Here we are in Kearney, Nebraska, land of the Corn Huskers! After a breakfast of re hydrated eggs, french toast sticks and sausage patties, yep, no sausage gravy and biscuits, we got on the highway in Davenport at about 8:45 this morning. The sky was thick with clouds from Hurricane Isaac's ongoing menace. We were in a hurry to get on the road and avoid the rain if possible. But we had to make a stop at the world Famous I-80 Truck Stop and Dog-O-Mat a short distance west of Davenport. We took our touristy pictures and headed down the road.
The ride was uneventful, passing through rural Iowa, full of corn fields, and wind farms. Past the exit for the Bob Feller Museum, John Waynes' Birthplace and Home of the famous Bridges of Madison County (Iowa) just west of Des Moines. Traffic moved well with a speed limit of 70 MPH. Not until Council Bluffs, IA did the road get rough and inconsiderate drivers try to cut others off. The female driver to our front left decides she needs over in front of us, just as a pick up that's entering the highway is merging on in front of us. They worked it out and all survived. Then it was time. Time to pull off at the last exit in Iowa and put on the helmets! I thought about chancing a mad dash with out them since our lunch stop was the first exit inside Nebraska and about a mile beyond that. I figured with my luck, some overzealous cop would be sitting there at the exit and want to tow the bikes and throw us in jail till Tuesday morning since it's a holiday weekend.
Our lunch stop was at Starskey's Bar and Grill in South Omaha, NE, which was featured on Man vs Food Nation. They served up something called Pig Wings and you could get 'em with mild, Teriyaki, hot, Sweet Asian Chili, BBQ, extreme Hot or Sparky's Sauce. We opted for an order of the Hot and a BBQ. Both were delicious!
We left Starskey's and the temperature had rose about 20 degrees! The sun was out and we had another 180 miles to go! we jump on I-80 and the traffics heavy but there are about 5 lanes and the speed limit is 75. We roll out of the city and hit a couple of construction zones along the way. The kind where they knock the speed down to 55 and have the west bound traffic passing the east bound traffic with a safety barrier consisting of plastic sticks! Other than that it was just corn field after corn field, dry corn fields, some with the irrigation going. It did give me a chance to take some pictures and video though!
So we check in at the Best Western and end up with a second floor room and no elevator. Marybeth's not happy. It's no fun lugging bags up to the second floor after riding nearly 500 miles. I ask out loud, "What happened to the good ole days when ya rode into town, dropped the horse off with the blacksmith at the stables and went to the saloon for a bath, a steak, a bottle of whiskey and a whore?" Oh well, those days are long gone, sad to say.
Tomorrow, on to Denver, CO and meet with friends for dinner, some I've met before, and some I've only met on Facebook! That's all for now!
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