naisme
04-27-12, 11:48 AM
Have the touring bug again and the Cowboy Trail outside of Norfolk NE to Valentine, doesn't seem to be one whole trail like the KATY, but still looks like a fun tour. Anyone ever give it a shot?
Touring - Anyone ride the Cowboy trail in NE?
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Jacobi
05-04-12, 08:31 PM
+1...I'd like to know this also!
-Barry-
-Barry-
sknhgy
05-04-12, 08:49 PM
Me too.
cosc
05-05-12, 09:31 AM
We tried cowboy trail from Valentine to Ainsworth but ended up on hwy.20 which had a wide shoulder(but some wide cracks) The surface of the trail was like limestone, but not finely crushed, like finer gravel. The trail also is known for many stickers. A mountain bike or equivalant would be the best on the section of trail we saw. Cowboy Trail is not finished going east of Valentine, as far as I know. Nebraska Highway Department should have information.
ehilge
05-05-12, 08:34 PM
I've ridden on a couple parts of the trail before but I'm not up to date on which parts are finished. Make sure you have some good flat protection if you try it, there are a ton of those little stickers on the trail. The time I rode it with my scout troop I bet two thirds of the two dozen or so participants had at least one flat on a 50 mile ride, many people had multiple flats. Needless to say, I learned how to patch a flat tire that day.
Also, I have been on some parts of the trail that are really soft gravel, so there was a ton of rolling resistance. That may have just been a recently completed section though, so it still needed to get packed down.
Overall though, the trail has some interesting segments especially when you get up into the sandhills. And as was mentioned, if you decide you don't like the trail, highway 20 is an easily accessible alternative for most of the way.
Also, I have been on some parts of the trail that are really soft gravel, so there was a ton of rolling resistance. That may have just been a recently completed section though, so it still needed to get packed down.
Overall though, the trail has some interesting segments especially when you get up into the sandhills. And as was mentioned, if you decide you don't like the trail, highway 20 is an easily accessible alternative for most of the way.