Ride West: Day 7 to Chadron, NE

Wichita was dark when Jon and I rolled out of town at 5:45 and headed north at the beginning of a 12 1/2 hour, 630 mile ride. But dawn wasn’t far behind. I think sunrise may be the best time to ride a motorcycle: the air is cool, the smells are fresh and colors explode off the few clouds dotting the horizon as they did today. All the colors in the red/orange end of the spectrum made an appearance this morning as the sun rose to begin baking, once again, the Midwestern landscape. What a magnificent way to start a day.

Road trips are best when serendipity intervenes from time to time. Riding along US 24 in northwestern Kansas through small towns where residents depend largely on nature for their livelihood, I spotted just the kind of sign that turns an ordinary day into something unique. “World’s Largest Ball of Twine Ahead”. Any time you have a chance to witness an international superlative firsthand, you should seize that opportunity and add the experience to your storehouse of memories. So we stopped. I dismounted and stared at the World’s largest ball of twine. I wondered,”Why?” But having no suitable answer, I remounted my bike, content in the knowledge that I, unlike so many other people, had at least seen the World’s largest ball of twine.

Beyond the adventure of the sisal twine, the real highlight of today’s ride was seeing Mike and Diane Mawby again after a gap of several years. Our friends from our time in Tullahoma, Tennessee, are still the great people we knew years ago and continue to be one of hardest working couples I know. If you happen to go to see the twine, please continue on to Kearney, Neb., and stop by “Come and Git It Barbecue” for lunch at the friendliest place you’ll ever find. And be sure to have the beans. Tell them Dr. Dizzyhead said hi.

After lunch, the temperature quickly climbed to triple digits again. (It was 102 when we went through Oglala.). The six hours we spent on the bikes after lunch were not nearly as enjoyable as the six before noon. We got to Chadron and a very motorcycle-friendly Best Western, cooled down and started preparing for tomorrows ride to Sturgis and Rapid City.

Sorry for the late post. Everyone stay safe.

“I can’t wait to get on the road again.”