Day 26

Slept well, though it was very warm ... kept the tent open ... let the mosquitos in! Got underway by 07:00 and called into the town of York ... just had a brainwave! ... found a laundrette and doing a full wash and tumble dry for about £2 ... it's like the ad on TV when I went to the gents to get the underpants and socks I was wearing into the load! Great idea and gives me another 2 weeks of clean clothing. On the way into town it started to rain ... light rain but it was warm stuff ... lovely warm rain. It's 08:30 and the temp is already 80F. Think I'll go to Subway then the Library before pushing on ... but can't wait to see what my washing turns out like? Vivi would be proud of me! Aagh! That's the wash done ... it's not perfect, but at least the clothes smell fresh.


I've been told that the road is as flat as this all the way to the Rockies. Fewer trees ... towns more spaced out ... and fewer people to chat to! Boredom might be my next challenge?


This is how they water the crops ... fascinating machines ... am tempted in the heat to stand under the shower spray but there might be chemicals added to the water that could harm me ... must ask someone. Been told the heat index (whatever that is?) is to hit 110 later on in the day, but I think I can cope.


Natalie & April sent me this pic. It's a bit overcast but still warm and the road is flat ... so far so good ... I do mental arithmetic problems to pass away the time. eg I cycle with a cadence of about 80rpm for about 6 hours a day ... that means my legs pedal 80x6x60=28600 times a day ... say even 25000 times a day ... whoa! How does your body stick the pace? Passing through the United Farmers Co-op Store in Hampden, I notice a lot of folk sitting at tables ... looks like a party or something ... so I stop. I'm greeted by the Vice President, Dick Munn who enquirer what I'm doing in the area and invited to have a hamburger and a soft drink. This is the annual treat given to valued customers and I've just gate crashed the proceedings! Better than that ... there's a prize of a 10 dollar voucher given to the customer who has come in from the farthest point ... guess who won? Me of course ... I thought it was a fix but the shop dutifully redeemed the coupon and I came away with 10 dollar's worth of goodies. Thanks folk ... the conversation with the farmers and workers was fun too. I learned that it is quite safe to stand under the irrigation rigs ... but be careful... the water comes up from 600' and is very cold! You just can't believe what luck I'm having? It's great! I'm in the small town of Aurora now ... waiting for the temperature to cool down before I push on with the rest of today's quota ... completed 34 miles so far today. I'm in the public library in Aurora ... notice a lovely magazine rack


It's just a work of art ... brilliant. Must go ... the AC is on too high ... I'm freezing! Onward to Grand Island and I can feel the effects of the heat getting to me ... get one of those slush ice drinks from a gas station and eat of few nibbles. The day's work is near complete. ... get a few miles beyond the town of Alda on US HWY 30 and see a farm with a big well maintained lawn ... let's try here. Yep! Got permission to pitch my tent over in the corner. Logged 62.5 miles ... job done.

Location:York, Nebraska