PowerCycle

04/26 We’re not in Kansas anymore! Sorry, had to do it. Nebraska has some crazy weather. Tacked on some good miles thanks to a 35 mph tailwind from the South. Broke my top speed record–43 mph. No rain all day but it hit hard once I got to camp. I’m not making this up, less than 5 minutes after I set my tent up the rain started. The winds gusts, according to NOAA , were as high as 60 mph (which I knew thanks to my new weather radio). There was also some pea-sized hail (which I knew because when I stuck my head outside to see if I was going to get washed into the Missouri River it hit me in the face several times).

My tent has a little puddle of water on the windward side because the rain was coming down so hard it splashed up over the raised floor of the tent. There were even a few times where I had to hold the tent poles up because the wind was so strong. There’s only been one other time that I’ve been camping where it’s rained so hard and that was in the Smoky Mountains. I did end up emailing moosejaw.com this morning which is where I bought my tent. The fly seems to be leaking along the top seam. It only does this when its been raining a while but it’s a little annoying. Its under a year old so maybe they can send me a free replacement.

A couple days ago I noticed that one of the retention brackets that mounts the pannier onto the frame was missing a screw which means that instead of 3 brackets I only have 2. The plastic piece that the screw tightens into was there so I’ve been trying to find a hardware store that might have the right-sized screw. Finally found a place today but I had to buy 10 when I only needed one. Oh well. Its funny up here too, whenever I buy groceries they ask, “Would you like that in a sack?” My answer has always been, “What?” I must stick out like a sore thumb. They also sold chocolate pecan clusters and bulk Gummie Bears. It was actually a pretty cool store– Orscheln in Falls City.

Staying at a campsite near the entrance to the Steamboat Junction trail in Brownsville. There’s no way I’m riding on it though. It was much softer than the Katy Trail and I’m not going through another Achilles problem again so I’m taking an alternative (mostly paved) route through Hamburg. Yes, I’ll be back in Missouri again. Only for a short time tomorrow and then I’ll be in Iowa. All these new states I’ve never been to before. Very exciting.

Met a few really nice people today. Just before leaving Falls City a guy named Patrick pulled over to where I was checking my map and we chatted for a bit. He’s another cyclist from around here. In Nemaha I was getting low on water but the only store was closed. Saw a guy (Rick?) on a lawnmower riding down the road so I asked him if he knew where I could get some. He turned the mower around and let me fill them up in his office that he’d just left. And my hero of the trip so far is John. When I pulled into the campsite he was there with his wife and kids fishing in the Missouri. He was also hunting for mushrooms that I guess are really expensive. Anyway, we talked for a bit and then they left when it started pouring out. Well, 5 minutes later the rain is coming down in a deluge and John pulls up in his car, gets out and standing by my tent asks if I’d like to stay at their place. How cool. I told him I’d be fine and thanked him profusely.

GPX Track