Field report #1: Niobrara, Nebraska - We're 5 days into our adventure and things are going well, with only a few minor setbacks. I think my reports will be mainly narrative for now, with a few phone pictures and route screenshots attached. The Insta360 road footage takes time to process, so I'll circle back later with some actual shots of my rydes. Thanks for the ride suggestions. Some of them are already on the list (Hogback - stop 17, Million Dollar - stop 18) and the others will definitely be considered.
Day 1 - 380 mile drive from Lafayette, IN to Pikes Peak SP in McGregor, IA: A mostly uneventful drive, except for one heart stopping moment at our first stop 3 hours into our journey. Reaching into my pocket for the car keys, I noticed with dismay that the Can Am sleeve was conspicuously empty. No problem, that usually just means I absent mindedly left the Spyder key in the ignition, which I had done several times the day before while loading everything into the camper. Except this time it was no longer there. Well, at least I had packed the spare, but for the life of me couldn't figure out what I had done with the original. It wasn't until a few hours later, after retracing my steps, that I figured it had to be in the pocket of the pants I had worn the day before. Fortunately, those were packed in the camper, so at the next stop I confirmed my suspicion and retrieved the missing key. Crisis averted, we proceeded, back at full strength.
Day 2 - Started with a short hike along the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River and Prairie du Chien across the border in Wisconsin. Then we set off on our first ryde, a 60 mile loop down to Guttenberg via 18 and 13 to Elkader, then Grandview and Garber roads East across to Guttenberg. Along the way on this leg we stopped for a tour of the Motor Mill Historic Site for a little history. In Guttenberg we strolled the waterfront park and ate dinner at the Driftwood Diner, a family run eatery in a historic building that houses other businesses as well. A delicious home cooked meal at a small town reasonable price. After dinner, we returned North to camp via the Great River Road. Weather was clear and beautiful due to rains that had passed through the previous day.
Day 3 - Forecast was for blazing hot temperatures, so I set out early Sunday morning for my planned ride, taking 76 North out of McGregor up to where it crosses the Iowa River. From here, the scenic Iowa River Drive heads East to New Albin, where it tees into the Great River Road. Taking this South back to McGregor completes the loop. Morning temperatures were comfortable in the low 80's and there were many other riders out, but very little traffic. The smoke from the Canadian forest fires was back, reducing visibility, but the riding was fantastic. We had learned about the "Driftless Area" from the tour guide the day before. Basically, the glaciers bypassed this area during the last ice age, leaving behind the rolling hills and bluffs that make this excellent riding country.
Day 4 - 400 mile drive across Iowa and Eastern Nebraska to Niobrara SP: Temperatures topped 100 degrees on this stretch, so we were thankful to be in the air conditioned Ram. Arriving at the park, I unloaded the Spyder and heard the suspension compressor running continuously as I rode to our site. Looking under the seat I found the Schrader valve insert completely missing and could feel air rushing out as I pushed down on the back end. Despite their best efforts, the guys at the shop were unable to solve my "Suspension Fault" issues a few weeks ago, and now things had gotten worse. Fortunately, the ViAir compressor I had bought for the camper had some spare parts, including gasketed metal caps. Putting one of these on the valve stem solved the immediate issue, so tomorrow's ride was still on.
Day 5 - The Outlaw Trail: This is a 230 mile Nebraska Scenic Byway following Highway 12 along the Missouri and Niobrara Rivers, named after the likes of Jesse James who used the surrounding terrain to hide out in. I had planned a route from Niobrara to Springview following the Byway, then South across the Niobrara and back via 20 and 14. On the way I passed Monowi, a town of 1, whose lone 92 year old resident runs the Monowi Tavern. Look it up, it's pretty fascinating. Being 10 o'clock in the morning, I didn't stop. We'll pass by there again tomorrow, so maybe we'll stop in and say hi. The next town had a NAPA auto parts store where I stopped and picked up some Schrader inserts and a tool. I arrived in Springview around noon and had lunch at the Outlaw Trail Bar and Grill. There were several cars out front and people heading in as I rode up, always a good sign when the locals endorse a place. It did not disappoint, so I made the return trip well fed and without incident. Temperatures had come down 20 degrees since the day before, so we spent the afternoon sitting on the back deck of the camper overlooking the river, which gave me a chance to post this update.
Until next time, cheers!
Keep the rubber side down!!!
