Chadron to Alliance, Nebraska Monday, August 9, 2021
OK, this is the first time this has happened in the 115 days of this trip. I really have nothing to report. 54 miles across the featureless Nebraska Panhandle prairie, there was 1000 foot climb out of the White River Valley, and then just gently rolling, with good shoulders and a favorable wind. That’s it. Reminiscent of the Meseta on the Camino, which was interesting at first but then got kind of old. It was hot, and there was no shade, but I’ve gotten used to waiting until I cross a stream, which at least gives me a guard rail to lean on while I eat lunch in the hot sun. This particular stream was dry. I’m glad I had the whole 6 litres of water with me, and a couple of oranges I copped from the motel breakfast spread.
I was determined to find beauty in scenes like this, but this time it was a challenge. It’s hard to imagine what it must be like to live here. The irrigation booms were active, which I guess was something. There were still a few stray bikers from the Sturgis rally, trailing their multiple American flags.
I could’ve made it slightly interesting by detouring to Carhenge, but it was 6 miles out of the way in this hot sun, and I couldn’t see the appeal of a shrine to fossil fuel. Still, it seemed kind of cool. The family did get a kick out of the Cadillac Ranch, in the Texas Panhandle in 2005. I should lighten up. This trip is about embracing America.
Th-th-that’s all, folks! Only 5 more days of prairie to Denver. Don’t give up on me, I’ll try to find something.
Distance 54 miles, 5,056 total. Time 6 hours with stops. Elevation gain 1,956 feet
©️ 2021 Scott Luria
The Ends of the Earth 
Hi Scott, just thought I send a bit of Willa Cather’s My Antonia! where she describes the red grass prairies of Nebraska, in case it helps! “I wanted to walk straight on through the red grass and over the edge of the world, which could not be very far away. The light air about me told me that the world ended here: only the ground and sun and sky were left, and if one went a little farther there would be only sun and sky, and one would float…”
As long as you post, I’ll be reading,
Sarah
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Thanks for the great quote, I will try to find her book. Funny you should mention “the edge of the world“, that was the title of a chapter (5/29/98, day 10) of my Denali journal, which you can see you can see on this blog as well.
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