🎹🎼🎹 Long Straight Road🎼🎼🎹🎼

July 14, 2023

Sung to the tune of Long Cool Girl by Mark Knopfler

Of course it was RAINING AGAIN when I woke up in the Irish Redneck town of O’Neal. At least the hot rod parade ended around 9 last night and I got some good rest. Radar indicated the storm would be mostly over by 11, ( remember him from MASH?) just in time for motel checkout, and it was. I stopped at the local grocery for fruit. Bought two apples and two bananas. I get all kinds of oddball looks when I go into stores. I mean I’m wearing hiking boots, shorts held up by a bungee cord (must have lost weight), and the same wool t shirt I’ve worn since June 1 (I do wash or at least rinse it whenever I can be sure it’ll dry by ride time the next day). My hair is scraggly and I haven’t shaved since leaving the house. But when I go in a buy like two bananas or a single orange, I really get odd looks. I am sure the store employees think I’m homeless and stealing stuff.

I changed my route a bit again. I am a week ahead of where I thought I would be by now and although I have a host in Sioux City who says I can stay with him as long as I need, I am trying not to impose too much. So I searched Google and found a couple of nice city parks I might like to stay in. Today I headed to Creighton, directly east of O’Neal. I found a Long Straight Road (go listen to the song Long Cool Girl) tha would take me the 40 miles and I would have a tail wind. I timed my escape from red neck hell just right and although the storm clouds chased me, they did not catch up. I was texting my buddy Ray back home bragging about how I found a great back road, Old State Hwy 108, and was off of Rt 20. Long, Straight, Flat. One thing I have learned on this trip is as soon as you find something really good like this road, something steps in and screws it up. In this case it was HILLS!! Now I know I still must be in Sandhill Country cause every road sign I see tells me so, but I haven’t seen any real hills for two days, maybe more. These were real. Two of them were 7% grade. But not long hills. Longest was maybe a half mile. Anyway about halfway in I stopped to drink my pomegranate v8 energy drink and down some healthy sugar snacks for energy and decided to look at the topography version of the Google map I was using. Yep, the Sandhills were back. I was traversing a finger of hills running north to south over an otherwise flat landscape. One thing I have not yet learned is to check the terrain if you’re going to change your route!

I am camped at the Bruce Park Campground in Creighton, home of the Berry Pepper! Can someone tell me please what that is???? Very nice park……pool, showers, shade, picnic tables, and power outlets all over the place. I may hang out another day or two. I have a real hard time sitting still though. when I got into town I headed to the City Office to be sure I could tent camp and was told camp wherever I liked and for free. The pool is $3 though. As I came out of the office I was stopped by a nice guy in a red pickup who asked if I needed any mechanical help with my bike as he was a bike mechanic and has a small personal bike shop at home. I thanked him and said all was well. He gave me directions to his home in case.
At the local grocery the owner struck up a conversation and told me of his experience on the camino in Spain. He said he hiked over 900 miles averaging 40 a day. No way I could do that!!!! Outside two more nice gentlemen asked about my ride and were impressed with my progress. I always tell them not to be impressed until I make it home. Anyway, nice folks here so far.

This park, though beautiful and with lots to offer, is pretty much empty. Unlike the similar park in Ainsworth. I wish I hard gotten Scott and Diane’s number so I could tell them about this place. I hope to spot them out of the throng of riders on RAGBRAI next week.

A few pics from today:

Today's ride: 41 miles (66 km)
Total: 1,941 miles (3,124 km)

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Randy JohnsonScott and Diane was that couple we met on the Valentine bridge?
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10 months ago

Timothy DaleTo Randy JohnsonYrs
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10 months ago