to Gordon: Long roads, no services.

September 5, 2017

"We're on top of the world" Patrick says. "The next time we are asked what was our favorite place, I'm saying Nebraska and Mongolia" says Rachel then continues comparing: "nice city parks to camp instead of yurts, windmills instead of ovoo (stone shrines), cows and horses instead of yaks and horses, vast landscapes."

The sky is blue today though occasionally we get a wiff of smoke from fires west of here. The temperature is in low 40s. Our first goal is 24 miles to Merriman, with no services in between. Only grassy hills, no visible ranches but we know they are there because of signs and side roads. When we see a grove of trees, the water tower and grain elevator of Merriman, the big question looming is: "Will there be a cafe for breakfast?" There's hope as we see Maggie's restaurant, then quickly dashed. Closed. We get a cold coffee drink at the gas station and eat a peanut butter sandwich. Then off again for the next lonely stretch.

After Merriman, we get about 3 miles respite from the wind when the road turns a little south and we follow a river. As we crest a hill, we see the water tower and grain elevator of Gordon in the distance with 6 miles still to town. There is a sense though of coming out of the wilderness back into civilization as we see more farms in the valley. Again, the question of what services we will find. The road flattens a bit, we reach the city limits with a sign "Home of Mani Sandoz, storyteller of the prairies" and then in fine print and "1,612 other famous people".

We cycle past a small city park with no restrooms, and head first to the Antelope Creek Cafe. Rachel has an Indian taco, something she's not eaten since living in Prescott, Arizona. We check out the Western Sands Motel. The wind has beaten us up today and resting in a room rather than in a park sounds good. As we check in, about ten other unloaded bikes on "Seven Project" also staying here. They are on a fund raising ride for Darby Davis, a missionary going to Tajikistan, AGWM account #2951028 s1.ag.org/davisfam. We are invited to eat dinner with them at a local church. First we accept, but we are pretty tired and honestly prefer to vegetate the rest of the afternoon so we bail out after all. Patrick gives Darby the Krygystan money that we were not able to exchange.

We think it will be another trip to the cafe across the road for dinner after all.

The road sides are lined with small sunflowers. It is interesting to see how the flowers stop right at the fence lines. The ranchers must be using a very successful herbicide to control this plant.

We see signs for ranches, but most are many miles away from the road and invisible.

Rolling road and endless prairie. The wind is beating us up today.

An irrigated hay farm in the sand hills of Nebraska.

Cobra attack helicopter in Gordon Nebraska.

Today's ride: 87 km (54 miles)
Total: 38,909 km (24,162 miles)

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