Thursday, July 13, 2023
Day 41 – Chadron Nebraska
Rest day? Day off? Catch up day?? Off the bike day-that’s what this is.
As we travel southeast, temps will be higher. Having ridden RAGBRAI before, staying cool and hydrated is important. And with the bikes, we can carry more than on a normal road bike. We embark on how to carry an ice chest or cooler of some sort. A postal bubble wrap envelope? A hot/cold grocery bag? Last year, we had a battery box that we used to protect fans we used in the tent. With the fans out, it became our ice chest after the ride. A trip to the local Safeway, we found the hot/cold bag but it wasn’t going to work. There, they had a 12 pack foldable ice chest. It zipped closed and fit perfectly in the trunk over the bike’s rear wheel. Success!!
Days of the bike affords a few luxuries not available when riding-like strawberries. They just don’t travel well in the panniers!!
As we prepare to clean the bikes, we check the weather. Yep. Another storm in route. The drivetrains need to be cleaned and lubed, frames cleared of dust and mud, and a top to bottom nuts and bolts inspection done. The performance of the bikes is critical. With over 2,000 miles traveled, the bikes have been bombproof. Having a mechanical in the middle of nowhere and potentially in a storm is NOT a part of the plan.
And like clockwork, the storm hits. The skies open up and dumps rain. The Winslow in the room begins to leak creating a puddle on the sill.
We discuss the week to come. We analyze the seven day forecast and see tornadoes are predicted. The ride from Chadron to Omaha is about 440 miles. It is generally flat. There are stretches of 40 miles with no services or structures. We’ve now met 3 couples who have told us about damaging hail storms. Riding the 50th RAGBRAI is on the top of our list as it will Zachary’s first time. Drew may be ill and we’re still not sure.
Risk versus reward.
Difficult versus dangerous.
Be smart. Put ego aside. What is the best decision?
Damage to the bikes or us may cause the tour to end. A rock took Matt Benson out.
After weighing and measuring, we decide to rent a uhaul truck tomorrow and drive the 440 miles to Omaha.
Once the storm passes, we walk down the highway to pickup the bungee we saw earlier. We’ll need it to secure the bikes in the Uhaul in the morning.
Drew is feeling better and the rest will be good for us both. We’ve both lost weight although we have no idea how much. We just can’t keep up with the calories day after day.
At peace with our decision, we prepare for our road trip tomorrow, have a relaxing dinner at the nearby cafe and watch mindless TV until sleep is upon us.
