Tetons and Beyond : Day 1

Minnesota - Iowa - Nebraska – 476.5 Miles

Preparations had been made. The bags were packed, and a few reservations along the route were set. It was a beautiful sunny morning when we set out from Skyline on our next adventure, #showusyourtetons .

This would be our third major trip west, and we knew we didn’t want to take the northern route through South Dakota. The interstate from #Minnesota to the Badlands is sparse, boring, and at times extremely windy. Not to mention the only things to look at are the #WallDrug billboards that riddle the highway. Those signs are a constant reminder of how far you have yet to travel through this flat and unforgiving countryside.

On our last voyage west, we came home through #Nebraska. We avoided the interstates by taking what we call #thesteps – a carefully orchestrated route that only cost us about half an hour and takes you through some of NE’s most beautiful scenery.

The destination for our first night was to reach our #roadfamily ’s home in Nebraska. We met Brit and Kerry on our trip last year while taking the steps through Cornhusker country, but that’s another story.

Our first stop? #Pizza and #beer! I fell in love with #MartoBrewingCompany last time we rode through #SiouxCity, Iowa. They have great brews, and their wood-fired pizza is some of the best I’ve ever had. And let me tell you, if I know one thing, it's pizza! It was a must-stop to get our ride off on the right foot, err tire? It was amazing – as always.

As we were gearing up to leave, a police officer passed us and pointed out that we were parked in a handicapped stall. Let’s just say it wasn’t marked well. He said we might want to move as the parking attendant officer was nearby. We took his advice and promptly hit the road. Perhaps I was moving a bit too fast, and I forgot to secure our leftover pizza. There was no way I was going to leave that behind, so I turned around to grab it when I noticed the parking attendant passing the spot we had been perched. WHEW! Thank you again, Mr. Police Officer.

For the most part, it was a beautiful day of riding. However, the last hour we spent in a light yet unfriendly drizzle that chilled us to the core. Luckily, we knew we didn’t need to pitch our tents and set up camp – we would be crashing at Brit and Kerry’s home in a sleepy town outside of North Platte.

B&K live in the most amazing #shouse – a shed/house outfitted with an apartment and enough room to hold all their toys. We were honored to stay in their new camper they affectionately called their guest house. Their hospitality was second to none. Not only were we greeted with a warm embrace and a dryer for our soaked gear, but they also made us one of their favorite Danish meals – Ham Balls and Cheesy Potatoes. It was delicious! After the rain subsided, we told stories around a campfire over a few drinks. It was a most memorable evening.