Day 17

On the road again, just cann’t wait to get on the road again – there’s a song there somewhere!! Up and raring to go, as we have not ridden for the last two days. We are getting lazy! We quickly drive back down to Alexander, bikes out and off we go. It’s Jack, Raymond, Angel and me to start. Man it’s a beautiful day, cool and the sun coming up, not a cloud in the sky (which may not be good for later!). A great road very smooth, and off course FLAT! The van’s at the 10 miles and we reach it in a very fast time. Jack has set the pace and is flying. The land is golden, with the wheat and corn ready for harvest, actually some of the fields are already done, and combine harvesters are either being transported to other farms or are in use, as we can see. Every occasionally there is a small oil rig in the field (not sure that you can call them fields as they are huge unfenced areas), pumping oil from the ground. I’m sure that the farms out here are self sufficient in fuel. Also gas (that’s petrol for everyone else) is selling at the pump for $3.35. Eat your heart out New York, oh and Europe!

The van has gone 20 miles this time and we seem to be there In no time again. As Angel says “this feels like we’ve done only 5 miles!” But in fact it’s 30 miles that we have done. Out at 8.15am and at the 30 mile mark just before 11am. Very good going, I’m sure that it’s the very flat roads that we are on. The scenery is as ever flat as the eye can see, and it’s not looking like it will change any time soon. Another 20 miles fly by and we’ve done 50 already, before 1pm. Rest time and we can now feel the sun, it’s getting very hot. A great little park which is just off the road that we are on, shaded, and relatively quiet and a good place to refuel and get a few zzzz in. Which we do. Angel’s done and Felipe takes over – Mr Fasty and he’s ready to go too. So back onto the road and only another 46 miles to go. The van goes 20 miles and waits as usual, for us all to catch up. Lots of trucks, but not sure what they are transporting, maybe the harvest? With the truck the road is still a little dangerous, but they do seem to give us plenty of room as they pass, which we appreciate. Again 20 miles goes fast and we are at the van which has water and munchies. We do carry water with us, but always nice to get a cool drink at the van. Our water on the move literally heats up with the sun. On we go and in Sterling we see the van. Andriy makes sure that we have the correct way to Nickerson, we wouldn’t want to get lost now – which Jack promptly does taking a wrong turn and not seeing where we had gone! No one is really aware of this until the end when Jack comes in quite a while after us telling us that he’d taken a wrong turn!

So we are in Nickerson, but this is not camp site country, so we google and ask where the nearest camp site is! Another 15 miles away, these camp sites are just not helping us one bit. Another State Park which are in fact very good value, and this one by the side of a huge lake. No need for the van lights, so we pitch the tent and prepare for food, but you sods law, there is a wind off the lake and our grill takes forever to cook. Man, thank goodness for bread and peanut butter, and jelly. Jack, Andriy and Raymond take off to Haven to find a café and food, while Angel and Felipe, having had bacon sarnies, are more into the lake and what they can catch. Believe it or not the spear a fish! Me I’m catching up on the blogg, it’s two days now since I got this out there and still no internet. Hopefully there will be access tomorrow and I can get this to you all.

When they arrive back from Haven Felipe, Angel and Andriy are into the Lake for a dip to cool of. It’s been a hot day and we are all tired.

OK over and out. Remember if you have any questions please let us have them and we will try to answer. Do it through the blog.
By the way ½ way through tomorrow, Thursday we will be ½ way through Ride X America.

Cheers,
BP