Day 15

DAILY REPORT:  Overcast, chance of showers...nothing severe...wake up 45 degrees, high today 65 maybe, winds NNE 5-10...we stayed dry.

Another day on the road in Kansas...another day of pesky head winds.  When we woke up it had been showering, but the skies were lighter as we departed Great Bend.  The roadway was a bit damp which made the bikes a bit of a mess, but all in all it was a pretty comfortable departure.  Everyone was anxious to get on the road anticipating a long day in the saddle and a forecast of light showers off and on all day.  It was pretty much an uneventful morning as the riders were cruising eastward working into a light quartering headwind and pretty much staying together until the first SAG. 

We set up the first SAG beside a real estate office in Lyons KS.  While we were there the broker happened to drop by and invited us in to his small office to share what he called his "mess" with us.  We got much more than we bargained for.  He was a prior WWII B-17 pilot with over 30 combat missions in Europe and his office was filled with memorabilia from his service years.  We spent the better part of a half hour engrossed in his stories from the war and admiring his collection from his storied past.  Besides meeting new riders every year and helping them achieve their goal of riding a bicycle across the nation, it's chance encounters like this this that enriches our life even more while we are on the road.  Lieutenant Colonel Jack Jenssen...thank you for sharing your life with us and for your service to your country.  I know all the riders will look back on our visit with you as one of the highlights of our journey.  Hope to see you again when we come back through in 2 years.  God Bless.  (Jack, we ate at the Brookville Hotel...great feed, thanks for the tip)

After leaving Lyons, we pedaled along highway 56 through McPhearson and to Galvin where we stopped for lunch.  We were pretty spread out by then, but all was well and all were in good spirits about staying dry.  From Galvin, we headed eastward for another 6 miles and then turned north at Canton KS where the city officials must have a sense of humor as they have two water towers...one hot and one cold.  I'd like to know the story behind how they were able to pull that one off. 

After our north turn, we were on a very quiet county road for the next 18 miles that everyone enjoyed.  There's something about quiet roads that makes them special.  We could put the legs in cruise mode and watch the countryside go by without worrying about pesky traffic.  The terrain was gently rolling and we were surrounded by never ending wheat farms with grain stalks about 2 feet high.  By the time the cross country challenge comes through here they will be harvesting these crops and those riders will have an entirely different scenery to enjoy.  The green wheat fields will have turned golden and be ready for harvest...the fields will be full of combines collecting the grain and farmers will be in a flurry of activity to get the crops in...but now, the fields seemed to be like a green ocean as the winds swept across the tops of the immature wheat.

Today we arrived at our half way celebration out in the country near Gypsum KS.  We mark the road to signify our "official half way point" so riders can stop for a photo op.  It's hard to believe just two short weeks ago we were in sunny California and baking in the heat of the Arizona desert.  I'm sure we'd like a little of that heat about now...not all of it mind you...just a little part of it would do fine.  Hopefully, over the next few days we can thaw out for a bit...I know I'm ready for some warmer temperatures.  The riders are beginning to think that I don't even ride anymore.

But I did get in some today.  After the mid point celebration, I hitched up with Andy and put some pressure on the pedals to the last SAG.  There we met up with another interesting character who was smoking slabs of ribs and pork loin.  Larry L. was another veteran but more my age from the Viet Nam era.  He proudly shared his Bronze Star with me...quite impressive.  Another chance meeting that just made today a little more special.

After the SAG, I rode with Sam I Am, Jay, and Andy.  They must have forgotten something in Abilene because they sure seemed to be in a hurry to get there.  With light headwinds that were almost insignificant most of the time, we put in an average of over 21 for the last 30 miles.  Since I haven't been riding all that much, I enjoyed the faster pace and was amazed at how strong they were riding after 100 miles in their legs already today.  Everyone is getting really strong after 2 weeks of over 100 miles a day.  They're so strong I think they're planning on riding another 100 tomorrow...seems Topeka is about that far.

Finally we're supposed to get normal winds tomorrow...out of the south and at about 20.  That will help a bit as many times we'll be heading north working our way to Topeka...tune in and see how we do.  See you then.  M

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