Weekend in Fairbury

Day 27; Saturday, July 20
Red Cloud, NE to Fairbury, NE = 121 kms
Bike Team = Kaitlyn and Julia/Zack's Angels

Woke up reluctantly at 6:00am and left for 7:30 to bike with Kaitlyn and Julia. We realized after 2kms we were headed in the wrong direction since we didn't see any "C's" spray painted on the road or other cyclists, and turned around. Once we found the route the first 50kms flew by fast- a lot of rolling hills.

At 70kms we met up with Zack's Angels on the road and all biked together until we found "Grandpa's Crossing" restaurant. We stopped for food and coffee. Inside we found other tables of Sea to Sea cyclists with the same idea.

 

As we were enjoying our meal, it suddenly started POURING rain - with severe thunder storms and lightening. We couldn't leave until it stopped, so we waited inside the restaurant for two hours - it was really boring and we were anxious to get to camp. The storm finally looked like it was calming down a bit, but everything was soaking wet and we were cold. We decided to continue biking slowly since it looked like the lightening had stopped.

Because of our two hour delay, we didn't reach camp until 5:00pm. We quickly had to bring our things into a community center gymnasium and we showered at a local public pool. Some people chose to still set up their tents and sleep outside, but we chose to sleep in the gym - it's just a lot easier.

Supper was lasagne, garlic bread, salad and for dessert banana bread, banana pudding and whip cream. I napped until 8:00pm, then a huge group of us of all ages walked over to a local bowling alley for some drinks and bowling! It was a blast!

 

Day 28; Sunday, July 21

Fairbury, NE

 

Slept in until 7:30am. Pancake breakfast was served at 8:00. Shuttles for church didn't leave until 10, so I went for a walk downtown with Laura and Karyn to look for a coffee shop - we quickly realized everything was closed as it's Sunday.

 

All of the cyclists attended a Presbyterian church this morning- the church warmly greeted us. They had a bulletin board up, the pastor preached a sermon relevant to cycling, and they had a ridiculously huge potluck for us after the service! They had tables upon tables of food and dessert, and even let us keep the leftovers.

 

 



Walked around Wal Mart for an hour after church, but didn't buy anything. It just felt good to wander around a store and feel 'normal' - not like a crazy cross-continental cyclist living out of a tent for 9 weeks. Had a nap and read my book; feeling tired. This day of rest is so much needed!

Went to McDonalds to use Wi-Fi. We had to get a ride there because it was so far from the park we're staying at. My team was on sweep duties today so I had to help set out all of the leftovers for Sunday night dinner. We served the food then had to do all the dinner clean up. Good thing our team only has to do this every 9 days! It's a lot of work feeding and cleaning up after so many people.

Had peloton meeting and small group. Alice and I asked someone for a ride to McDonalds to go back to use Wi-Fi for a bit. As soon as we got back to camp I went straight to bed.