fur trade route. Amazing how many buffalo robes were traded.
Welcome to Chadron! Woohoo! Lunch at Taco John’s was amazing! The food was super fresh and their staff gets a 10+ for service. Walmart on the way to the hotel so we stop to restock Lara bars, Powerade, oatmeal and degreaser.
Due to the number of severe storm and tornado warnings, we opt for a roof tonight. Still uncertain about Drew’s sniffles and the poor nights sleep last night, we are being cautious. Our week in the corn (RAGBRAI) is quickly approaching and it will be a challenging week. Being strong and healthy is essential.
We are on the second floor and there’s no elevator. It requires unloading the 70 pounds of gear off of Drew’s bike before carrying the bike upstairs. Mine is much lighter. It’s about 2:30 now. Settled in the room, air conditioning on to filter the air, Drew gets the full dose of Benadryl. With blackout blinds pulled, a good spaghetti western on, I insist he lay down and rest. I have investigating to do: where’s guest laundry? Do they have a hot tub and is it hot? There’s a restaurant across the parking lot. What does the menu look like? The sporting goods store. What do they carry? I learn the roads are not walk friendly-no sidewalks and we are now in goat head territory. Growing up on four acres and spending much of the summer barefoot, I learned a lot about goat heads. Never imagined those painful lessons as a child would serve me well as an adult!!
I return about an hour later and Drew is feeling much better.
A little later, we eat at the nearby restaurant-a fabulous salad, yummy burger and wonderful service. We are fascinated by the changes we experience from state to state-weather, terrain, food and people.
The bikes need a really good cleaning and tomorrow is a rest day.
We continue to watch the radar and see storms throughout.
Tired but safe, we count our blessings for the safe journey we’ve had thus far.
We’ve learned so, so much and continue to try to make the best decisions available given each situation that arises.
For now, we lay are heads down, filled with gratitude.
