We've spent the last few days traveling through western Nebraska and entered into our 14th state today: the long-awaited Colorado!! I've seen new scenery, hit major milestones, and enjoyed some small town charm. So here are the highlights:
A short ride into Alma, Nebraska led to a long afternoon of relaxation and an evening of jam sessions with some locals. A few teens from the town just waltzed up and started playing with some of our group. Turns out one of them is a banjo prodigy and has been recognized at national competitions. He was so good!
9 miles into our ride from Alma to McCook we hit the 2,000 mile mark, our approximate halfway point! We spent so much time celebrating, taking pictures, and singing Bon Jovi.
We got hyped for our 100-mile ride today between McCook, NE and Holyoke, CO by decorating our helmets with galaxy-themed duct tape. The best duct tape I've ever seen.
We entered into mountain time! It was great to gain an hour on such a long ride.
I saw terrain that we haven't really encountered yet in western Nebraska. I looked at my photos when we got into the host and they don't come close to doing it justice. My best description of it would be dying grass, seemingly random bursts of shrubs, sporadic rocky outcrops, and flat top hills. It doesn't really sound that pretty, but for some reason I loved it. I think part of me was just excited to see terrain that was unfamiliar to me. It got me way more excited for the weeks to come. Colorado, Utah, and Nevada will be completely new to me!
We crossed into Colorado! I've been dreaming about this moment since I signed up for this trip. I've never seen the Rockies before and I can't wait for them to appear over the horizon. My motivation is high right now because I know I'm so close to that point!