June 4, 2013. BRAN: Paxton to Gothenberg, NE. 81 miles.

I did not want to get on the bike this morning! I woke up with the same headache I went to bed with, from fighting the wind on the bike. Below is the semi truck that carries all our gear every day. We each pack up and load our own stuff before we get on the bike.

A local VFW group made us pancake breakfast for a free-will donation. That was a nice switch! We have paid a lot for food this week. They even brought a table-wagon so we would have a place to sit and eat!

We headed out on Highway 30, into the wind again. This wind is getting tiresome! Dianne and I pulled each other along, each taking a mile in the front before switching places. After about 35 miles we got off Hwy 30 onto some side roads which took us past Scout's Rest Ranch, where Buffalo Bill Cody spent his time when he was not doing wild west shows.The house, barn and property are meticulously restored.

We zig-zagged through the countryside on our route this afternoon; it was nice to be off the highway. At about 55 miles into the ride there was a detour where a bridge was washed out from last night's rain. After the SAG stop there we stopped at the Fort McPherson National Cemetery, just a half mile off route.

We passed through the small towns of Maxwell and Brady and then got back on Highway 30 for the last 13 miles of the day. We had a time zone change today, so we were even later coming in than our time on the road would indicate... we were surely ready to get off the bikes after 81 windy miles!

We collected our bags, put up our tents, and then I went to the Pony Express Museum--Dianne said she was too tired to go. It surprised me to see that it was made of cottonwood logs, not stone like the ones farther west. How strange is it that I have seen and heard more about the Pony Express in the past year than I did in my entire life up until last September?