Day 44 - ending near Montrose, NE - Tri-points on the Tri-speed - CycleBlaze

June 26, 2013

Day 44 - ending near Montrose, NE

Posted via email Thu Jun 27 21:05:02 2013 PDT

Birds singing woke me up at 4:42am to another nice morning. Finished up report and packed up. At 6:10am, I stopped to eat breakfast: Kipper Snacks, Pop Tarts, and a PowerBar. Left Harrison's park at 7:25am, heading south to Rea's, for a cup of coffee. The coffee maker had just finished brewing when I got there. Now I'm ready to go.

Cleared Harrison's city limit's at 7:40am, going north on Monroe Canyon Road. It was partly cloudy with a gentle west wind. Going through Gilbert-Baker Wildlife Management Area was very "downhill". My coasting on pavement ended at 8:46am - onto gravel, later dirt. The dirt roads were actually easier than the gravel.

At 9:00am, I turned left onto Schnurr Road, passing "Coffee 3" Ranch. Stopped for a break at 9:30am, eating the pack of Sugar Babies I'd bought yesterday. I'm avoiding ginger snaps because of my broken tooth. Sugar Babies should probably be on that avoid-list also.

At 11:48am, I crossed into Wyoming, since access to this tri-point is from the southwest. Following directions from Jack Parsell's book, I passed the Tollman Ranch and turned north to the Jordan Ranch, arriving at 12:59pm. Stopped at the house there, and received permission to continue on through the fields to the tri-point. Headed off uphill to what I thought was the tri-point monument, but that was a water tank. Checked the GPS's and saw I needed to go east. After walking the bike through a cactus-filled field, I arrived at Tri-point #11 (WY-SD-NE) at 1:54pm. Took pictures and signed the register. Ate a PowerBar while I decided which direction to go from here.

My devised-at-home plan had me going southeast through the Oglala National Grassland. Common sense said back-track on the roads. The fellow at Jordan Ranch thought going east from the tri-point would be difficult, due to Indian Creek, which would have to be crossed. However, he did think there was a way going through South Dakota. One thing I hadn't counted on was the fence between Wyoming and the park. I hate backtracking. I unloaded the bike, and threw everything over the fence, into Oglala National Grassland. Getting myself over there was going to be the most difficult part, until I realized I could slip between the fence posts on the Nebraska side.

Started walking the bike at 2:45pm. Came to the path I'd seen on Google Earth back home. It's just a cow path! Followed it for a while, then took off across the field more in-line with the direction I was heading (the through-South Dakota route). Got to a vehicle path I could ride on at 3:08pm, but then discovered the front tire was flat. Continued walking the bike - it didn't seem to be hurting the tire any. The road kind of disappeared, but I headed for the gate ahead (which was a mile southeast of the tri-point). Found the gate locked. I got back on a cow path going south. This was close to Indian Creek, and led to a dry spot where I was able to cross (at 3:52pm).

At 4:10pm, I crossed Grassland Road 932, but didn't know it at the time. It would have saved me some walking. I continued going south (uphill), then east, until I was finally on Grassland Road 916 (at 4:48pm). This road looked almost rideable, so I stopped to fix the front tire. First I spent a lot of time pulling cactus needles out of both tires, then I replaced the front tube. Ate a bag of peanuts and was on my way at 6:35pm.

My hope was to camp tonight at Toadstool Geologic Park - still over twenty miles away. Continued on Grassland Road 916, meeting up with Indian Creek Road at 7:00pm. Rode it southeast to Edgemont Road, where I turned south at 8:27pm. Went two miles, then turned east on Montrose Road. Toadstool was still twenty-two miles away and the sun had set. Decided I'd better go for the grassland's "Dispersed Camping" option. The map indicated a spot ahead: Grassland Road 959. Probably next to those hills I see ahead. I didn't find a road marker, but believe I'm close. Surrounded by hills - this is nice. Got the tent up and loaded with the gear by 9:35pm. Worked some on the report, then went to sleep.

Jeff

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Spent: $1 (coffee kitty).

Day 44 - Harrison, NE to Montrose, NE
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+ plus signs indicate pictures added after returning home from the trip +

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+ Rea's Grocery - Harrison, NE +
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+ looking west at 2nd Street from Main Street - Harrison, NE +
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+ looking back at Harrison from Monroe Canyon Road - Sioux County, NE +
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+ looking ahead at Monroe Canyon Road just past Gilbert-Baker State Wildlife Management Area - Sioux County, NE +
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+ "Coffee 3" Ranch along Schnurr Road - Sioux County, NE +
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+ looking southeast along Schnurr Road one-quarter mile south of Jim Creek - Sioux County, NE +
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+ colorful hills along Schnurr Road - Sioux County, NE +
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+ Grandma Davis Draw - Sioux County, NE +
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+ five miles north to the Jordan Ranch - Niobrara County, WY +
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+ The Common Corner to Nebraska and South Dakota on the Wyoming Line +
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+ looking back at the tri-point after I got to the path I'd seen on Google Earth +
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+ heading south along the ridge next to Indian Creek - Oglala National Grassland +
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+ inviting valley, but on private land - Sioux County, NE +
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+ mule deer thinking "What . . . ?" +
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+ looking back (north) after my climb out of Indian Creek's valley - Oglala National Grassland +
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+ looking south from where I fixed my flat tire (Grassland Road 916) - Oglala National Grassland +
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+ I'll submit this as my first 'shadow picture' - along Indian Creek Road, Sioux County, NE +
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+ the mail carrier knows cattle brands, I guess - Sioux County, NE +
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Today's ride: 47 miles (76 km)
Total: 1,775 miles (2,857 km)

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