50 down...I'm going home!

Number 48

Number 49

Number 50!

Where do I start to recap a day like today? It was simply amazing. I started out early, 5:30 AM from Rapid City, South Dakota. I headed south on 79 and then picked up 385 south. I got to Hot Springs, SD at 6:30, which is 5:30 Pacific time and had traveled a total of 1,027 miles in a 24 hours period...earning a second "Iron Butt" award. I traveled on from there into Nebraska, connecting with highway 20 west into Wyoming. I picked up Interstate 25 south and traveled into Colorado...#50! I got all the way through Colorado and stopped in Raton, New Mexico...also earning my second "Saddle Sore" award having traveled 1,644 miles in 36 hours. Ok, enough with the stats.

The weather was great today, a little on the chilly side...but nothing compared to the last two days. It was clear and the roads were great. Going through this part of South Dakota brought back some really nice memories of the rides I took two years ago out of Sturgis. I passed the turn off for Mt. Rushmore as well as the park where Custer made his last stand. It was actually hard to keep going with out taking a few side trips, but I had miles to go before I slept... (anybody know that poem?)

Nebraska was quick. I just hit the corner, a total of about 70 miles. The landscape in the Northwest corner of this state is beautiful and dramatic. There are huge boulders sticking up out of the ground, which looks like giant flowing waves of grass and wild flowers.


I was getting pretty excited by this time. As soon as I hit the 1,000 mile mark in 24 hours I started to realize that I was going to be completing my goals today. I sent text to several of you at each stop and I'm sure you could tell that my excitement was building with each mile. I appreciate all the responses, they really got me pumped up. I've spent quite a bit of time in Wyoming on my Harley and really love this state. It has some of the most beautiful terrain in the country. The part I drove through today was not... However, I did see this cool water tower. It's one of only 6 that still remain in the world. It reminded me of a TV show I used to watch when I was a kid called "Petty coat junction".


So I connected with Interstate 25, which is a great road for making time...but not very interesting, except for the magnificent views of the Rocky Mountains...which is something to behold. It was hazy today so it make the mountains look like giant ships rising from the fog. Crossing into Colorado was a huge relief, to have completed my goal without incident. But it was also very cool because Colorado is absolutely one of my favorite states. If I couldn't live in Texas, I'd live in Colorado. I didn't originally plan to end up with Colorado being my last state, but I'm glad it worked out this way. I got a little hung up in traffic going through Denver and Colorado Springs, but other than that all the roads were wide open and moved very fast. In Colorado Springs I love the views of the Air Force Academy and Pikes Peak, which are great even from the highway.


In Colorado Springs I was able to catch a quick cup of coffee with some really great friends, Riaan and Selena. It was very special to get to see them and they have been amazingly supportive of me this last year. I've done some travel with Riaan over the years and this year I had the honor to travel with him to Egypt and China.


After coffee I got back on the road and headed south to Raton pass, a place I've been through many times. Colorado has been a favorite vacation spot for my family for most of my life. This drive brings back so many wonderful memories of trips with my kids, parents and in-laws.

This has been a wonderful journey and I'm looking forward to the last leg tomorrow and getting home. I'm going to do a recap with some thought about my trip on the blog tomorrow, so please check back. I want to thank all of you that have kept up with my blog, and especially those that posted comments. They made the nights in the hotel room much nicer and it made me feel like I was actually writing this to someone instead of just for myself. Thanks again for taking this journey with me, and check in tomorrow for the summary post. Blessings to you...