Well, I finally hit the 2,000 mile mark today! I think this is as close as I can predict to the half-way point of the trip. I also have made some new friends, Brent and Todd (who are brothers riding cross-country) and Heather and Hazel (two sisters who are friends with Bret and Todd and are also riding to the east coast). It's been great having some new people to talk to and hang out with at campgrounds each night. They are each fascinating and very supportive of one another. The ride today was particularly tough since it involved a 19 mile stretch which went due south. While that may not sound too bad to most of you, the fact is that, in western and central Kansas, the wind almost always blows out of the south. So, for this stretch, I had it in my face at about 15-20mph according to the Weather Channel! Still, I managed to make it through to the city of Larned, KS in one piece. I felt rather well prepared for the day, however, since we all stayed at a wonderful location last night called Elaine's Bicycle Oasis. This is actually the private home of Elaine and Dan who have graciously opened it up to cross-country cyclists for a number of years. They provided a home-cooked dinner and breakfast as well as the usual amenities such as a shower and laundry. What I wasn't really expecting was a tour through Dan's old record and CD collection! We got a real education in old songs by Bob Dylan, The Band and Marty Robinson who is famous for old "gunfighter" country songs. Then, to top off the evening, Elaine took a few of us out to see one of the local oil drilling rigs. We got a personal tour of the operation by Mike, one of the workers there, and learned that there is, in fact, oil in Kansas but that they must drill down over 4,000 feet to get it. What a fascinating bit of information on a local industry! Hope you're all still enjoying your summer and that it's not as hot as it is here in Kansas!
Total mileage so far: 2,035
Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike
1 comment:
Congratulations on hitting the half way point! We'll drink a bottle of champagne in your honor as well as your mom's. Not sure if they make champagne Blizzards, but I see the Girl Scouts have a Thin Mints Blizzard now. Looks like we will see you later in the fall after your trip to Prague? We'll keep those choice wine bottles aging for you.
Joe and Andrea
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