Day 5 - Hartington, NE

Only 100 miles ridden today, but they were over some very pretty rolling hills with long sweeping curves. Most of my trip I've used the mid grade gasoline in the bike, but this morning, I used the low grade, even though it cost more than the mid grade. What? Mid grade around here uses ethanol, which makes for cheaper gas (that burns less efficiently and gives you stinky mpg).

The corn is just starting to poke up in the contours and rows, and across the terraced farmland, big furry green berms of grasses divide the different levels of rich brown soil. The google map estimate of 3 hours and 26 minutes proved to be extremely erroneous. I made it to Hartington in a shade over 2 hours, and that was with multiple stops to take pictures, and traveling at a fairly relaxed pace.

From Orange City, I rode west on Highway 10, and hooked up with Highway 12 in Hawarden. From there I went south, intending to go to Westfield before catching Highway 3 across to Highway 50 in South Dakota. However, in Akron, there was a sign listing a detour for West 3, and I decided to commit. Within 500 feet of heading west on the detour, I was in South Dakota and contined west for some time. Doubt started to creep in, if the detour for Highway 3 would put me beyond Highway 50 or not, but after a few more miles, the detour started tracking south, and within about five miles, it ended in a T intersection, and the road before me was SD50...woo hoo!

Things went swimmingly until I got through Vermillion, SD. At that point, I was looking for Highway 15 to take me south into Nebraska. The roads through town were torn up, and I never saw a sign for Highway 15. Just past the end of town, I passed a sign for Highway 19, heading to Newcastle, NE. I remembered that town was on a small road that Highway 15 connected with, so I pulled a U-ey and headed down Highway 19. In about five miles, I came up on the Missouri River, which started me singing a Kingston Trio song, and I pulled off at a scenic overlook just past the bridge, which was now on Nebraska land. Once I left the overlook, the first thing I saw was the highway sign...which just happened to be Highway 15! Perfecto Mendoza! The road ended in a T like it was supposed to, I turned west. The next two towns/burgs/villages I rode through were interesting for the fact that the population of the local graveyards were more than the people living in the town.

According to google maps for Hartington, NE, I needed to come down Highway 15 from Highway 12, which would have me entering from the northwest side of town. I found the turnoff for Highway 15 and headed down it, sure to enter Hartington soon. After a few miles, I saw a sign for Hartington turning to the right, 9 miles down the road. Huh? This meant I was way east of Hartington on 15, and in fact I was. Apparently there were some switches to road names a while back, and what shows as Highway 15 on the map is actually Highway 57. Helpful, that.

Once in town, I made it to Jan and Leonard Snook's house, probably raising a few neighborly eyebrows at the motorcycle that was parked in their driveway. I worked with Jan in Greenville up until last year when she and Leonard relocated back to Nebraska. She was probably one of the main catalysts to get this trip going, and it was really good to see them, along with Butch, their pug, and Sundance (aka Sunny) a rescue pug they took in back in January. It's only a short stopover tonight, but it's been a good visit (and I got the grand driving tour of Hartington this afternoon!)

Tomorrow has Fargo in sight, which is about 330 miles away. Forecast is a.m. rain, with a clearing afternoon. Looks like rain gear will be getting an extra workout!