We met these four gentlemen at the hotel in Northfork. They are on a ride from Texas to Montana and were quite surprised that we would do a longer ride with slower bikes. Anyway, we parted after Dave and Dave (on the right and in the middle with the black shirt) prayed for us and wished us a safe trip.
We cycled to the Cowboy Trail Trailhead and
cycled past this beautiful dam in the middle of the Ta-Ha-Zouka Park.
We met JR here. He completed the Cowboy Trail and was on his way to his parents in Lincoln NE. He has not seen them for a year due to COVID. He gave us an excellent update of the trail conditions and this made our decisions so much easier.
He had many punctures between Atkinson and Neligh (the goatshead thorns are present along this section) and he also came across sections with quite a thick loose gravel layer. We decided to try the sections with loose gravel, but also decided to cycle on the road from Neligh to Atkinson.
The Trail is really beautiful and winds among the trees along the Elkhorn River for the first couple of miles.
Then we were into agricultural land
while the flowers never ceased to give us enjoyment.
The trail turned from concrete to crushed limestone but the conditions were perfect.
I smiled when we passed this stop-sign at a road crossing. After the day's cycling I believe that this person was serious - believing that the Cowboy Trail would be completed one day, but more seriously, believing that the maintenance effort would be improved to make the current trail a more enjoyable ride.
We came to a major crossing of the Elkhorn River where a new brigde replaced the old one that got washed away in a flood. The signpost is commemorating what Duane Westerholt achieved in his 40 years in the service of the State of Nebraska. He was instrumental in the drive to establish the Cowboy Trail and
position this replacement bridge.
The Elkhorn River is beautiful here.
We passed some tall trees and
soon came to Battle Creek.
The trail surface became looser and we started seeing holes, dug by certain animals, in the trail surface.
On our way to a cold Lemonade at the Meadow Grove gas station, we noted this dinosaur that also likes soda pop.
We smiled at the name of the gas station.
We continued on the trail a little while longer and then moved to the road. The loose gravel was becoming too much for our narrow tires and the trailer.
We saw Milkweed everywhere and hope that the Monach Butterfly worms will have a feast along this section of the trail.
We stopped in Tilden for another drink and ice. The "fast stop" bacame a much longer stop when we started chatting with three men having their meal. We had a lot of fun before they wished us well and a good journey.
We tried the trail again, but the gravel was quite thick. We decided to stick to the paved road running alongside the trail.
We soon passed this drive-in cinema on the outskirts of Neligh, still operating after all these years. 
This was a shot towards the camp site near the Elkhorn river at Neligh.
The River is a beautiful sight.
I was upset not to cycle on the trail, but we were certainly not in the mood to repair punctures. An interesting fact about the Cowboy Trail is that it runs paralel to the 275/20, a major paved road running east/west across Nebraska. So, even while you are cycling on a broad shoulder, you continue to see the trail.
The sunny skies made us cover up more skin, but it is also hotter.
These are shots of the farms next to the road.
We reached the Two Rivers Motel on the outskirts of Ewing and decided a cold shower and a cool room would be great.
Vonny Thramer, the owner of the Motel, has a special touch. We did not feel as if we were in a motel, more like a Bed&Breakfast with each room personally decorated and prepared for guests. She took us to the convenience store and I was a happy customer with a big slurpy in my hand.
We walked across the road to have a look at the trestle across the South Fork of the Elkhorn.
We noted that the heat of summer would require a change of approach to this trip. We could not carry bagels, cheese, fresh carrots, bananas for use over the next couple of days. It is just too hot. Secondly, we may have to start cycling earlier to benefit from the cooler mornings. The afternoons are the hottest part of the day and the sun is almost directly in front of us. We shall let you know what we changed as we go along. 🥰🥰🥰
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