Haigler Note in a Biker's Journal

Day 13 - June 15, 2003
Yuma, CO

It was Fathers Day today, so after breakfast, the first order of business was to call our dads and thank them for all they’ve done for us. With that completed, we carried on with our plans for the day.

More flat riding today. No real climbs to speak of, just miles of relatively flat roads with a couple of big rolling hills. Nonetheless, Jim was pretty tired today. Nothing seemed to get him into his groove. These long stretches of flats can take their own toll on the body. Maintaining the same position for miles can be extremely demanding and it becomes a real mental challenge to stay focused. Being the athlete he is, Jim managed to make it through another rough day, with Angie and me pulling on the bikes during our turns.

We crossed into Nebraska today and also into the Central Time Zone later in the afternoon. We made sure to take some photographs to mark our fifth state.

I experienced the goodwill and genuine helpfulness from the folks in Nebraska first-hand. I mistakenly thought that if a town was big enough to appear on a map that it would, at the very least, have a gas station. I pulled into Haigler, Nebraska, and quickly found out that it did not have a traditional gas station. I parked outside the Haigler Country Club Restaurant and walked in to get the scoop from a local resident. When I found out that the next gas station was nearly 30 miles away, I became a little worried. That’s when Gladys Holloway, owner of the restaurant, came to the rescue. She let me borrow her “co-op gas card” that allowed me to refuel at a location normally used to fill the gas tanks of tractors and cars of local residents. I pumped 10 gallons of gas, repaid her in cash, and thanked her for her act of kindness. She refused to take any money for helping me, so instead I told her I’d write about her in my update. Thanks, Gladys.

Riding Miles: 120