Westward Ho - Oregon Trail Cutoff

They toiled - the sixteen, then down to 4...Hill...After hill...Relentless...The Wind always blowing always slowing, keeping the progress slow...When will it end? When can we rest? I can't help but think about the Pioneers making their way West seeking a new life. Totally taking the plunge. Can you hear it "Darlin, I've been hankering for a change, to make my mark on the world"..."I hear tell of all this free land and Gold in them there hills just for the taken. Soil so fertile alls you gots to do is throw the seeds down." Load up a wagon, some belongings if you have them, and set off on a life adventure with only an inkling of a plan.

Met the group @ D street bike house 8:00am. Good group today...16 riders. Not to shabby for January 31, eh? Beauty day- started at 28 degrees and warmed up to 58 or so.

We went Westward. Nearly straight into the wind out Rokeby Road, over to Saltillo. Keeping a heading of straight west. Craigio had reminded me of the Oregon Trail Cutoff historical marker I happened upon a couple years ago on a solo ride out west. I have tried to get there again and basically all I could remember is I stayed on Saltillo and Rokeby and wound up on Camden Road. So I've tried to get those guys there before a couple times in the past couple of years but couldn't find it without doing some big detours...and quite frankly its a bit of ride to get there...involving hill after hill compounded by loose and soft gravel roads in combination unmaintained roads...It's just hard to find and some hard work to get there. But mostly I think people were beginning to wonder if I had imagined it.

About 6 miles from the Marker, we had group split. Most of the group went South over to Wilber...4 of us, MT, PC, and MA1 pushed on into the wind. We eventually made it as you can see above. After that we rolled over to Crete....there were some sweet bridges on the way as we crossed back and forth over the Blue River that flows, Milford, Crete and on into Wilber. There some nice riding down there.





This is the bridge rolling into Crete from the West. Pretty sweet. Days are probably numbered.



We stopped in Crete for some pizza, coke and cookies. Ok, not everyone eats like I do...but it was lunch time.



Got rolling again South of Crete...we were feeling pretty rejuvenated...So we called Troy on the Cell. "dude where you at?"

"Just leaving Wilber"

"Sweet we're just one mile East of the HiWay between Wilber and Crete, come meet us."



So we all met up again and rolled back to Lincoln with a sweet cross tail wind and tired legs. We all ended up with about 75 miles...except Troy and Corey who are on a mission to get ready for Dirty Kanza...and Iowa mega ride. So they went out for a few more.


Pretty Darn Sweet RIDE!