my heart rises in the west.

it certainly is starting to feel westy out here in nebraska. the cornfields are becoming further and further apart and are being replaced by more and more prairies. towns, too, are further apart... which is a double-edged sword, for sure. i've passed the bigger towns of eastern nebraska and have entered the center, filled with towns with signs that read "pop. 62". i've started carrying a lot more food and water because not all of those towns listed on a map have any resources a town should have. i'd hate to get caught starving and 30 miles from the next town that has a market/gas station.

camping is no problem out here. you basically find a field and call it a night. and what a night you'll have. yesterday i set up in a field with enough time to relax, take some pictures, make some dinner, and just overall enjoy myself. i was joined by some new friends... they seemed curious but didn't want to get too close, which is fine, because i was eating a can of savory pot roast soup and gently stroking my brooks saddle.


when the sun went down it got dark and quiet. all night it the only sound i heard was the occasional wind blowing the tall grass against my tarp, which is about is about as effective as light rain in lulling you to sleep. delightful.

earlier on in my tour i used a bugnet literally every single night and used the tarp only a few times out of necessity. now that the weather has changed and the bugs have all gone away i've sent my net home. i've had a few nights where i just toss out the sleeping pad and bag and have a wonderful night under the stars. i've been using the tarp every night simply as a shelter. the prairie offers no respite, even from a gentle wind.