Well, as you can figure out from my last post I've now crossed over into Kansas, my fifth state on this trip. For those of you who have never been out here let me tell you that Kansas is very flat and there are really long stretches of empty road between towns. The picture above shows how the farmland just goes off to the horizon and how, there are so few vehicles on the road, that I was able to take the time to set my bike up right in the middle and get this shot! And, yes, I have passed corn fields that seem to go on forever. Luckily for me, no twisters have been spotted although it is very, very windy and hot out here. I try my best to start early when it's cool but, most days, I still end up riding when it gets really hot. Haven't seen Dorothy or Toto but I did come across a fella named Brent who is riding cross-country with his black Lab named Teyah! He's got a special trailer just for her and she happily jumps into it when he says "saddle up!" They've ridden all the way from Oregon, just like me, and both rider and passenger seem excited about the trip. Given the way the heat and the wind have been tiring me out, I've decided to take a couple of short days and rest up more. Today I only did about 24 miles and I expect to do about 40 tomorrow (getting close to that 2,000 mile mark!). After that, I'll start cranking out a few more longer days so that I can make it to the Kansas - Missouri border in time for my big break. When Lucia graduated with her Bachelors from Nursing School (with distinction ;-) I promised her a trip to Prague (in the Czech Republic) to visit her cousins and some friends. So, starting in early August, I'll take about a one-month break from cycling and will fly back to Philly to do this trip and also stick around for the annual Labor Day drive up to Montreal. So now, my goal is to get to the very western end of Missouri where I plan to catch a bus from Joplin, MO up to Kansas City for my flight home. After Labor Day, I'll do the reverse and then continue the bike trip and hopefully reach my destination in Florida by mid-October. Will keep you posted as the time approaches and may even be able to put in a blog entry from Europe! Till then, stay cool and stay tuned....
Total mileage so far: 1,938
Please consider making a small donation to help cancer survivors (sadly, my mom was not one of them) http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/steveonhisbike
3 comments:
Steve,
I am so enjoying the narratives of your ride, and appreciate your taking the time to personalize it for the chair-bound ! We'll miss the story as you take your well-deserved break and trip. Good luck on the ride to Missouri, and beware of the tornados in Kansas--I'm sure you can see them coming from a long way off, whatever good that would do!
Hang in there!
Richard
Ah - I know that scene well. Soon the terrain will get very "rolling" towards Eastern Kansas.
Sorry I missed the entry on your Mom's birthday. I was recovering from Cisco's bachelor party. But it was a beautiful sentiment and I'm glad I read it.
Halfway point's just ahead. You're almost there!
Dominic
Steveo
Sounds like you are having a great time. I was pretty sure you would be.
I can't believe you went over the pass at Breckenridge. I hit it once in July and was covered in snow and ice.
Hey, your legs are looking great too. As long as you don't over eat after the trip you'll have those calves for many years. They are great for conversations in the grocery store checkout line. ;-)
Post a Comment