Through America's Heartland

Hotels.com sucks!!  More on that later...

It has been all interstate since we left on Friday.  Saturday, we left our hotel in Galesburg, Illinois at 6:30AM so that we could get as many miles behind us before the heat of the day.  It had rained the night before, and it was still trying to get us wet right after we saddled up.  Out of Galesburg, I-74 heads north until it's junction with I-80.  As we traveled this section I could see rain to our west. As we crossed the Mississippi River at Bettendorf, Iowa it was within a few miles of us.  We pulled to the side of the road at the next exit, donned our rain gear, and headed out again.

Not one drop of rain fell on us.  That rain suit is the best thing that I have ever bought for motorcycling.  I can't remember the last time it rained on me when I had it on.  I only seem to get wet whenever I have left it at home during a ride.

The strategy of leaving early paid off for us.  Until our rain gear came out, we were both riding in jackets with the temperature in the upper 60s, and had about 130 miles behind us before we were in short sleeves again.  By 10:00 it was already hot, and I thought we were in for another long day, but the temperature didn't climb much more from there.  The air temperature was a good ten degrees lower than Friday.  There wasn't as much wind, either...

The rolling hills of the Iowa plains led us to the flat, parched plains of Nebraska and we were making good time.  I noticed that it looks like the corn crop is going to suffer this year.  Isn't it suppose to be 'knee-high by the Fourth of July'?  The crop in much of Nebraska needs some serious help to get there...

Iowa Plains

Ken did have a couple of personal milestones set on Saturday:  His long day in the saddle.  We pulled into Kearney, Nebraska for the evening at 6:30 PM.  He had never been on a ride that lasted 12 hours before.  He also manage to ride the most miles in a day, over 550 miles.  Yay, Ken!  Half of an Iron Butt!!

The long day on Saturday set us up for what was supposed to be a nice, easy day into Cheyenne, Wyoming on a ride of just 316 miles.  The plan was to finish the ride by early afternoon, relax a bit by the hotel pool, and then check out Cheyenne later in the day.  It started out just as planned, but it fell apart pretty quick.

At our first gas stop, Ken found himself bleeding profusely from his left pinkie finger.  Either he was being honest when he said that he didn't no what happened, or he doesn't want me blogging about it but believe me, the was blood everywhere.  A square gauze pad and three strips of duct tape and he was good as new!

Nebraska Plains

The ride out of Kearney was pretty awesome.  Except for the last 50 miles or so, the landscape in western Nebraska is completely void of trees.  Other than a few cedar bushes here and there.  Wheat fields (I believe) for as far as the eye can see and, considering it is also completely flat, that is a long way.  As you approach the Wyoming border, you begin to pick up altitude and the landscape changes quite a bit.  The wind also began to pick up here as well.

Forty miles after entering Wyoming, we were in Cheyenne and found a hotel with a pool by 1:00.  The day was going just as planned, until...  The room wasn't ready yet.  OK, so we go the Eagle's Nest, hit the local pub with 'the coldest beer in town' according to the lady checking us in.  She'll call when the room is ready.  By 3:00, we decided that they must have forgotten to call, right.  I mean, I spend maybe a couple of hours a year cleaning my house.  Surely they could clean one room in a couple of hours.  Back at the hotel, I check the room and they hadn't even started.  I asked when it might be ready.  Ten minutes, they tell me.  I ask again at 3:30.  They call some help to the front desk and tell them to start cleaning it.  I couldn't bite my tongue any longer.  After the resulting conversation, I didn't feel I could show my face there any more.  That is where Hotels.com comes in...

I reserve a 2-1/2 star hotel in Laramie, Wyoming 45 miles to the west, we hop back on the bikes and knock those miles off of Monday's route.  I pulled into the Ramada Inn on the west side of Laramie certain that I was at the wrong place.  I knew as much when the people checking in before me were quoted a rate of $49.99 when I had paid $79.99.  Unfortunately, I was wrong.  I could have gotten the $49.99 had I walked in off of the street , but since I paid for the reservation through Hotels.com, I get to pay $79.99 to stay in an absolute dump.  Bastards wouldn't even let me cancel the reservation.  I am sure that Hotel.com Customer Service will post the recording of my phone call to them.  Search for it on the Internet soon.  It is a gem!

One more hot day, then things look to cool down.  After a 387 mile day on Sunday, we'll travel nearly as many before we arrive in Ogden, Utah on Monday.