Ah, Nebraska...
An early start the following morning, but a bit later before we actually left Beatrice in our mirrors. Yep, we decided to have some breakfast at a local IHop. Nope, nobody opted for a burger, either. We all settled for more traditional first meal fare... I'm assuming no one really wants to see any pictures of our eggs, bacon, etc., so none are offered...
In a much-appreciated act of extreme self-discipline, our great leader, Mitch, took us on routes that carefully avoided Interstates and major highways for the most part... What I appreciated more than anything, though, was that all the roads were paved! I know he had to fight temptation several times, but he stuck to his guns and never weakened. I am in your debt, my good friend!!!
We stopped for fuel and a break in Broken Bow, and we gabbed about this and that. Among our topics was the breeziness of our ride so far. We all laughed at the 'Smokinjoe' condition and how he might have reacted to this. Wind is simply an unavoidable part of traversing the plains; and, there's simply no way of saying otherwise with a straight face.
A quote from a page of an early pioneer's dairy on display at a Rest Area along I-80 summed it up nicely: "We walked all the way across Nebraska, then we fell over..." Anyone who has ever ridden with a strong crosswind knows all about having to lean into it!
Valentine is a quaint little town in north central Nebraska with a couple of motel options... We came upon a nice-looking mom & pop place just as we were entering town with all park-at-the-door rooms, and... Heck, I'd never noticed that place before, but just from the outside appearance I knew I'd like it better than the one I'd stayed in previously... We got a room and chatted about dinner that evening.
The Peppermill Restaurant was, of course, the choice, but the cuisine was the only real point of discussion... and later controversy! Should we go for one of the amazing steak offerings, or play along with the 'burger mission theme' we'd more or less adopted as the excuse for this venture...?
Mitch deep in thought... Burger or steak... What should I choose?
Then, the debate... I asked my colleagues if a hamburger steak would quality as a 'hamburger'. Mitch was neutral on the matter, but Ross piped right up with, "Not if it has gravy on it!" That was not the answer I was looking for! Ross was steadfast, though, so we put the question to our server... A little background...
Our server lady was a very nice, eager to please youngish gal, but... She could easily sling a bale of hay up on the back of a truck, bulldog a steer, or whip any of our asses! You could say she had serious credibility! Her words were final, and I breathed a sigh of relief following her response...
She said it was a hamburger, gravy or not, and the bun was just an accessory like gravy or anything else. So, thanks to that smiling farm girl, I maintained my status as a genuine burger adventurer. Then, we ordered...
My pals had more of the regular type of burger, while I had the 'HAMBURGER' steak. All three of us were most satisfied with our meals and our choices! (Yes, the tip was generous!)
We departed the scene of the only controversy to arise on that trip, and we headed towards Mobridge, SD. Along the way, we stopped in Murdo, SD, at the Chuckwagon Cafe for lunch... and a burger each... It was pretty good, but not near the top of our growing list of fine burger encounters, and by no means in the same league with our meals the evening before...
Somewhere on this journey, I spied an old saying that truly seemed to fit my mood...
Those special moments felt like they were an endless succession of moments all along our route... Traveling with special folks will do that, ya know...?
Mobridge hadn't changed since the last time Mitch and I were there... Well, except for the price of a room! We stayed at a more expensive place this time, but it was the same motel... We also dined at the same on-premises restaurant/lounge. My pals went for the photo taking, while I stayed in and loafed... The following day would bring new adventures...!
DDT (12)
