May 30, 2015

Left Wall SD at around 8:00 going east on I-90 for 82 miles and turned south on rt. 83 heading to Valentine, NE.  What beautiful roads and scenery for hours on end.  The two lane south had maybe 3 cars on it over 90 miles and the road crested the hills then did S curves through the bottom and back up.  I guess I was expecting flat but not at all.  A great morning ride in 40 degree weather.  The electrics made it a comfortable ride and the wind that I had been dealing with in SD either was blocked by the hills or had died out.  I arrived in Valentine in time for lunch and ran into this crew:

There were maybe 10 parked in front of a restaurant so I ate there.  Very good home cooking.  When I came out they were getting ready to push one that didn't start.  I joined in and was amazed by what little effort it took to push start these.  It is a club of 15 or 20 that own model A and Model T cars and periodically they take trips for lunch together.  They are from Lincoln, NE. 

After lunch, then realizing that due to time change i had lost an hour, decided to go another 120 to the town of O'Neill, NE.  So far my rule of looking for a motel after 3:00 pm has been a life saver.  For the last 6 days I have gotten one of the last rooms when I stopped and rejected at one.  All the travelers seem to be booking one day ahead and all of the motels have been sold out by 6:00.  Word of warning to fellow travelers.  Most of these towns on rt. 20 are very small with maybe 2-3 mom and pop motels and maybe one Econolodge or Super 8.  I am having a great time, well until I remembered I had to do my laundry.  Quick and easy at the laundramat and now for an early to bed!