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| Grandpa Lost His Mind |
A Journal - Crossing America by Bicycle |
| May 29, 2007 Miles 68 Total miles 1738 |
| I got up at 6:30 this morning so I could get in a good days ride without pushing myself. It was 40 degrees outside and was sprinkling so I rolled over and snoozed until about 8:00. I was ready to leave by 8:30 and noticed the rear tire on Ol' Blue was flat. It kept going down yesterday and I kept pumping it up. Finally, I used the last of the "Fix-a-flat" that Hattie in Idaho insisted I take. That held the rest of yesterday but was flat this morning. I put a new tube in and aired it up and it had a hole in it. I took it off and it had four holes in it! A brand new tube. I patched up the old one and put it back on the bike. |
| I ate a big breakfast at the Donut Ranch Bakery. This is Cody. He is the owner and manager of the bakery. Besides the huge breakfast, I ordered a couple of donuts. They were so good. Before I left, Cody gave me a big bag of his specially made granola. It was my supper for tonight. |
| These two black angus were just huge and enjoying chewing their cuds. The skinny cow had just crossed over a cattle guard. |
| By the time I fumbled around and got my camera ready this bird had gotten too far away to get a good picture. I don't know what kind it is. |
| I had a couple of great downhill runs today but my overall elevation gain was 1,200'. It was a pretty rough day for me today. |
| About every ten miles or more you will see one of these huge ranches. |
| Little houses on the prairie. |
| I was feeling pretty good at this point but within an hour the weather took a nasty turn. A sudden afternoon storm came across the mountains and drenched me in a matter of minutes. It stopped as fast as it started. I rode for another 45 minutes and knew it was going to happen again. This time I found shelter under a bridge. |
| I was about 25 miles from my destination for the night when I felt the air get very cold. I knew it was going to hail or sleet. It sleeted for ten or fifteen minutes and the storm passed on by. I saw a bridge and decided to seek shelter rather than get soaked again. I tried to get my trailer under the bridge. |
| I pushed myself again today to try to make it to Walden for the night and I ended up getting here right at dark. It was 38 degrees and I was very tired from the events of the day. My right calf had been cramping up on me all day. I haven't had that happen in a long time. I may take a day of rest tomorrow. It is supposed to be another day of foul weather. |