Day 13: Waterville
We ate breakfast with my dad at 6:30am and then we started cycling by about 7. I waved goodbye to my dad (he and my little brother Paul were going to search the small towns for a good basketball court and then go to the nearby small town of Abeliene and visit the Eisenhower presidential museum), who would meet us later that day when we had finished our distance: 83 miles ending in Waterville.
The roads began smooth and quick, and the morning filled with bright sunshine. The hills rolled up and down easily beneath our tires. We covered the 25 miles to Junction city in just about 30 minutes give or take. From there we continued following 77 north to Riley, then at last to Waterville.
The second half of the day between Riley and Waterville was hot and stifling, climbing into the mid 90s. The roads had more hills, but still manageable. Most overwhelming was the heat, which engulfed us on uphills as the air stopped.
My dad and little brother passed us in their van close to Waterville, then we met them as we came into town. As we were sitting discussing maps and routes and whether we should stop for the day, on the steps of the Weaver a historic motel in Waterville where we had considered staying, a woman pulled up and asked us if we were looking for someplace to stay. Her name is Helen, and she offered one of her buildings. We dropped off our bikes and gear, then joined my dad and little brother to visit the town museum, and went in to Marysville, a small town though slightly larger up the way. Laurel and I were so hungry at this stage. We had arrived in Waterville in the two o'clock hour, but it was now past 4 and we hadn't eaten anything substantial since the morning. All we could find in our haze was a Hardee's and ate tons of fries and a shake, as everything else was meat.
Afterwards, my dad brought us back to Waterville after making sure we had all the supplies we might need, and it was time for him to start his long drive back to Minneapolis.
We showered and prepared our gear, then when Helen returned we spoke and talked about our trip, and learned about her backgrounds and work. She is working with a program called wellness weavers, and an extremely ambitious lady! She took us to see some of her buildings, all of them with historical significance, and as we were taking a photo together the town historian Rod drove by. Together with Helen he gave us a tour of the opera house and museum and shared some history about the town, the railways, and Olive Thompson and Mary Bennett. Waterville, back in the late 1800s and early 1900s was quite a wealthy place, because of the railroads passing through, cattle, as well as oil, I believe. Susan B Anthony even came through.
There is a very rich history here in Waterville and many people working to keep it told. I hope to return someday!
Tomorrow we are headed to Nebraska, and Steele City, the diverging point of the XL pipeline expansion from the existing pipeline.
I will hopefully have time to go back and write more about this day, as there was much more than I have time to write just now!