Onward to Colorado

Friday the 17th had us riding to Ness City a total of 67 miles at over 15 miles per hour. This was a fun ride with a gradual grade all day.  The only thing about this type of riding is that you pedal all of the time. There are no downhills to stop pedaling and rest, so just keep pedaling away. We made one stop and arrived in Ness City just after noon.  Again the usual city pool and cold showers but it was nice.  In the evening there were severe storm warning and the local police came by to warn us that if the sirens sounded we should immediately seek cover. So OK we are in a park, where is the cover: four blocks away.  We did not hear any sirens but it can really storm out here.  Rain, very hard rain and strong winds along with the thunder and lightning. Some of our group did not select their tent sites well and had items floating in their tents.  But not me!
From Ness City on Saturday we rode to Scott City and we got slowed down a little by the continuous grade and a fairly strong side wind. This 57 mile ride thru central and western Kansas makes one realize just how big the great plains are, miles and miles of wheat and corn. It just keeps going.  You really do not get a feel for the size driving a car at 65, but at 13 miles an hour you sure understand the greatness of this land.
In Scott City we stayed in the Athleticlub and had a very nice evening after the five amigos went to the local watering hole for a few hours.  Great local people and some good stories.  Fortunately we were inside tonight because another of the evening severe storm warnings came up.  This time we were told to go into the shower areas of the building in case the sirens went off.  But once again we had a severe storm but no sirens.

Storm Clouds move in and within an hour we are in a very strong storm on the road on Monday.
That's getting a little ahead but on Sunday we rode to Tribune on our last full day in Kansas. This was another day of all pedaling on a gradual grade up and we made it to Tribune in good time and once again stayed at the local park with the cold shower and swimming pool.  No one came around to tell us about storm warning and we all went to sleep thinking this would be a quiet night, ha, ha, about 11:30 the winds came up, and I mean the winds came up with gusts up to 50 mph.  Kathy  in our group had a pole in her tent frame break and puncture her tent badly but other than that we all made it thru the wind storm fine.
The winds did not stop in the morning and after breakfast we got on the road with a very strong side wind from the north, with gusts up to 45 mph.  And we are riding on a main highway with lots of heavy truck traffic.  Nothing like being blown into the traffic lane by a gust but at least at the start of the ride it was not raining.  The picture above is of the storm clouds that we rode into and just as we entered Colorado the skies opened up and the temperature dropped about 12 degrees to 55 and this along with the side wind.

This picture was taken about 10 am and it had gotten very dark.  About two miles form here two of us stopped at a grain elevator scales and went into the building and talked with the operator and we stayed there for over an hour hoping that the weather would break since this had not been forecast.  The operator brought up the weather channel and the radar showed this storm settling in right over us for the day. Well it did not break and we went out again in the cold rain and wind and I rode 12 miles to Sheridan Lake and stopped in the auto parts store where we were told they sold snacks and soda.  I asked if there was anyplace where we could stay for the night and everyone there said to go to the local church, so here I am at 3:30 pm out of the weather and looking forward to a 85 mile ride tomorrow since I only rode 30 of the scheduled 57.  The weather for tomorrow is forecast to be sunny and warmer so we should make decent time with the winds forecast to be out of the north at 5 to 10 mph. 

Kansas was great to ride in, except for this morning we had essentially no wind issues but Colorado really welcomed us with cold, rain and high winds.

Life is Good   Bobo