Distance covered by motorcycle: ~1,122 km
Route: Commerce City, CO → Nebraska → Des Moines, IA → Newton, IA

🛣️ Day 20: A Marathon on the Plains – From Colorado to Iowa

After days of high-altitude curves and alpine views, Day 20 shifted gears — big time. We traded mountains for massive mileage, diving deep into the Great Plains for one of the most demanding, relentless, and satisfying days of the entire trip.

With 1,122 kilometers (697 miles) of open highway ahead, this wasn’t just a ride — it was a test of endurance, patience, and pure road focus.

🌅 Early Start – Fuel, Coffee, and Open Road

We rolled out of Commerce City, CO before sunrise, engines humming under a pale sky.
⛽ First stops: Love’s and Sinclair Gas Station — full tanks, caffeine loaded, and minds set on the long haul.

As we left Colorado behind, the Rockies faded in the mirrors and the world opened up — just sky, fields, and the endless horizon of the American plains.

🛣️ Nebraska Bound – Long Roads & Rhythm

📍 Crossing into Nebraska felt like entering another dimension.
The “Welcome to Nebraska” sign marked a quiet milestone — another state down, but more importantly, the beginning of true highway meditation.

Mile after mile of arrow-straight tarmac gave us a new kind of challenge: finding rhythm in repetition, and calm in the endless expanse.

🥪 Fuel, Food & Focus

Strategic stops kept our crew sharp and spirits high:

⛽ Love’s Travel Stop – quick refuel and leg stretch
🥪 Subway – a light meal to keep us moving
🚻 Pilot Travel Center & East Rest Area – much-needed rest stops in the middle of the nothingness
🍔 McDonald’s – roadside comfort food that tasted like a reward

🌽 Into Iowa – The Final Push

Crossing into Iowa signaled we were getting close to day’s end — but there were still kilometers to go.
📍 A final regroup at the Rest Stop I-80 Eastbound Des Moines gave us a breather before the last stretch.

The sky turned golden, the roads got quieter, and the day began to feel like a dream — endless pavement, small towns whizzing by, and the low hum of engines in sync.

🏨 Arrival in Newton, IA – Mission Accomplished

We rolled into Newton as the sun dipped behind the cornfields, pulling up to the Best Western Holiday Manor — tired, proud, and buzzing with the shared experience of conquering the longest day yet.

There were no big landmarks today, no tourist stops or epic overlooks — just the open road, and the kind of ride that reminds you what you’re capable of.

🗺️ Highlights of the Day:

Total motorcycle distance: ~1,122 km
Riding hours: ~10 hrs+
Stops:

• Love’s Travel Stop – Commerce City, CO
• Sinclair Gas Station
• Welcome to Nebraska Sign
• Subway
• Pilot Travel Center
• East Rest Area (Nebraska)
• McDonald’s
• Rest Stop I-80 Eastbound – Des Moines, IA
• Lodging: Best Western Holiday Manor – Newton, IA

✍️ Quote of the Day:

“Sometimes the only landmark is distance itself — and that’s more than enough.”