Central Time Zone

Sunday,  July 30, 2023

Merriman to Valentine Nebraska 

We loaded up and drove to Merriman which is where we left off yesterday.  We got rolling around 830am. About 10 miles from Merriman,  we saw a man lying in the ditch right by the road. I happened to be ahead of Kay and Lynn. I stopped and turned around. We all got to him at the same time. I hollered 'Are you ok?' He lifted his head and said 'yeah'. I asked if he needed help.  He said no that he was just resting. So we went on. When we got to the top of a hill,  I stopped and called 911. I told them the mile marker and that I didn't think he had any food or water.  A sheriff patrol passed us going to the man before we had even gotten 2 miles.  We had been passed by a car or 2 but they probably couldn't tell it was a man. I was glad we were able to get some help for him.

There were lots of rolling hills and rough highway with big cracks on the shoulder. I had another flat tire about 15 miles into the ride.  Still couldn't find a sharp object.  Changed the tube then saw a cut in the flat part of tire. Kay put some tube repair glue in it. It held the rest of the day. Tomorrow is a rest day so I'll do some tube patching and swap out my tire with the spare that I have.  

We stopped at a bar in Kilgore for cold drinks around noon. Then, we lost an hour as we moved into Central Time Zone (Lynn took the picture). We got to Trade Winds motel in Valentine around 330pm. 

61.6 miles

1,017 feet climbing 

Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/BwwIzdEKRBb

Relive video: https://www.relive.cc/view/vevYQKgyByv

Tomorrow is a rest day in Valentine Nebraska.  Brenda Mueller will be joining us to ride with us. 

Sandhills

Saturday July 29, 2023

Hay Springs to Merriman Nebraska 

We loaded up the bikes,  drove from Chadron to Hay Spings to start our ride where we left off yesterday. Lynn has a friend who grew up in Gordon so he arranged for a childhood friend to meet us in Hay Springs for a quick visit.  It was nice talking to him for a while.  We started riding around 845am.  

We went east on US20 about 60 miles to Merriman. The shoulder had big cracks so we stayed in the lane as much as we could. We went back and forth over the rumble strip to try to avoid the cracks. Also, to pass the time Kay and I played grasshopper squash. Giant grasshoppers. By the end of the day,  we got pretty good at running over them. Anyway.... the Sandhills are really pretty. 

We got to Merriman around 130pm and got a cold drink in the Cafe where the young lady was working, in addition to watching her 2 year old and 4 month old. 

We loaded up the bikes and drove to the site of the Massacre of Wounded Knee. 

We checked into Jefco Inn, showered then went to dinner where, once again, there was only one waitress working. Kay, Lynn and I went to the Sheridan County Rodeo since Lynn had never been to a rodeo. It was pretty good. 

57.3 miles

741 feet climbing 

Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/0KJfnjS0PBb

Relive video: https://www.relive.cc/view/vQvyow9pd46

Tomorrow we go to Valentine. 

South Dakota to Nebraska

Friday,  July 28, 2023

Hot Springs South Dakota to Hay Springs Nebraska 

We left around 745am after a short sprinkle. About 5 miles out of town, I had a flat tire... sigh. I think it was a pinch flat as I just added air and, once again,  never found anything that caused it. Anyway,  we rode on US385 to Nebraska then turned east on US20. The road and shoulder were good until we got to Nebraska.  

All day the scenery was pretty with rolling hills and green grass.  We passed through Buffalo National Grasslands. Our route today was to be 50 miles to Chadron, but we decided to add extra so we could trim some miles off of a 90 mile day in two days, so we rode 74 miles to Hay Springs.  Mike picked us up then we drove back to the Fur Trader's Museum. It is a very good Museum with lots of interesting artifacts.  

Here is a raincoat made of seal intestines. 

Kay and I were going to stay with warmshowers hosts Steve and Cheryl Welch. But, yesterday Kay noticed they had said that we were to camp in the yard.  We had sent all our camping gear home with Darryl from Custer. So Kay explained the issue and told them we'd stay at the motel.  They invited us over for dinner anyway.  After showering, we rode to their house and had a very enjoyable evening with them and another couple they had invited over.  The other couple, Jacquelyn and Adam, had been working on the Native American reservation near here, but were moving to Duluth Minnesota.

74.7 miles

2,303 feet climbing

Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/5xVC6rCyOBb

Relive video:  https://www.relive.cc/view/vxOQQk5gM2O

Woolly Mammoth

Thursday,  July 27, 2023

Custer to Hot Springs South Dakota 

We loaded up the bikes to drive to Custer to start riding on the trail around 730am. We didn't have far to go but wanted to beat the heat. We rode on the Mickelson Trail to Pringle then got on US385 to go east and south to Hot Springs. 

We stopped at Wind Cave National Park. We didn't take the time to go on a tour but we did go see the hole where the wind blows from.  It wasn't blowing much today, but it was cool air.

We got to Hot Springs around 1130am, got an early check in, showered and went to late lunch/ early dinner. 

After lunch we went to The Mammoth Site museum ( self guided tour ). It was very cool! 

33.5 miles

627 feet climbing

Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/Jr9uezIWMBb

Relive video: https://www.relive.cc/view/vrqDYw4exwv

Tomorrow we go to Nebraska.