Day 30

One month on the road and yet every day seems like the start of a new journey ... I'm feeling strong and fit with no hint of soreness. I think losing some weight has helped a lot and I am looking after myself. I use the gears on the bike and am quite content to cruise along between 8mph - 15mph. Speed is not the criteria that I use ... I apply the minimum amount of effort just to keep the bike rolling ... it works!


Isn't that a lovely Indian name? The population is 5142 and all towns out here are labelled the same way.


This is a touristy thing but it's worth looking at. I'm trying to work out a sensible strategy for the day ... it's going to be very hot again, so do I stay put in Ogallala until much later or do I try and sneak onto the next town? The heat is uncomfortable but it's not dangerous if I do it with care. Let me think about it. .... OK! I'll push on the 20 miles to Big Springs and hold up there for a while ... better get prepared. The road to Big Springs is flat with a good surface ... making good progress ... notice a temperature sign at the bank showing 93F ... dare I say that's nice and cool!? (highest temp today 103F) Meeting new smells now ... passed by a cattle paddock that was bare of any grass, but it was full of animals ... probably a few hundred and the smell of ammonia was sickening. Just as bad as horses ... the worst smell is rotten, stagnant, putrid vegetation. Oh! that would make you boke. I'm nice and clean now and don't emit any foul odours!!


The Oregan Trail is on the south side of the Platte River. The Mormons were being persecuted so they made their own trail over to Salt Lake City on the north side of the Platte River.


I've made the decision to turn SW towards Denver and the Loveland Pass ... will pass over the Colorado state line this evening and contact Mark Rowan tomorrow for a chat.


Over the state line near Julesburg. Tried a different drink .... iced tea ... it's terrible ... I'm a professional drinker of tea but this stuff doesn't do it for me at all. Sure what is it but stale cold tea with a few ice cubes? ... it's a useless drink but you don't know that until you've tried it! Gee ... here she comes to give me a topup ... "No thanks, ma'm".


These are the Union Pacific boys that keep you awake all night. Now I know why the Indians attacked them!


Last look back at Nebraska ... I feel sad about leaving you. Back at Big Springs I had to get indoors for a while ... but the library was closed and the gas station didn't have a shop or sit in place. Asked around and discovered the village had a public outdoor swimming pool down in the park ... great, two washups in two days! Spent an hour in a lovely cool pool ... pure magic! Met a girl touring cyclist on her way from Oregan to Georgia ... she was in a hurry to get to Paxton before nightfall. Brave lass! Other than that not had much interaction with people and to be honest in this heat everything is a bother ... it's time for me to move on and not make the same mistake as last night. Managed to have a pub snack! I'm a few miles south of Julesburg and pass over a flyover ... I can see a small airfield with short grass and a portaloo nearby. I'd better ask permission to pitch a tent. I knock on the door of Jim McNitt, his wife Kim and daughter Hannah.


Jim is an aviation dealer ... buys, sells and fixes aircraft and after a bit of chit-chat I'm offered the hospitality of a shower, a meal and a bed on the sofa ... thanks folks ... it's much appreciated. Managed 56 miles today. The heat got to me ... it's hard cycling in the middle portion of the day. Goodnight.