Today: to be revealed - AVG Speed: 15.2MPH - Top Speed: 27 MPH
Total: 3,053 Miles
We have departed Kansas and much quicker than expected. We wanted to be going early so we were chirping earlier than a horny robin in order to beat the potential morning winds. At the very least we wanted to enjoy the afternoon in our projected destination of Scott City, Kansas, which was some 115 miles away from Larned. Eric and I left about 30 minutes after the rest of the group and the first 32 miles or so were spent travelling through the mist and fog of the Kansas prairie lands. The morning was far better than the previous days as firstly we had a tail wind, but also, because the landscape took on a more haunting appearance. It was like cruising through a crushed-flat version of the Scottish Highlands. Variations in colour from the burnt cornfields, to the golden wheat via purple weeds seemed so dramatic and infinite. There was even the odd turn in the road.
Eric and I soon caught up with Josh and Kevin and made our way to Ness City. We were enjoying a very pleasant and incident free journey until Kevin remarked on the police siren that was screaming behind us. We pulled over to allow the car to pass, but to our surprise, the breaks were slammed on, and before we knew it, the officer exited the vehicle and confidently strutted over to the four lycra-clad whipping boys in his sights.
"Dy'all know why I pulled you over here today?" asked officer T. Turner (according to the name on his badge).
"No, officer" we lied.
Of course we knew. Clearly, it was due to us not riding in single file, but later we discovered this wasn't illegal in Kansas, it was just that some angry pick-up pilot had called the authorities on us because we had delayed them from getting home to pray by three minutes. Well, after some laughable condescension from this deplorable, swaggering bully we were on our way and finally ready for lunch. We'd been going the best part of 60 miles and had hardly eaten, but before we could, there was one final interruption...
...As we were entering Ness City a blue SUV screeched to a halt and the driver exited the vehicle. This time, an elderly civilian.
"One of you stop!" shouted the man.
As he came closer I was again left wondering who we'd inadvertently upset and why, but he turned out to be an eccentric local named Lee who proceeded to generously donate one dollar to the four of us before taking it back after discovering I was British. And then finally, after seeing my American flag, returning the dollar. It was a bizarre interaction made all the weirder as we watched his wife sit motionless inside their car, but he cheered us right up, did Lee. Mad as a hatter but as warm as an old microwaved sock and just as rugged. My kind of loon.
A few minutes later outside the restaurant we met an American couple of 70 and 69 who were also going across the country, but on a tandem. I only wish we caught their actual names. All I knew is that they were "The Sullivans" as per the daubing on their suitcase. They were great conversationalists, and what I liked most about them were how their personalities defied their age. They were active both mentally and physically and God, if I reached those advanced years I’d love to still be doing these trips. Admittedly with more hotels and a woman half my age as a companion, but the principal remains.
Well, I believe meeting this couple inspired our most dedicated cyclist Josh into achieving his dream. He started looking at the map and after our next break at 5pm in the town of Deighton he proclaimed it possible, with the wind, to finally hit our sought after 200 mile day. I was sceptical, but ready for the challenge, and the rest of the guys had a similar guarded enthusiasm. This would require night riding and a possible post-midnight finish, but the idea was too real for any of us to reject. We went for it. Stopping after 24 miles for fuel, and after another 25 for a dinner. In fact, it was Brinner; they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day so what difference does it make if we eat it in the morning or the evening? Come 9:30 PM we'd had about 15 eggs between us and just 55 miles to go and began to make good pace as night fell and the full moon cast our shadows across the road. The darkness broken only by the constant flashing of red and white lights. We arrived at the Colorado border at 11:33pm, had a beer to celebrate leaving Kansas, then continued on for the final 15 miles of the journey. When we arrived at our destination we were still 3 miles short of the double century, so we did a loop of the town to even things up. We had finally arrived at 1:10am local time (02:10 Central time). We had done it. The 200 mile day. The milestone reached. We felt delirious, exuberant and shattered.
This is ostensibly a solo trip, but today was all about teamwork. We wouldn’t have achieved this without each other’s support and the sense of collective accomplishment is one of the greatest I have ever felt.
To top this, I hit the 3,000 mile mark of the trip, and most importantly, we are OUT of Kansas.
So, Dorothy, Toto, Superman, Tyson Gay, Kirstie Alley, Dwight Eisenhower, Wyatt Earp, allow me to say: your State took one hell of a beating.
The day in numbers:
Counties: 7
States: 2
Timezones: 2
Miles: 200.03
Total miles: 3,053
Time in Saddle: 13.10:20
Total: 3,053 Miles
We have departed Kansas and much quicker than expected. We wanted to be going early so we were chirping earlier than a horny robin in order to beat the potential morning winds. At the very least we wanted to enjoy the afternoon in our projected destination of Scott City, Kansas, which was some 115 miles away from Larned. Eric and I left about 30 minutes after the rest of the group and the first 32 miles or so were spent travelling through the mist and fog of the Kansas prairie lands. The morning was far better than the previous days as firstly we had a tail wind, but also, because the landscape took on a more haunting appearance. It was like cruising through a crushed-flat version of the Scottish Highlands. Variations in colour from the burnt cornfields, to the golden wheat via purple weeds seemed so dramatic and infinite. There was even the odd turn in the road.
Eric and I soon caught up with Josh and Kevin and made our way to Ness City. We were enjoying a very pleasant and incident free journey until Kevin remarked on the police siren that was screaming behind us. We pulled over to allow the car to pass, but to our surprise, the breaks were slammed on, and before we knew it, the officer exited the vehicle and confidently strutted over to the four lycra-clad whipping boys in his sights.
"Dy'all know why I pulled you over here today?" asked officer T. Turner (according to the name on his badge).
"No, officer" we lied.
Of course we knew. Clearly, it was due to us not riding in single file, but later we discovered this wasn't illegal in Kansas, it was just that some angry pick-up pilot had called the authorities on us because we had delayed them from getting home to pray by three minutes. Well, after some laughable condescension from this deplorable, swaggering bully we were on our way and finally ready for lunch. We'd been going the best part of 60 miles and had hardly eaten, but before we could, there was one final interruption...
...As we were entering Ness City a blue SUV screeched to a halt and the driver exited the vehicle. This time, an elderly civilian.
"One of you stop!" shouted the man.
As he came closer I was again left wondering who we'd inadvertently upset and why, but he turned out to be an eccentric local named Lee who proceeded to generously donate one dollar to the four of us before taking it back after discovering I was British. And then finally, after seeing my American flag, returning the dollar. It was a bizarre interaction made all the weirder as we watched his wife sit motionless inside their car, but he cheered us right up, did Lee. Mad as a hatter but as warm as an old microwaved sock and just as rugged. My kind of loon.
A few minutes later outside the restaurant we met an American couple of 70 and 69 who were also going across the country, but on a tandem. I only wish we caught their actual names. All I knew is that they were "The Sullivans" as per the daubing on their suitcase. They were great conversationalists, and what I liked most about them were how their personalities defied their age. They were active both mentally and physically and God, if I reached those advanced years I’d love to still be doing these trips. Admittedly with more hotels and a woman half my age as a companion, but the principal remains.
Well, I believe meeting this couple inspired our most dedicated cyclist Josh into achieving his dream. He started looking at the map and after our next break at 5pm in the town of Deighton he proclaimed it possible, with the wind, to finally hit our sought after 200 mile day. I was sceptical, but ready for the challenge, and the rest of the guys had a similar guarded enthusiasm. This would require night riding and a possible post-midnight finish, but the idea was too real for any of us to reject. We went for it. Stopping after 24 miles for fuel, and after another 25 for a dinner. In fact, it was Brinner; they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day so what difference does it make if we eat it in the morning or the evening? Come 9:30 PM we'd had about 15 eggs between us and just 55 miles to go and began to make good pace as night fell and the full moon cast our shadows across the road. The darkness broken only by the constant flashing of red and white lights. We arrived at the Colorado border at 11:33pm, had a beer to celebrate leaving Kansas, then continued on for the final 15 miles of the journey. When we arrived at our destination we were still 3 miles short of the double century, so we did a loop of the town to even things up. We had finally arrived at 1:10am local time (02:10 Central time). We had done it. The 200 mile day. The milestone reached. We felt delirious, exuberant and shattered.
This is ostensibly a solo trip, but today was all about teamwork. We wouldn’t have achieved this without each other’s support and the sense of collective accomplishment is one of the greatest I have ever felt.
To top this, I hit the 3,000 mile mark of the trip, and most importantly, we are OUT of Kansas.
So, Dorothy, Toto, Superman, Tyson Gay, Kirstie Alley, Dwight Eisenhower, Wyatt Earp, allow me to say: your State took one hell of a beating.
The day in numbers:
Counties: 7
States: 2
Timezones: 2
Miles: 200.03
Total miles: 3,053
Time in Saddle: 13.10:20
Haunted Kansas.
More flat.
Me, Lee and a dollar.
The impromptu air piano lesson was totally unexpected.
Take it easy boys.
Crepuscular rays
Brinner. Just made it before closing.
Disco ride
No.
late night sarpe.
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