Day 34: North Platte, NE - Big Springs, NE

Time: 5:05:31

Distance: 125.76km

Average Speed: 24.6km/h

North Platte's bike shop opened at 9.30 and we went straight in to buy 3 tubes each and a spare tire. Ryan used his first tube after an hour and I used mine a while later. I think I'm on around 5 punctures now and Ryan could be on 15. He's now on his 5th back tire. Here's the work he's had done on the bike so far:

• Back tire replaced 4 times
• Back wheel trued twice
• New spoke in back wheel
• Eventually a new back wheel was needed
• New chain
• New front dérailleur
• Tooth in middle chain ring straightened
• New cables
• New brakes
• New peddles
• Replaced broken water bottle and cage

Just a few miles outside Big Springs we got caught in the rain but got shelter just in time. A few minutes later Ryan broke a spoke in the front wheel. This yellow bike must be cursed! When the rain eased off we made it to a motel in Big Springs. Luckily we decided not to camp tonight because of the lightning. The storm went on most of the night. We met a man called Daniel from Montreal who was driving from Southern California to Montreal. We drank a beer and a vodka outside his truck and ate with him in a restaurant beside the motel.