Day 43 July 4th Fat Tire

Papillion NE to Lincoln NE  62 miles (1,899)

Jim, the husband of the warm showers couple that hosted me last night, got up early to ride with me from their home southwest of Omaha to Lincoln Nebraska. It was encouraging to have someone to ride with on the 4th of July. Above is a picture of our shadows on the cornfield below us.
Jim is astoundingly fit for his age (can you believe he's 70 years old?). So, when I described how slowly I ride, he decided he had better use his fat tire bike so he would get enough exercise. Below is a picture of my tire, which is a little less than one and a half inches wide, compared to his tire which is 5 inches wide:
I have fondly nicknamed him "Fat Tire Jim".

(Above) Jim and his better half, Meg, who cooked a great meal last night:
Some pictures of our ride into Lincoln:
The Mopac Trail between Omaha and Lincoln is impressive:
No comment.

This pedestrian bridge over the Platte River was just opened yesterday after undergoing repairs from flooding that destroyed it two years ago:
A couple of weeks ago I mentioned a saying I learned in Indiana: "Knee high by the 4th of July." Do the Cornhuskers say "Elephant high by the 4th of July"?
In the early afternoon, Meg picked Jim up to go to a family Independence Day celebration. I was at a trailhead rest area where I met Bill. We talked about cycling in the area and about the Cowboy Trail which is the next big trail I will be riding. He told me to watch out for the texas stars. I said," You mean goat heads?" He replied, "A thorn by any other name it's still a thorn."
Bill was sporting this license plate on his bicycle:
After leaving the trailhead I immediately jumped on several other trails in the Lincoln area that eventually brought me within a half mile of my next warm showers hosts new home. Here is a picture of Elijah and Rachel who gave me the choice of joining them for a family 4th of July or chilling out alone in their home. I chose the latter. I really appreciated their sensitivity and understanding for my need for rest and quiet - well, what quiet was to be had in a firecracker crazed state, that is:

Comments

  1. Kim MJuly 7, 2021 at 4:46 PM

    How fun! I love the picture of your shadows in the cornfield.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Angie RJuly 7, 2021 at 7:41 PM

    Such beautiful gravel trails again…just pedal.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Robert AJuly 7, 2021 at 8:37 PM

    Wow, he’s 70?! I tell ya, cycling keeps you young 💪🚴‍♂️

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jason StanfordJuly 7, 2021 at 8:56 PM

    Those are the endless gravel roads right there!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gary SchroederJuly 8, 2021 at 7:02 AM

    love hearing about your amazing adventures

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownAugust 25, 2021 at 9:15 AM

    Had a great time hosting you on your trip across country. Best wishes for a safe crossing my friend! .... Jim and Meg Black

    ReplyDelete

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