Day Twenty-six: Hemmingford, Nebraska to Rushville, Nebraska

July 10, 2024

I knew I was going to do a short day today, so I wasn't in a hurry to get out of the very nice place I was staying. This was such a cozy little house, and new and clean.

I responded to some customer emails, made a couple of phone calls to customers, dealt with a technical issue with the server I use for my business, and was finally riding out by 8:30... when, in less than one mile I stopped at the nearby gas station and bought a few snacks and used the restroom. The restroom, whose entrance was outside the building, was surely the nicest gas station bathroom I've seen in recent memory. Plastic flowers, various affirmative messages on the wall. Surely this was an employee's personal project and not some corporate initiative. I regret not taking a few photos of it.

I rode out of town on a lightly traveled paved road.

I turned onto NE-87, on which I would ride north until it intersected with US-20. It was a (much) less annoying version of the northbound state highway I rode yesterday. No shoulder, and more traffic than I like, much of it truck traffic carrying recently harvested wheat. But much, much less climbing than yesterday.

Also - and this makes a big difference in my enjoyment of a bike ride - there were things to see along the road. A few houses, mailboxes, buildings, etc. Just enough to maintain my interest.

There was even a church, where I stopped and rested for a few minutes. The pastor of the church, a sign informed me, is named Pam Anderson. I chuckled, but then I am very, very easily amused.

I arrived in Hay Springs, population 578, on US-20.

I went into a gas station, got a fountain Diet Pepsi, and sat for a while. This was the first time on this trip that I've seen Little Debbie products for sale.

I walked around the Hay Springs downtown and took some pictures. I'd ridden through here in 2019, but had only spent a few minutes.

I went into a restaurant that was new since I'd been in town in 2019 and had French fries.

I got on US-20 and rode the twelve miles to Rushville. Unlike in 2019, this time I looked around the downtown.

I arrived at my motel to find that it was much, much crappier than I expected. And it was the "good" motel in town - not the one where police are frequently called to, if the internet can be believed.

I cleaned up and walked a few blocks in search of cold soda and chocolate milk. The first place I went into had no chocolate milk, but the proprietor, who appeared to be from another country that I could not identify, tried to convince me to buy beer instead! He was actually somewhat persistent in this, still talking to me as I walked out. I went across the street to the Dollar General instead.

Back in my room, I felt very tired, and decided I would need to get up and ride out extremely early tomorrow in order to make it to the next town with any real services, Valentine.

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Babs NashThese pics mostly look like scenes from a bad Si-Fi movie! Wow! Just WOW!
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3 months ago

Today's ride: 53 miles (85 km)
Total: 1,700 miles (2,736 km)

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John EganYou should be good to go.
Hope you are done with that cough.
And quit early - it's gonna be roasting.
Enjoy the Sandhills.
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3 months ago

Jeff LeeTo John EganI didn't quit early. Instead I rode 109 miles to Valentine. The heat wasn't that bad, at least for someone used to high humidity summers in Kentucky.

I'll do a short day today, though.
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3 months ago