Entry for Wednesday, 9 June 1999

Photo 1. Early morning clouds make an interesting sunrise.

Photo 2. The Hitching Post Cafe in Wood Lake.

Photo 3. Clouds over the Nebraska Sandhills.

Photo 4. Sherry Goochey at the Comfort Inn in Ainsworth.

Photo 5. Elderly pedestrian area in Ainsworth.

Photo 6. Connie at Ainsworth's Triple Dip restaurant.

Photo 7. This is what Connie calls a "Wyoming House." It's built underground to be cool in the Summer and warm in the Winter. Notice the entrance to the right of the chimney.

Photo 8. We had dinner at Big John's restaurant across the street from the motel.

Last Modified on 6/9/99 at 20:20:44

Day's Narrative: Last evening I became very concerned that the small towns of Wood lake (pop. 59), 24 miles away, and Johnstown (pop. 48), 35 miles away, did not have stores. This would mean that I would have 46 miles to travel today without food or additional water. I asked at the motel desk about them and was told that there were no stores open in either. Connie found a Yellow Page listing for the Hitching Post Cafe in Wood Lake, and the woman at the desk said it was closed. This was reasonably important since today was supposed to be warm and 46 miles can be a long ride if the wind is wrong.

At breakfast at the Bunkhouse Restaurant I asked the waitress the same questions and she thought that the Hitching Post was open, because she was positive the owner, Stacy, had not closed it. To be sure, she asked the other waitress if Stacy had closed the Hitching Post. The other waitress said it was open.

This meant that I didn't have to carry lunch or extra water with me. However, since there was such disagreement, I did carry an extra bottle of water.

When I went to eat at 6:00 AM, the wind was at least 30 mph, but out of the northwest, a tailwind. It was also pretty cold -- about 55 degrees (12C). It was hard for me to imagine that the temperature would be in the 90s today. As it turned, out the temperature never got above 70F (21C) while I was riding.

As I rode along the wind had dropped to about 15 mph, a gentle tailwind, and I zipped down the road with ease. It's not unusual, I have discovered, for the wind to change dramatically at sunrise. A few miles out of town I left Cherry County. Cherry County, NE is larger than Rhode Island.

I got to Wood Lake about 8:30. The Hitching Post restaurant (Photo 2) was open, and I had two cups of coffee and two cinnamon rolls. Stacy, a woman about 30 years old, was indeed the owner. There was a saloon/restaurant in Johnstown and it was open too, but I was filled up, so I didn't stop.

Ainsworth (pop. 1800) appeared in front of me at 10:30 AM. Connie and I had planned to meet at the Super 8. Since I had beat Connie here I rode around and looked at the choice of motels. Clearly, the Comfort Inn was the better choice since it was brand new and had an indoor pool and hot tub. I went back to the first convenience store, got a Coke and a bag of Fritos, and sat down in front of the convenience store out by the highway to wait for Connie to show up. She arrived about 11:15.

At the Comfort Inn we met Sherry Goochey (Photo 4). We had a nice conversation about Ainsworth and I mentioned that my nose had detected we had entered feedlot country. Then Connie, Sherry and I got into a discussion about which feedlot smelled the worst. I said it had to be a chicken feedlot, but both Connie and Sherry said the hog feedlots were much worse. Sherry said she and her husband had had all three kinds of animals and hogs were definitely the worst smelling. I will take her word for it.

After unloading the van we went out to get some lunch at the Triple Dip restaurant where I took a picture of Connie (Photo 6).

The weather prediction for tomorrow is 20 mph headwinds (from the East) and 60% chance of rain -- not thunderstorms -- rain. The following day is supposed to be beautiful again. We may layover in Ainsworth tomorrow and wait for the weather to clear. We'll decide tomorrow morning. A front is coming through here from the West and the weather can do anything.

The next stop is O'Neill, about 66 miles away.

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© Ray & Connie Poore, 1998