Ending point: Evergreen, Colorado
Miles: Approx. 350
Even though we hightailed it to Ogallala last night and arrived late - during a thunderstorm nonetheless - we made it a priority to visit the lake. The three veteran crew members, Bill Lyon, Jim Vota and myself, enjoyed a night of nostalgia as we stayed at the same Super 8 we stayed at on last year's trip. The hotel even had the same greeting posted to passers-by: "It's gr8 to see you." We were elated that we made the destination and headed to Lake McConaughy.
For those who hadn't visited the lake before, it was a pleasant surprise. I believe this lake to be one of America's greatest kept secrets. There are no ads. There are no PR stints. It's just an absolutely beautiful man-made lake in the middle of Nebraska that Jim happened to stumble upon. As for the crew members, we are just lucky enough to be a part of the ALT Project to get to experience it.
We probably spent about two hours at the lake, dipping our feet and playing with native toads. A few crew members jumped in completely to get the full effect. The water was perfect - lukewarm and slightly cooler than my ideal bath. We simply reveled in the beauty of the area and enjoyed each other's company until our Masters (Time and Distance, of course) forced us back to the vehicles.
Onward we pushed along the Pony Express Route. We only had three stops planned for the day: Chimney Rock, Scotts Bluff National Monument and Fort Laramie National Historic Site. First along the route was Chimney Rock, a 325-foot-tall landmark approximately 2 miles off of the route. The formation was impressive, jutting high into the sky. We stayed for a little while, surveying the museum and viewing the rock from a nearby settler's cemetery, where the unfortunate travelers just couldn't make it through the terrain.
Another 20 miles westward, we hit Scotts Bluff, another landmark used by Pony Express riders and old-time travelers. Here is where a few of the trails converge, right along the Wyoming border. From the top of the bluff, we could see Chimney Rock sitting in the distance, and impressive testament to mother nature's aid in helping these traveler's find their way. We took some photos, staged some shots and headed back out on the road.
Unfortunately, by the time we left this location, we had to hurry to reach our destination: Evergreen. There we would be meeting up with some friend's of one of the riders, Greg, who had agreed to allow us to camp out in their backyard. We arrived late due to some construction and traffic issues along the way. It was a warm welcome, and a warm house. The temperatures had dropped from more than 90 degrees in Scotts Bluff to about 56 and it felt absolutely splendid. We wouldn't have minded camping out, but when Dave and his wife invited us into their home, we didn't refuse. We spent a little time with our hosts and each other, reveling in our accomplishments thus far. This crew is amazing and everyone seems genuinely thrilled to have the opportunity to travel these beautiful lands.
Today we will travel to Longmont, Co., to visit our sponsor from Wolfman Motorcycle Luggage and then head back out on the route.
Count down: Five days, 14 hours
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