Day 8 - ending at Creighton, NE - Following the Ponca Trail

July 22, 2024

Day 8 - ending at Creighton, NE

Day 8 - Niobrara, NE to Creighton, NE

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Up today at 5:58am. It was foggy out. I'd decided that today would work for both a visit to the Ponca museum and bicycling if I ended the day in Creighton, Nebraska instead of Neligh. So I worked on reports, ate breakfast, and packed up. The park worker who welcomed me to the church service yesterday stopped by this morning at my site to wish me safe travels.

The sun was starting to break through the fog at 9:32am when I left. I went ahead and used my shortcut path, though it was still uphill after that a little ways. I turned left on 522 Ave, the first road going south which is west of the Niobrara River. Stopped at the Mormon monument along the way. I heard at the museum yesterday that Mormons were here, and were helped by the Ponca. Years later, modern day Mormons returned the help.

At 10:15am I was at the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Community Grounds. There were a lot of workers around, I suspect getting ready for the Powwow in August. There's an educational trail here that circles the grounds, so I parked the bike to walk the circle. Lots of interesting information boards, which I took pictures of, but probably wouldn't display well in my report, due to small text. When I got to the museum, there was a sign posted stating the museum was closed for refurbishing! Oh well, there was still more to see outside as I continued walking the circle. Just before I was done, I walked up the hill to see their statue of Chief Standing Bear. It's on a hill overlooking the Niobrara River Valley.

I was back where I'd left the bike at 11:00am. I rode a little farther south and west to see the cemetery, then backtracked my way to NE-12. I was on the Mormon Canal Bridge when noon arrived. I'd bicycled 7.8 miles this morning. I needed to get on NE-14 going south to follow the path of the Trail of Tears. When I arrived there, Valorie, the news lady I'd talk to after the church service yesterday appeared from like nowhere, saying she'd forgotten to get my picture yesterday. She was a little nervous being on the shoulder of the busy highway, so I didn't keep her there long.

I'm going to include in my report pictures of my best guest estimation of where the soldiers and the Ponca camped each night, based on the information I read in E. A. Howard's report. Captions for those pictures will be in brackets, stating where they were for the evening and how many miles they went. I passed three of those places today. The first one was just ahead, on the east side on the Niobrara River.

I arrived in Verdigre at 2:00pm. No place to eat open in town this time of day. But I happen upon a food trailer, which worked out so well for a good meal.

Southeast of Verdigre I turned onto gravel roads, which had several hills. That took a while going along in the hot afternoon. Roads flattened out as I got near Winnetoon, where I arrived at at 4:58pm. I stopped at Elaine's Tavern and Cafe for supper - chicken salad sandwich, chips, lemonade, and lemon pie. Had pleasant conversations with the server and a customer there. They got me set up so I could charge my phone.

I headed out of Winnetoon at 6:08pm. Not too far now to Creighton. I went through Bazile Mills and got on NE-13 to get there.

I arrived at Bruce Park in Creighton at 7:27pm, and picked out a very nice free camping spot next to an outlet poll. I had the tent up and filled by 8:20pm, and was in bed at 10:24pm. Tomorrow, hopefully Neligh.

Jeff

[May 16, 17, 18, 1877 - cross to east side of Niobrara River]

[May 19, 20, 1877 - Ne-wa-ches-ka Creek. 12 miles]

Today's ride: 36 miles (58 km)
Total: 259 miles (417 km)

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