It was a beautiful morning traveling west on RT 20. Again, cars and trucks were going by waving and more than once when I stopped a car would also stop to see if I was alright. They said they saw us on news and wanted to hear more about our mission. I also had a number of Sheriff’s either pass me and wave or coming towards me waving.

The landscape was the same they call it the sand hills of Nebraska.  They can graze cattle and believe me, I saw lots of cattle. I am enjoying them as I am traveling along.  They have their heads down and are grazing so I hit my oogah horn and all their heads come up and I can almost hear them saying what’s up with that crazy thing going down the road. At times the calves go running to their momma and stare at me. Sometimes I sing to them and I can almost hear them say to their calves, don’t pay any attention, there is something wrong with him.

I had to shift down for the 1st time in over two weeks. The last half of the day I had rolling hills. I was planning on stopping in Merriman, NE, for the night. But when I stopped for gas, the station wasn’t the best looking. So I starting pumping gas and after a couple of gallons I stopped. I knew I had 12 gallons in my spare if needed. I was concerned about water or dirt being in their gas that’s how bad this station was. I needed to go inside to pay since I couldn’t pay at the pump. As I walked in and the owner said its on me. Then I felt bad. I just said I don’t need as much as I thought. I guess that wasn’t a lie…

I thanked them and headed to the campgrounds next door to them. It only took me a few minutes to decide I wasn’t going to be staying there. When I say they let anyone stay there, that’s an understatement. And truth be told, I was kind of concerned for my safety, so I moved on.  I was tired but decided to trek another 30 miles to Gordon, NE.

When I left Merriman I headed west on RT 20 and I saw an old pickup coming up behind me. It had rusty fenders and looked like they were ready to fall off. There was a rack up on its roof it looked like military ammunition boxes on the rack. There were two gentleman waving and giving me a thumbs up. Actually more than likely, they were younger than me, they just looked older. Ha.

They pulled around me and just drove beside me for a while laughing and they kept waving. I was a little uneasy, and just not sure what to make of them. They turned around and waved and I thought that was the end of them. However, after a while I saw them coming again. They pulled up beside me and this time, in their hands, they were waving cash.

When that happens Johnabilt hits the ditch but this time I wasn’t sure. I decided to pull over. They went around and pulled in front of me, so I decided to stay in the cab and talk to them through my window. They were excited. One of the gentleman worked at the JD plant for 45 years and he just retired.

After a while I felt comfortable and so I climbed out to talk to them and they gave a donation and apologized for stopping me. They just wanted to see it closer. They used all kinds of adjectives describing Johnabilt, One Bad a——-s Tractor and a few more. I saw the hair stand up on rooster. I actually think he was offended because I saw his comb getting bright red.

Can’t judge a book by its cover but you have to play it safe.

I kept putting another 30 miles. I  stopped a number of times to rest I even went in the camper and laid down one time.

I came into the town of Gordon, NE,  and found my campsite and it sure is clean.  I am so glad I kept driving. They even have a restaurant right up the road, I think I will jump on Smiley and get a good hot meal.