Kansas

Over the weekend we rode thru eastern Kansas and really had some scenic riding.  It is a lot flatter here and so far the winds have not been a big factor. On Saturday we rode to Chanute, KS and stayed overnight at the Episcopal church.  Sjef and I picked a small room and claimed it as ours for the night.  Our cooks decided they did not want to really cook so off to WalMart they went and picked up rotisserie chickens and some premade salads. it must have been OK because there was nothing left.

Terry and I went to the Safari Museum in Chanute and it is dedicated to Martin and Osa Johnson who were early filmmakers of wildlife in Borneo and Africa.  This was a real gem and an unexpected treat on the trip.  The picture is of the old train station that houses the museum and the city library.

On Saturday evening five of us decided to ride a century on Sunday since the temperatures were forecast to be in the mid eighty's and winds were to be favorable.  So in the morning the five of us took off early and rode thru some typical Kansas countryside.  We only had one steep but short climb and the rest of the time it was one to three percent grades up and then down, miles and miles of grades up and down. We rode and made good time averaging almost fifteen miles an hour. and arrived in Cassaday around 3:30 PM.  The only thing open in Cassaday was a country store and we ate there before setting up camp in the city park.  This was the poorest camp yet, with dirty tables, dirtier outhouses and one water spigot.  But with the nice breeze and the constant train whistles all night we did get a good night sleep.  Cassadsy is a railway crossroads of sorts and there are trains going by about every 20 minutes of so.

This was it for Cassaday, the country store and not much more.

OK so we get up on Monday morning and have breakfast, of course at the country store, and everyone wants to head out since the temperature is forecast to go up over 100 and the winds will change about mid day, and not in our favor, so off we go.  A little short of four miles out I reach for my camel back tube, and it is not there, it is back at the country store.  So I turn around and head back and this allows me to add an extra eight miles to my days ride.  Fortunately with the century on Sunday I only had to ride forty five miles.  The countryside was mostly pasture for livestock. I did not realize that Kansas has a lot of oil wells. On this ride there was not one single turn.  Thirty eight miles of absolutely straight road.

I actually made good time getting to Newton, KS but for about the last six miles the wind was getting stronger and beginning to come out of the south west.  Made for a little more work but it was OK since we are staying at the Day's Inn in Newton and Tuesday is a rest day for us.

Well I don't know if I mentioned that I ordered a helmet cam last week from REI for delivery to the Newton Post Office via general delivery.  REI in their wisdom sends the helmet mount by mail but decides to send the camera via UPS.  Now UPS does not deliver to post offices so the delivery was refused.  Fortunately I caught this in time and called REI and had them reroute the camera to the motel and I finally received it today. Maybe I will be able to post some video, maybe not, we will see when I have something to make a film of.

Being a rest day we all clean and lube our bikes so today I do the routine and notice that my Brooks saddle is a little stretched out so I get out the wrench and try to tighten it up. The result is that I break the adjusting bolt. Two hundred miles from the nearest bike shop and I break a special bolt, Its a good day.  I walked over to the truck stop (its a big one) and talk to the mechanics in the garage and we get a bolt and nut and finally get it in place correctly and the saddle is as good as new, and I am now a certified Brooks saddle mechanic.  The guys at the shop were great.  We are finding that generally speaking everyone we have met on the trip has been very nice.

This is our last rest day for nine days until we get to Royal Gorge CO. so I do not know when the next blog post will take place.  Services in the small towns out here are very limited and we all make sure that we are loaded up with water and snacks when we head out.  It is getting very common to go forty miles without a water stop or anything.  Ranches tend to be way off the route on gravel roads and some of the gravel out here is very sharp.  I picked out 4 stones from my tires today.  Tonight is steak night so it is almost time to indulge.

Life is Good  Bobo