NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/498175
20 NEBRASKAland • MAY 2015 ut ... that's halfway across the state," I said, panic quickly taking over after receiving the assignment to pedal the Cowboy Trail from NEBRASKAland Magazine editor Jeff Kurrus in the early spring of 2013. "I don't even own a bicycle!" I had just moved to Nebraska a few months prior to join the magazine staff. At that point, I had only been on a bicycle a handful of times in my life, and the thought of pushing along a 195-mile long dirt path on two skinny tires, in the middle of nowhere, made me ill. My coworker and friend, Jamie Bachmann of Norfolk, must have felt intensely sorry for me, because she volunteered to go with me even though she had a husband, two boys and a garden to care for at home. Turns out, Jamie used to ride competitively and (thank God) knew how to fix a flat tire. Her eldest son loaned me his mountain bike. Neither one of us knew much about the Cowboy Trail. Trying to get in shape was one thing, but the logistics of traveling nearly 200 miles, not including detours for food, water and sleep, was an entirely different consideration. After much research, we decided that we would ride the trail in the spring of 2014, invite anyone who would like to join us and take it slow. The following text is our daily journal entries highlighting the most memorable moments of our trip. It can also serve as an itinerary and resource for those wanting to follow our route. We highly recommend picking up a copy of Keith Terry's Nebraska's Cowboy Trail: A User's Guide, an invaluable resource full of information on the trail, towns, amenities, important contacts and historical tidbits. Saturday, May 17, 2014: Norfolk to Neligh (36.5 Miles) There was still frost on the ground when I got up that Saturday morning. The temperature was in the 30s – too cold for bike shorts I thought, as I shivered all the way from home to TaHaZouka Park, where all riders would meet in Norfolk. There were 11 riders total. Bob Trautwein and Jim Kropatsch, long-time cyclists who were both in their 70s, drove up from Jim Kropatsch, the owner of these socks, is an avid bicyclist from Columbus. Now in his 70s, Jim continues to ride competitively and recreationally every chance he gets. Riding the Rails Nebraska's Cowboy Trail Story and photos by Jenny Nguyen One hundred ninety-five miles, 11 companions, 7 days, 2 flat tires, and 1 ukulele: that's what it took to ride the Cowboy Trail. "B