Let's Ride

Chapter 25

Jessica and I talked for quite awhile, I could tell I was making progress; she was really starting to understand that she was part of a real family now, and that she was going to be living with people who cared about her. "I'm not your mother, I can never replace her, I look at you as the sister I never had, and like I told you before consider me your older sister." "Did you like the Marines?" asked Jessica, changing the subject. "Some of it, Afghanistan was certainly no fun, you really had to watch your back over there, you never knew when one of those crazy Afghan turn-coats would try and kill you, colder than a witch's tit at night, why, thinking of joining?" She shrugged, "Oh I don't know," "Well If you're still interested after you graduate from High School, talk to me again, between the Army and the Marines I'd go with the Marines, now don't go telling Greg that, but there are other area's of the Marines that offer a little more for you as far as transferable skills when you get out." "Tell me about what you did over there?" So I went through the whole tour, the FET teams, working with the guys over there, the women and kids we dealt with, the heat, the cold at night living in crummy billets, the constant fear of IED's, the dirt and dust, waiting for the showers to post "Females only." Without meaning to, I think I impressed her over my Marine Corps experience.

Up at the crack of dawn, we were rolling by 6:00 am, it was still dark but traffic hadn't really picked up yet, I wanted to get a few miles down the road before breakfast, the rumble and roar of the bike as the miles rolled by under our feet, every hour brought us a little closer to home. It was a little bit cool this morning, "How ya doing back there Jess, staying warm?" "Kinda cold, but I'll be OK, I feel bad I can't drive for a change, you're doing all the work." "Some day Jess, some day." I replied. While we were rolling along, I heard Jessica giggling, "What's so funny?" "Have you been noticing the name of this convenience store chain?" "No, what are you talking about?" More giggling, "These stores are called Kum and Go's K-U-M and go!" I started laughing as well, what a name." Around 7:30, we decided to stop, so it looked like Walnut Iowa, and Aunt B's kitchen. We drew several stares when we sat down, but the food was good. Walnut's claim to fame seemed to be that it bills itself as the antique capitol of Iowa; by the looks of the antique stores in town, it must be true.

All too soon it was back on the road, Around a quarter to ten we got to Lincoln Nebraska I saw a sign for Frontier Harley, so I thought I'd stop for a break, actually we passed it on the left, exiting and doubling back along a service road. We took the opportunity to take off our jackets and go with just our tee shirt's and leather vests. Jessica bought a pink Harley head wrap from some money her mom gave her. Again with the two biker chicks drawing attention, We chatted with the ladies behind the counter, my Utah Saddleback H.O.G. patch again drew comment, as well as my Ladies of Harley and road captain patches. I bought a quart of oil for the bike, and before we left had our pictures taken in front of the dealership. I topped off before getting back on the interstate moving west, always west. Around 11:30 we exited at Kearney, That big museum across the highway had peaked my interest, so we doubled back to it from Kearney, and for the next hour and a half, took the tour. I told Jessica, "Now that you're going to be living out west, it might be nice to learn a little of it's history. The Mormon handcart immigrants was a good case in point, I explained how Utah was settled, and the development of the state. Jessica seemed lukewarm about it all, but I was able to interest her in the westward migrations.

Instead of getting back onto the interstate, we followed US30, which paralleled the interstate on the north. It was an incredible ride, traffic was minimal, we had to slow down through the little towns, but it was a pleasant change from I-80. Cozad, Lexington, Gothenburg, we stopped for a short time at the old pony express station in Gothenburg. We continued on, passing long freight trains running fifteen minutes apart, on our left. Sutherland, North Platte, Ogallala, one town right after another. We stopped in Ogallala at a Runza restaurant, they served little meat pies like Cornish pasties but a little different, tasty, I would have to keep them in mind. We finally stopped for the night at the Generic Motel along US 30 just outside Sidney. The room was very nice, we had to settle for a single queen sized bed, but I told Jess to poke me if I snored. There was a small group of bikers staying there as well, who invited us to the little cookout they were having out front. Jessica and I spent the evening enjoying the grilled burgers, and socializing.