Although the storm did not hit us directly last night, it had the effect of cooling things off. However, the air remained very humid. We got rolling at 8:00 AM, but not until after having had breakfast at the local cafe. This was a morning that called for a good breakfast, not only to provide fuel for the day ahead but simply to get me going. I felt a little off kilter when I woke up. A good meal would fix that condition. When riding out of the park in daylight, I was able to see that it is located next to a large farm. Last night when we arrived, it was so dark I couldn't make out what was around us... except for the pungent aroma of manure.

Listening to the talk at adjacent tables in the cafe gave us a flavor of what life is like in this locally well-known cattle town. Conversations of the cattlemen revolved around weather, the cattle, the heat, the hay baler, and the wheat. Nobody paid much attention to a couple of wayward cyclists. When we left the cafe, another cyclist had arrived. Maybe they are used to such comings and goings here in Thedford. We had a brief conversation with the cyclist but he was hungry and we needed to get moving, so we wished each other safe travels and went our separate ways.

Despite being overcast, the day was brightening and getting warmer. The road was relatively flat and the towns were reasonably apart. This allowed for the pattern of cycling for a reasonable distance, taking a short break in a town, and then moving on to the next one. We were making good time with this game plan.

I got a flat between Merna and Anselmo. The time needed for a repair slowed us down a bit. Upon inspecting my tires, I found serious wear and the need for a replacement of my rear rubber. However, since bike shops were scarce around here, I wasn't likely to find one until we got to a larger town. 

In Broken Bow, I went into a branch of the Nebraska State Bank to cash a check and replenish my dwindling funds. Since we had pretty much abandoned the idea of finding work, the only viable remaining option was to start dipping into my savings. The teller sent me over to one of the bank officers, Jerry-B, who looked a little suspiciously at this ragged and long haired traveler. However, after a brief conversation, he called my bank back home, talked to Mrs. Ward (one of the tellers I usually did business with there), verified that I had the funds, and cashed my check. He turned out to be a nice guy who was simply doing his due diligence. We shook hands and he wished us well.

I was able to get a couple of inner tubes in Broken Bow but there were no tires available that fit my bike. In the city park, I rotated my front and rear tires, added a spacer to the rear axle, and replaced the pin that my rear pannier would attach to. Then we got rolling again.

Heading east on SR-2, we encountered a detour that required us to use SR-70 instead. Its terrain was less friendly than it was on Route 2. That and a challenging headwind made the next 12 miles a chore. Where SR-70 meets US-183, we headed due South to Ansley. These 9 miles were also difficult. When we got to the town, we decided to quit for the day. The town park was available for camping and there was a cafe adjacent to it. Upon conversing there with a few locals, it was revealed that our intended route, SR-92, was very hilly. With that knowledge, we decided to get back on SR-2 and head for Grand Island (GI). The probability of finding a bike shop in GI was greater than if we had gone the other way, which further validated our decision. Before retiring for the evening, we talked with a few younger people who were working and closing down the cafe for the night. They were nice, polite, and helpful with information. This interaction further enhanced our favorable view of this little Nebraska town called Ansley.