Day 24 - ending at Red Cloud, NE - Nebraska on the Open Road

August 28, 2019

Day 24 - ending at Red Cloud, NE

I slept well last night, though I woke up from a dream that crickets were in the house. Waking at 5:03am gave me a couple of hours to work on yesterday's report. I quit that at 7:30am, and started packing. As I was packing, the camp hostess stopped by before driving into town, and asked to take my picture to show to her coffee group.

The camp host and I were talking a little later, discussing my next destination, which was Red Cloud. I told him about my pre-planned route out of town, which was continuing on the bike trail next to the lake, then onto some county roads. He told me since the lake is so high right now, part of the bike trail farther on is closed due to flooding - or at least it was. Back into town to US-136 would be the way to go. Since I would be going that way, the host told me where a place is the get coffee. Both the camp hostess and host had given me good wishes for a safe trip. What a great way to start the day!

So, at 9:30am, I rode north into town, on my way to Dragonfly Desserts. Before I arrived there I passed a business that had a nice-looking Raleigh bicycle sitting outside. I stopped to look at it, and the store owner came out. Wanting to hear some about my trip, he invited me in to sit down and have some coffee. He directed me to a rocking chair near the front of the store, while his wife prepared a cup of coffee for me. They both sat down together, and we talked over coffee and pumpkin muffins.

Jim and Jan Rojewski are the owners of The Country Store - Antiques and Collectibles. What a lot of stuff they have in their store. And what a busy place. It was fun watching as greetings were given to people coming in to shop or just stopping by to say "good morning". What a different and pleasant way to have morning coffee! After a picture and "goodbyes", I was on my way at 10:00am. No need to find Dragonfly Desserts now.

I arrived at US-136 at 10:07am and turned east. A nice sunny day for seeing the hills ahead. Nothing I had to walk, but it made me wonder about the county roads I might have been on now.

At 10:10am I arrived at Republican City, where I picked up Gatorade and ice for the day at The Island convenience store. I entered Franklin County at 11:38am. At noon I took a break and looked at miles so far: 13.1.

Past Bloomington at 12:50pm, and into Franklin by-way-of Link 31D at 1:15pm. Google Maps showed The Tipsy Cow as a place to eat. Breakfast is available all day there, and I was allowed to customize my order: pancake, two eggs, bacon, and a Dr Pepper. When I was finished eating, I worked on report writing a little, but was falling asleep, so I decided I'd better move on.

The speed I was moving at put me in Riverton at 3:58pm and Inavale at 4:49pm. This section of US-136, and a lot of NE-89 the previous days, has no shoulder. But riding it was actually more enjoyable than riding on a wide shoulder on a busy highway. Almost no traffic, and all the drivers wave. Ones coming from behind pulled completely in the other lane to pass me.

A few more hills, and I was in Red Cloud at 5:43pm. I toured some of the town, passing by Willa Cather's childhood home and the town's opera house. Finally, on to Bell's Sleepy Valley RV Park at the north edge of town.

Tent camping there is $15, and I was ready to set up at site #1 at 6:40pm. I had a picnic table, electricity, water, and, I found out later, use of free laundry machines in the showerhouse. So tonight I had a shower, then did laundry. Worked on report pictures, and was in bed, all fresh and clean, at 11:45pm.

Jeff

Spent: $3 (Gatorade, ice) + $7.34 plus $3 (lunch) + $15 (campsite) = $28.34.

Day 24 - Alma, NE to Red Cloud, NE

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