Back to Chadron we go, FOR THE RODEO

Since I would be the support driver for the day I decided to support the local Rotary club by running in their annual race. It started at 8 so Paul dropped me off to go back to break camp. It was a walk, 5k and 10 k race that was called the Colter Run, named after a famous trapper, John Colter. One of the fur traders in costume sang the story of Colter, a great story. He was a trapper and member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition who was caught by the Blackfeet Indians, stripped naked and was given a head start to out run them, which he did. He was also the first white man to set eyes on Yellowstone Park, then called Colter’s Hell because nobody believe what he said he saw there. It was a hot and hilly run but I managed to place 1st for 50 year olds in the 10k and will proudly wear my t-shirt and medal. Ben and Paul had a fast ride to Merriman, our next stop. The scenic by-way has rolling hills and long stretches of road that you can see for miles. The first corn fields I saw in Nebraska so far, most notable are the many windmills throughout the fields. Paul and Ben finished in record time so we decided to finally catch a rodeo, back to Chadron we go. We found a town park to camp for the night in Merriman, toilet and showers, we are all set. The rodeo was all that you would expect, barrel racing, bareback bucking, saddle bronc, kids stick horse racing and calf chase and of course, bull riding. One cowboy got his hand stuck and was dragged around the fence, face bleeding but sent away with applause as he left in the ambulance. That was our cue to call it a night, catch a bite to eat at McDonald’s(internet) and back to Merriman.