July 19, 1924
Raton, New Mexico to Colorado Springs, Colorado
158 miles
I left Raton, New Mexico at 6 a.m. and went over Raton Pass which I thought was going to be hard pulling. I didn't have any trouble at all. It was a small hill compared to the mountain passes I have been over. The summit is 7,888 feet high. The roads today have been fairly good but rough in places. Arriving at Colorado Springs I saw Pikes Peak for the second time in the distance. It still has snow on the peak. I am camping out tonight.
July 20, 1924
Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Ft. Morgan, Colorado
166 miles
I left Colorado Springs at 9:00 a.m. and went to Denver and then took the DLD highway [Detroit-Lincoln-Denver] through by way of Brighton, Colorado to Ft. Morgan. At Brighton I turned my back on the Rocky Mountains where I have had the best part of my trip. Leaving these mountains and the country west of them was just like leaving an old friend. I could see them for quite a long ways, but the last 15 miles I could not even make out their outlines. I am now on the prairie but at a high altitude. I am camping out tonight.
July 21, 1924
Ft. Morgan, Colorado to McCook, Nebraska
216 miles
I left Ft. Morgan early and had fairly good roads until I got to the Colorado, Nebraska state line. From the state line [to] here I had very rough roads and some mud with deep water holes. In Nebraska here it is harvest time and they have wheat fields miles long. I had a spill today but I'm not hurt much. I am camping tonight.
July 22, 1924
McCook Nebraska to Lincoln, Nebraska
260 miles
I left McCook at 5:00 a.m. and had very rough roads for 150 miles. In one place I had mud and water 2 feet deep. The last 100 miles was fairly good. This is Nebraska's rainy season and I am very lucky to find the roads as good as they are. They had a flood here about a week ago and it is just drying up. I hope to be in Iowa tomorrow night. If it has been raining recently I will have bad roads there too. I am camping tonight.
July 23, 1924
Lincoln, Nebraska to Jefferson, Iowa
225 miles
I left Lincoln early on the D.L.D. highway and went to Omaha, Nebraska and crossed the Missouri River into Iowa. Earlier I crossed the Platte River in Nebraska. The roads have been very rough but no mud. There have been a few stretches of paving, about 30 miles in all. I am camping tonight. My motorcycle is running better than ever. There has been a lot of detouring today and I had to go about 35 miles out of the way.
July 24, 1924
Jefferson, Iowa to Cedar Falls, Iowa
175 miles
It rained all of last night hard but I had shelter and did not get wet. It made the roads very muddy and slippery, but I started out at 10 a.m. and made fairly good time considering the condition of the roads. I took one right hard spill but [it] did not hurt much. I sprained my wrist, but it will be all right in a couple of days I guess. I am camping tonight. I had several detours today.
July 25, 1924
Cedar Falls, Iowa to Dixon, Illinois
134 miles
I left Cedar Falls about 10 a.m. and had rough roads until I got to Clinton, Iowa. From Clinton I crossed the Mississippi River into Illinois. I am now on paved roads and will have [them] almost all the rest of my trip. Where I crossed the Mississippi the river is about 1/2 mile wide and right deep. I am camping tonight.