Day 16: El Dorodo KS to Pratt KS

So today was a good day with a tail wind - more about that later.

First, a little background on this trip, and my colleagues from isee systems. I have been thinking about this trip for a while, and when the conference site repeated itself that kind of nailed it. But a little over two years ago I broached the idea while enjoying a fine spring day with everyone at work of making an event of it for the whole company. Do a bunch of biking, convert an old school bus to a portable office - lots of cool ideas.

Of course this all left me wondering whether anyone was the least bit serious or if they were just humoring me. I was largely convinced of the latter, but decided to put it to the test one step at a time. So at the end of 2017, I said I wanted to organize a team to ride in an annual fund raiser called the Prouty - a 100 mile ride with variations.

Four people said yes, one ended up backing out, but last year we road the Prouty together. I thought that was the first step to a carnival of bicycling across America.

But, in the end, it was the Prouty, not Albuquerque, that won out. And this year, four people finished the Prouty (35 and 100 miles) while I road through Kansas:

Sarah, Ginger, Hilary and Jeremy at the finish line

So that makes my mileage.... No, I am really just proud of them. Congratulations all around.

Before I left, they gave me a cake, to help put on weight:

Get fat cake (chocolate)

And they also took a photo of me just for reference. Much like the scientist in the Heart of Darkness was measuring sculls. Just as in that case, most the change is on the inside:

Before and During

One of the funniest things I saw today was the White Water River:

White Water River in Kansas

It turns out there is a town called White Water - not sure where that comes from.

Passing through Wichita was an interesting experience - kind of like Cleveland in reverse. I came in by Wichita State University which is a pleasant looking modern campus with a big stadium (this is Kansas after all). But the road turned into car parts, steel recycling, and the most curious collection of semi industrial activities I have seen. That gave way to houses - seems I missed downtown again. Then a nice spot for second breakfast:

Wichita Kansas

Leaving town was entirely delightful. There is a bike path on the west side of the city that runs parallel with the highway starting from my second breakfast stop. I saw many more bikers today (Saturday morning) than I have seen on this entire trip.

Remember how I said there would be even fewer trees as I went west. This turns out to be true. I found myself hiding from the sun under overpasses.

Hiding from the sun under an overpass

In fact I started timing my breaks by them, stopping for a drink and short break under every one.

Not much more - I ended early hoping to get a good sleep. We will see if I can wake up in the morning.

Till then.

July 13, 2019, Pratt Kansas

Day 15: Fort Scott KS to El Dorado KS

 So today was over 120 miles - but I had a tail wind so it feel like cheating. I also wanted to end an hour and a half earlier, but I was in the middle of no place.

I called Fort Scott a hard town. And not far out of it I saw this:

Morning in Kansas

It is not just the town that is hard.

But overall the day was pretty nice. I am only 30 miles from Wichita and still seeing scenery like this:

The hills of Kansas

Not quite as majestic in the photo as it was in real life. The sky is big, and you can see a long way (like water towers 8 miles in the distance), the hills are low, but still hard to climb at times.

I saw the funniest sign, telling me it was 8 miles to Gas and 12 to Eureka. So why was it telling me about Gas?

Got Gas?

Turns out there is a Gas Kansas. What do people from Gas do? Probably make jokes about being from Gas when they are not eating beans.

I also chanced to stop at a gas station where they keep a log of people passing through on bike. Quite a few - one every day or two if I am to believe the log, and going in both directions. I have only seen 2 other people on bicycle. A couple who were moving slow pulling wagons, and a fellow who had a tire problem but didn't know what size his tires were - my patience has limits and I had nothing in his size. Anyway they are out there, just stealth. I also got a memento:

Lizard luck

Not sure what it means, but it seems cool.

One flat tire - but it may have been leftover from a couple days back. And finally I got some tofu and rice for supper.

Tomorrow Wichita, and the Prouty for the team I left back in New Hampshire. More on that then.

July 12, 2019, El Dorado Kansas

Day 14: Camdenton MS to Fort Scott KS

Two weeks - wow. I guess I should be settling into a rhythm, and I sort of am - every day certainly ends in exhaustion.

I entered Kansas at the top of a hill - which I find moderately amusing, but the eastern edge of Kansas is not yet plains.

Crossing into Kansas in the later afternoon

It is still a hard place though. I walked to a grocery store from the little motel I am staying in and life it not easy in Fort Scott Kansas. Let me just leave it at that.

Today was a pretty good mileage day. I left the Ozarks into what seemed like the beginning of the plains:

 

Leaving the Ozarks

But the hills picked up again, so I ended up with lots of climbing. Kind of similar to New York, but not as steep nor the climbs so long.  Kansas will likely be different.

I did finally see a residential solar installation (in Missouri still)

The only rural solar installation I have seen

Also a bank, completely by itself:

Lone bank

Not sure where they get customers from - but on the upside I doubt that anyone tries to rob them.

Lunch today was peanut butter sandwiches - but I did find a nice spot to eat them:

Lunch on the road in Missouri

And finally no flat tires. Hopefully that is the beginning of a trend.

Till tomorrow.

July 11, 2019 Fort Scott Kansas

Day 13: Fulton MO to Camdenton MO

Three flat tires and I have always wanted to camp in the Ozark's. That about sums up today. Oh wait, what's that aphorism - Black sky at noon, it will rain soon. Turns out to be true.

So not much of a day for progress. I spent a fair bit of time changing tires and hiding from the rain. I had the great idea of taking my tent tarp and tying it down over me and my bike. It kind of worked for my bike. I ended up donning rain gear and yanking the tarp to get rid of the puddling.

Lake Ozark itself - both the town and the area - was pretty nice. Typical summer tourist spot, though a tad on the run down side, but it has its charm.

Too tired to say much more, or to upload any photos.

Tomorrow.

July 10, 2019, Camdenton MO

Day 12: Pittsfield IL to Fulton MO

Had my first flat tire today, but let me start with Fulton:

The Fulton Diner - duh

I have been decrying towns and cities in all my posts, but Fulton is a really nice town.

Dinner at the Fulton Diner

And the catfish was delicious. The pecan pie was good too (of course).

So I crossed the Mississippi:

The Mississippi, not as high as the Illinois

I didn't take the actual bridge because it would have been too dangerous - there were precisely two lanes (wide loads need to request a police escort) and low guardrails between me and the water.

But I was across - important for me because the Mississippi marks so much for me (plus I like the way that people from Missouri pronounce Missouri).

And welcome right back.

And for lunch I, of course, found a tree:

Lunch in Vandalia MO

One other thing I thought most odd was what was clearly a prison:

I would hate to be received and diagnosed there (let alone corrected).

I got rained on in the morning, but it turned out to be a hot day. So I stopped early, am doing laundry, and hoping I can sleep as well as I did last night (best sleep in years).

And my flat tire? Well not much to tell I rode over a big rock (actually a big piece of asphalt from a crumbling (but wide) shoulder). Almost changed the back tire, it about needs it, but I knew I would hold on to the old one since it is still usable - so will do that in a few days and throw away the old one.

Onward - I have about 950 miles to Albuquerque, and I guess I have started counting down. Hopefully I will spare you that in my coming posts.

July 9, 2019, Fulton MO

Day 11: Clinton IL to Pittsfield IL

So I am in Pittsfield again - every 10 days it seems.

Today was an easy day with tail winds, pretty flat terrain, no rain, and not too much heat until the afternoon. Covered about 120 miles - of course I finished by 6 so I could have made it one of those 140 mile days of old, but I really didn't have the desire.

As you have probably figured out from the places I am stopping, Nebraska is no longer on the menu. In fact, I will probably skip Colorado as well and jaunt down through Kansas and take a stitch of Arkansas and I think Texas. But Missouri first - I should hit that tomorrow morning.

Dorothy, this is Illinois

 The hardest part of the day was on a road that must have been paved over concrete. Look at it closely, and it seems okay:

The road that won't stop bumping

But when those cracks repeat themselves every 5 seconds with a very noticeable thump it wears on me. I kept telling myself it would not go on forever. It didn't, but little consolation during the hours spent suffering it.

Saw a neat wind farm with the mills stretching off into the distance:

Blow hard yee matees

I have only seen 1 solar installation since leaving New York - that was a commercial one. This is something that it is hard not to notice in the burning sun. Perhaps rural and solar do not go hand in hand - may look into that at some point.

I decided to ride through Springfield IL just to look at the downtown. Boy am I glad I don't live there. I have to admit it got nicer as I was leaving - even gave me a bike lane. But still.

The railroad cars with graffiti was just an oddity. I could figure out if it was done by the rail company or random kids - put my money on the kids:

Better than serial numbers

The Illinois river was high, and apparently had recently been higher:

East bank of Illinois River

But not as high as 1993:

Also on the east bank of the Illinois

I am a sucker for historical markers - farmer john lived here in 1882, but have never seen one so recent. Guess I am getting old.

That's all for now. Will try to get a good nights sleep and hit the road early tomorrow.

July 8, 2019, Pittsfield IL

Day 10: Shadeland IN to Clinton IL

Clinton has an IGA Foodmaster - and that may be its main claim to fame. It is actually in a pretty nice part of Illinois - its namesake Clinton Lake seems very nice - though I only saw it in passing. But the town, rather than making the most of its geography, seems bent of making it all seem clumsy with railroad, streams and hills just making a mishmash.

Oh well, I didn't really set out to bash Clinton. Everyone I have met here has been nice, it is just I walked from the motel to the IGA and there are no sidewalks. Impressions.

Today was pretty cool for the most part, which has been a nice change. Rain threatened on and off, but never happened and the winds were largely with me. So I did a little bit better in terms of distance, but those 140 mile days I remember from this part of the country are not to be repeated. I will have to accept the new me is not the old me but just older.

Breakfast, never travel without donuts

I didn't feel so bad in the morning (except my butt which is still pretty tender every day), thanks to proper fueling - donuts are my new friend.

Made it to Illinois, and one of the first things I was was  big square bails of hay all stacked up. I guess they may be easier to truck, but building forts?

Got hay?

 

 I spent a fair bit of time of US 320 today. It cuts straight across the state - and boy do I mean straight.

This isn't Kansas

I finally veered off to head to Clinton, and the promise of a shower.

Wifi here sucks so I am still tethered - but the Verizon LTE connection is strong, just not strong enought to revisit history.

July 7, 2019, Clinton IL