July 11, 2023
Keeping my head above water
I had a restless sleep first part of last night. Not because I was trespassing, sleeping in a shed behind a church without permission. In fact I was close to the highway so had my earplugs in that’s how sure I as about being safe. I was confident no one was going to kick me out. I just couldn’t get comfortable on the wooden floor of the shed, even with the air mattress. Usually I am using the mattress in the tent on grass, or mud as it has been lately. My best sleep came from about 0300 to 0830.
I packed up all my stuff and was ready to make a dash out the shed door quickly to avoid suspicious neighbors when what do you think happened? Boom………Rain. Rain!!!!!!!! Again!!!!! Radar indicated it would soon stop but may start again in about an hour. So I waited it out and took off. Not 5 miles down the road…..Boom…..More Rain!!! On went the raincoat and hood that acts like blinders on a horse when…..Boom…..rain? No, dry roadway for about a mile when Boom……Rain?…….no, thunder directly over head. I’m not a meteorologist but what I was observing was low clouds moving east to west and high dark clouds moving west to east. The rain was coming from the low clouds and I think the lightning was the high clouds interacting with the low. At least I was hoping those guys would keep it between themselves and not start messing with structures on the ground, like me.
The road flattened out a bit as I headed south and what I could see of the landscape looked less hilly also. Visibility was poor in fact I could not even see to tank at the top of a water tower I passed. After the dry roadway……Boom….. lightning? No, driving rain mixed with sleet. I was hoping it would not deteriorate into hail like it had before. The temp went from 74 at the shed to around 58. But I was warm though wet thanks to my rain coat and hood. As long as I pushed on I was going to generate enough body heat to keep me warm. I had not had anything to eat since about 2 pm yesterday so was concerned about bonking before reaching a restaurant. And then….Boom…..Snow? No, just more rain and thunder. Rt 83 curves a bit on its way south so at times I had a cross wind and at other times a tail wind. That tail wind combined with flattening terrain was great. I could cruise at 15-20. But still wet.
I stopped at the rosebud reservation casino for something to eat. The AC was cranked up in there so I was now wet and cold. But I had a half decent burger and fries chased down with a DP. Leaving the casino parking lot I crossed into Nebraska within feet of the lot. Cold a shivering I pushed on harder so I could warm up. Within a couple miles the terrain became hilly again. In fact just before entering Valentine…..Boom…..rain? No, a big downhill I knew had to be to a river, trees and sandy cliffs on either side!!! Completely different from anything I had ridden through for several days. Then….Boom……more rain….No, a 5% uphill leading into town with partially cloudy skies, 68 degree temperature, and sun. Crazy weather out here. I don’t know why they even have weathermen here. They are never right.
I cruised around town to check it out. Valentine seems to be doing better than many small towns I have been through. I checked into my room at the Super8 after an ice cream at……Casey’s!!!!! I must be in the Midwest now. My friend, Randy Johnson, from my ride home to Minnesota two years ago, is out this way visiting friends and family. He paid for my motel room ahead of my arrival, And he showed up with his wife Linda as I checked in. They drive from their home in NC with their new fancy belt drive Priority 600s. https://www.prioritybicycles.com/products/the600. I am jealous. Nice looking bikes. Tomorrow they have promised to meet me for breakfast and ride some of the Cowboy Trail with me. It’ll be nice to have company again. Randy has a YouTube channel about some of the touring he had done…..https://youtu.be/dZe3ItBtbKw
Not many pics today….
Today's ride: 34 miles (55 km)
Total: 1,778 miles (2,861 km)
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AND that pic of your drying clothes is from your JMU days ...
Great to read that you took a day and spent it eating as you were looking a bit "lean" in some of your pics.
10 months ago
10 months ago