Onward from Omaha

Dan & Leah drove in from Montana and met me in Omaha to join in.  They took turns, one driving while the other pedaled, then swapped places.   Before we got rolling, we needed a little preventative bike maintenance.  I have no idea how a little place in the basement of a private house was the top listed bicycle shop on the old GPS unit in their car, but that's what happened!  It must have been a God thing...we had a fun time and got to pray too.  The connection WAS a God thing I'm sure.   Jay Farlee, sole proprietor of The Bike Pedlar, has quite a collection of classic bike parts, is very friendly, and gave us speedy service. Our bikes were ready just when he said they'd be! Any time you're in Omaha in need of a bike mechanic, be sure to look him up.   

Across the river from Omaha in Council Bluffs, the trail goes by the Iowa School for the Deaf. Forty years after Lewis & Clark, this was the location of the Mormon Grand Encampment.  In spring and summer of 1846, some 10,000 Latter Day Saints set up camp here after abandoning their settlement in Nauvoo, Illinois due to conflicts with the neighbors.  Brigham Young and his followers traveled some 1,300 miles on what is known as the Mormon Pioneer Trail to settle in Salt Lake City, Utah beginning in 1847. The Oregon and California Trails also crossed the Missouri river in this area.  

Speaking of river crossings, I've learned to appreciate the importance of bridges, roads, and good maps on this trip.  Dan & Leah had quite the indoctrination to a few riding challenges during their first few days with me.  The only other direct route was a freeway we couldn't ride on when we ran into this one....

 Here our frontage road suddenly was blocked by the locked gate.  The road went on top of a river dike with a hefty fine for trespassing on the dike...

 .it was only about 1/4 mile or so across to the highway..so off we went into the weeds...

A rest stop had this replica of the keelboat that Lewis & Clark's company poled up the river. We thought we had an easier time than the boaters must have had till the headwinds showed their true strength...What's wrong with this next picture?  Notice Dan's billowing jacket; we were pedaling hard in low gear to gain some forward headway...the issue?  we were heading downhill, but the headwind was so strong we were working hard instead of coasting !  hmmmm

 Leah thought she had escaped the headwinds by taking her turn on this nice bike path sheltered from the wind by this forest...but soon after we started down the trail the trees disappeared,

 ...and we were out in the cornfields with no more windbreak....

 But she's tough that Leah, and she made her mileage goal despite the headwinds!

 Oops, we're not in Kansas any more Toto, and I thought we were...it was hard to keep track which state we were in because each river crossing took us across the state lines.