QU'EST-CE TU FAIS-LA?

Another early morning for me. I was out the door around six-thirty. The sun was just rising, and it was beyond beautiful. An ominous storm surrounded the red glow of the emerging light. Occasional lighting would add to the ambiance of this mystical morning. After twelve miles, I arrived in the first town of Maxwell. At the edge of town, a sign signified that Highway 30 was closed down for the next ten miles. There was another sign that said unauthorized vehicles were subject to three hundred dollar fines. My only alternative route was Interstate 80, but this was not an ideal option. It was another fuck it moment, and I bypassed the blockage. It was a ghostland for eight miles, there was no construction insight. The final two miles, I weaved my way through welcoming workers. 

Once in Brady, I helped myself to a beef stick, iced coffee, and a water bottle refill. The dark storm clouds dissipated, but the wind stuck around. It took thirteen miles to get to Gothenburg, another city name that I am fond of. After a quick stretch, I continued down the highway. My next destination was Cozad, which housed a prospering plastics factory. Workers were buzzing around the town, and it was a lovely sight. Most of these small towns are rather lifeless and abandoned. I decided to stop for my usual water refill. As a courtesy, I always buy something, so peanuts and milk it was. 

After my quick snack, I jumped back on the bike. There was a twelve-mile-per-hour gust coming in from the Southeast. This battle had been going on all day, but it was at its peak power after Cozad. I pushed fourteen miles to Lexington, and fatigue was seriously setting in. My final destination was not too far now, and I kept chugging along. Overton was the next town, and I was craving milk again. I had already had too much caffeine, and some more protein was necessary. It was time to make that final push, and I continued on Highway 30. 

All of the sudden, I noticed a fellow biker heading in my direction. Was it Jeffdawg?! We chatted about him joining me somewhere in Nebraska but never made definite plans. What a surprise, and we continued to the next town of Odessa. He stashed his truck here, and we loaded our bikes into the back. He saved me nine miles of biking, I figured eighty-seven miles was sufficient enough. We made our way to an actual hotel and checked in. Woowee, Lori booked us a hell of a hotel. It was a serious step up from my usual cheap motel. 

After a shower, Jeff and I went to a sushi spot not too far from the hotel. We had many rolls and some beers, it was a divine dining experience. I was stuffed and feeling spoiled, so we went to Sonic for ice cream. This was a childhood favorite of mine back in Texas, and the nostalgia was high. We explored Kearny for a bit and ended up at one of the parks in town. Tired and full, we returned to the hotel to chill out. After completing a little work, we fell asleep to a movie. The route is here.