Day 8: Goodland to Benkelman, Nebraska

September 30, 2015

Up at 7. The sky is still nearly dark and it's foggy outside.

On the road at 8:35. Still foggy, 55F (13C). Through the town of Goodland for the first time. Downtown is 2 miles from the motel so I never went there yesterday.

Downtown has some nice old buildings, but many are vacant. Probably thanks to the WalMart near I-70. The brick street and the fog combine to give it an otherworldly quality.

Downtown Goodland, Kansas. The Telephone Building is not as important as it once was.

Main street leads north onto KS 27. Wind was my friend again. 10 mph south wind. The miles were easy, through gently rolling hills with grades mostly less than 2%. The fog lifted around 10 AM but it was overcast all day.

KS 27 connects to US 36 in the tiny community of Wheeler which has no services. I turned east, with a brisk crosswind for 9 slow miles. Suddenly it was colder and the wind was noisier. That helps me appreciate the tailwind.

I stopped for lunch in Bird City. Unlike the counties to the north and south, this county is on Central time zone. My clock said 1 PM when I arrived, but their clock said 2 PM. I arrived just as the cafe closed. So I got a sandwich from the grocery store.

The shoulder was very narrow. Some trucks, but less traffic than yesterday.

Bird City, Kansas. Stone buildings are rare in the Great Plains.

Bird City is a cute little town, population 447. It seems to be doing better than most towns its size. Noticeable civic pride in the parks.

In Bird City I turned north on KS 161 to Benkelman, Nebraska. Tailwind once again.

I stopped at one abandoned farm to walk around and take photos. Didn't try to get inside the buildings.

A few miles before the Nebraska state line the landscape changes noticeably. More rolling and creased, with scattered trees in low lying areas.

The landscape is noticeably less flat now.

The sky became brighter in the afternoon but it stayed overcast. High of 65F (18C). Very nice when pedaling with the tailwind. Noticeably colder when I stop and feel the wind.

This ranch was founded the same year my house was built in Oregon.

At the state line I used an UltraPod to attach my camera to a fence post near the sign. I hardly ever do self-portraits during tours. Usually it's just the bike and the sign.

Just past the dry South Fork Republican river the road crosses unsigned Spring creek which does have water. First stream with water since the Arkansas river.

The town of Benkelman (population 931) is only 4 miles north of the state line. Most of the town is on a steep south-facing hillside. The town has many Craftsman-style homes and seems to be doing reasonably well. US 34 has a bypass around the town but the bypass has few businesses.

I arrived at 5 PM and wandered around the town. The only motel in town is the Circle B motor lodge on the US 34 bypass far uphill from downtown. My $59 room was pretty good for the price. Dinner at the upscale Skyline Grille next door.

Today was easy. Moderate distance, gentle terrain, mostly a helpful tailwind. Pleasantly cool compared to the beginning of the tour.

Distance: 68.5 mi. (110 km)
Climbing: 1074 ft. (325 m)
Average Speed: 11.4 mph (18.2 km/h)

Today's ride: 69 miles (111 km)
Total: 451 miles (726 km)

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