Day 5: Blue Hill back to Doniphan 42 miles

WE DID IT!!! Yahoo, boo hoo! Really mixed feelings now. It was a really grueling 5 days, Peggy says it was REALLY hard, and I'm exhausted but after 5 days of challenges you bond with all the other riders and it's sad to see them go. I woke up at 4:45 to the sound of rain on the tent! Started taking the tent down in the rain at 5:15. Fortunately it wasn't a down pour. Had breakfast at the Community Center and we were on the road by 7:08 The rain had stopped and it was a little chilly at 61 but warmed up soon. Turned out to be a great day for cycling! The past two days we really didn't have much of a chance to enjoy the scenery...going into the wind had to keep.your head down and keep pushing the pedals...but today we got to enjoy the great Nebraska country side . Since we were only going 42 miles today we only stopped at one rest stop in Juniata then petal to the metal to get back to Doniphan.
It's been a special blessing to spend 5 days with cousin Peggy and Dale. Just remember Peggy, it was tough but you did what few others can say they did..it was an adventure of a life time! Item of note: the picture of the older guy from yesterdays post is Bill. He's one of the 78 year olds on the tour so hopefully I've got a few years left! Would I do it again? In heart beat!.....well maybe not next week ...but maybe next year! Rich and Susan Rodenburg really know how to put together a well organized fun tour! Thanks to them for all their hard work! ( I added a couple of pictures that didn't go with today's ride but got missed earlier.)

Day 4: Holdrege to Blue Hill 59 miles

Before I forget want to say thanks to Nelson for suggesting a tent fan. Peggy and Dale got one as did I and it definitely made our camping experience.more enjoyable!
On day three I forgot to mention who the people are at the dinner table. In addition to Peggy, Dale, Jane and I we were joined by Marvin Liewer  from Butte NE and Joyce Troyer from Manhattan KS.
Marvin is an amazing guy. He built a log cabin all by himself! Goggle his name and you'll.see his web site that.tells all about it.
During.dinner at the Sail Restaurant Peggy just happened to mention Shickley and Joyce said you've got to be kidding! Turns out her husband Darrell was from Shickley and Peggy knew his brother Terry! Small world!
Today we were expecting better conditions but unfortunately we had to ride. into the same brutal head winds for 30 plus.miles then it was cross winds from there. Fortunately the ride was only 59 miles! It was really tough going but we all finished.It's getting late so I'm not going to mention all.them but Wilcox had a great spread.for us and they were all cheering for us when we rode in. We had our awards banquet tonight complete with live music from The Toasted Ponies. It was a great spread and a lot of fun to see the slide show of pictures Rich had taken over the course of our 4 day journey...especially when you know a lot of their names now.Congratulations to Coreen Frasier from Little Rock, Arkansas for receiving the TDN Spirit Award! Peggy got to have her picture taken with Rhonda Revelle,.Nebraska's girls soft ball coach. Funny story told at the banquet by Rhonda Revelle about Susan Rodenburg...about 60 miles into Friday's ride their group pulled over to a shady area on the left hand side of the road to rest and cool down a little. (Dale and I just happened to be there at the same time!) Just then someone hollered that a wonderful farm couple had cold water on the other side of the road. The group left their bikes and walked over to the farm house. As they did one of them looked back and saw Susan's bike laying in the middle of the road! They said "Susan...your bikes in the middle of the road!!" She said.. "I know...I'm hoping someone will run over it so I don't have to ride any more!" Boy I could relate to that! It was a tough day for cycling!
 Last day tomorrow..42 miles back.to Doniphan.

Day Three: Callaway to Holdrege 76 miles

Yesterday it was hills hills, today it was wind wind wind! It was hot 97 to over a 100 and we were riding into brutal 30 to 40 mile head winds that really took their toll! It was really tough going! Regular riders of RAGBRAI and previous riders of many tours were saying they've never seen anything like what we encountered to today. The sag crew was not prepared for all the riders that got picked up today either. Volunteers were pressed into duty! Peggy and Jane got rides from the sag van around the 35 mile mark. I finally gave it up around the 66 mile marker and Dale a few miles before that.
We had rest stops at Oconto 14 miles, Eddyville population 94..26 miles, and between Eddyville and Overton we had fantastic Pedal-Powered smoothies! Lunch was at Overton, and last rest stop at Loomis.  A shout out to Sandy Anderson for making it the whole way!
Met Roger and Bette Hinrichs today who.are on their first tour and from Lincoln. They are riding in support of their son Major Richard Brown.
Well its getting late and I need to get to bed !

Day Two: Loup City to Callaway: 67 miles

Well..if I could use just one word to describe today it would be hills! If I used two it would be Fun, Fun! I'm meeting so many nice friendly people on tour!
Yesterday was mostly flat farmland but today was a never-ending series of grueling hills. We were.all excited to finally see the.Callaway water tower.in the distance. We.kept saying just one more hill and then we'd get to the top and.there would be another!
We were happy to have Jane Raybould ride with us today. Great company.
We.left Loup City at 7:08 and.made our first stop at mile 17 in Arcadia. I rang the bell in the old Congregational Church and signed the guest book. Going down the road shortly after that two girls went past and one of them.asked if my name was Hawley! I couldn't figure out how they knew that. Turned out they saw me sign the guest register and they both Jan Hicks and Sandy Anderson, work.in the same area as my.brother Dick! We caught up and got a picture.
Lunch was at Broken Bow. We stopped for a Runza!
Before we got to Callaway we had.to climb "Democrat Hill". I think Dale said it was almost 3,000 elevation. The great thing was we got a "Yahoo" moment when we got to race down the other side!  Along the way Shawn from Custer County Emergency Management.was looking out for us.
Had a fantastic potluck buffet dinner tonight at the Callaway Community Building put on by the Chamber...complete with live music by a local country band The South Loup Sunrise. They were really good!
Just met Colleen and Mitch Robinson in the computer room. Good folks...their 4th tour.
The NBA finals are being shown.on a huge big screen so I better go watch for awhile before hitting the sack. 76 miles tomorrow into a head wind but all my training and those BOBBIE rides and rides with Brian have me prepared!
By the way the Bassett Hound is Elsie the official mascot of the tour.