Day 42 - Sunday, June 21
Start - Dighton, KS
End - Scott City, KS
Miles (on the route) - 24.0
Miles (total) - 27.75
Avg Spd - 11.2mph
Max Spd - 17mph
Total ride time - 2:26
I woke up feeling surprisingly well and wondering if I could accomplish a repeat of yesterday. It was going to be hot again and climb up into the 90s. The knees started out a bit stiff but without the pain that had been plagueing me through Missouri. I hoped the flatter territory would give them a break and it has seemed to help a bit so far.
I headed for Scott City and stopped to do some laundry, get lunch, and maybe take a dip in the city pool and cool off. Clean clothes are always nice, and I found a small mexican restaurant where I had some amazing fajitas while watching spanish language WWE wrestling. A fine afternoon. After lunch I debated whether I should get a move on or go for a swim and wait for it to cool, and while heading down the road I noticed some loaded touring bikes outside a taco joint. I stopped in to say hello, curious if it was anyone I had already met or if it may be some new people.
Inside I met Tim and Cindie Travis who at first appeared to be just another pair of transamers. But they soon revealed a major distinction, informing me they have been cycling all over the globe for seven years! That's right, seven years! I've heard of people doing this but I didn't figure I'd meet anyone like this. As you can imagine, upon learning of this I was flooded with more questions than I could possibly ask. Their story in brief is that they are from Arizona, Tim has wanted to do this for a long time and eventually Cindie joined in on the idea. They have lived frugally and had a substantial savings that would allow them to travel for a few years. He was a teacher and she was a geologist, but didn't feel they had to be confined to the traditional societal roles. So why not? They now support themselves through sales of the books they have written and website advertisements and such. So that said...
We discussed their lifestyle at length, the challenges and the unique experiences of travelling through countries such as China, Laos, Vietnam, Australia, and many others. They have obviously amassed an amazing wealth of knowledge and global perspective through these travels, and talking with them had me anxious to hear everything I could from them. One of the most astounding details of their story was the fact that they left within the first few months after September 11th, and didn't return to the states for any significant amount of time until the last six months. They are now touring the United States in what they have come to find is a completely different country. Tim and Cindie have been shocked by how polarized our society has become. It was strange to think about at first, but I can't imagine the changes I would notice if I had been absent from the US since September 11th. So much has happened. It was probably a blessing in some ways to be abroad for the last several years.
We talked for about an hour or two and decided we would all go to the pool and relax and get showers. They were tempting me to camp in the city park with them but I felt the pull to move on and do more than just 25 miles for the day. I couldn't decide, but I eventually reminded myself the point of the trip wasn't to put on miles. I wasn't out here just to get there, but to enjoy as much here as I could along the way. After reminding myself of that, I knew spending more time with these unique two was an opportunity I shouldn't pass up! Besides their amazing story, they were an enjoyable, amusing couple. They were all around good company. We made our way back to the park after the pool and relaxed in the sun and made camp. It wasn't long until who should join us but Anna. She did another good day and caught right up with me. It was a good group and we got some ice cream and talked into the evening. I enjoyed talking politics with Tim who was rather balanced on the political spectrum, despite what you might stereotypically expect from a 7 year traveller.
I'd be leaving Tim and Cindie the next day, but they would be continuing on their current trek from Alaska down to LA and then across to NY. I've posted their website for people to check out and keep up to date on their amazing journey. I was amused to find their website is called down the road, a saying I've been using since meetin people early in my ride. It hasn't been until lately that I've discovered this is a sort of universal saying amongst the touring riders. It seems fitting, see you down the road.

Day 41 - Saturday, June 20
Start - Larned, KS
End - Dighton, KS
Miles (on the route) - 96.5
Miles (total) - 101.25
Avg Spd - 17.0mph
Max Spd - 29.5mph
Total ride time - 5:58
Anna and I packed up in a rainy morning. We were both dragging our feet, neither anxious to start the day in the light but steady precipitation. Mornings like this are great times for the library, a time to be constructive without getting wet. So that's what we did, and delayed our start until around 12:30. It would be a later start but sometimes you just don't want to force anything. By this time I was ready.
Anna had headed out just prior to me, and I made my start with a light rain still falling from the sky. I caught most of my moisture from passing trucks. Once I finally got trucking I noticed the tailwind I had and the speeds I was able to maintain on the ride. I soon had a newfound motivation for riding and got excited at the possibility of doing big miles! The contrast to the previous day was exciting!
I was feeling good, averaging around 20mph through the early miles when, Bang! The unmistakeable sound that instantly took me back to Vesuvius. I immediately started to brake and wait for the inevitable loss of control, but after a few seconds I noticed everything was fine. I was very confused. Nothing was wrong. I soon gathered that it must have been the passing pickup truck. When I caught up to Anna she confirmed my suspicions, having been the victim of the same scare. I'm not sure what they did, but they left ringing in both of our ears. Anna was going for a sixty mile day, and I believed I may be able to do more, so I jumped out ahead and sought the big mileage I've been craving. Mile after mile rolled beneath me as the idea of my first century became a reasonable possibility.
The rain dried up, though the storm clouds continued to hover, as I passed through Rush Center, Alexander, and eventually Ness City with barely a stop. The air was also much cooler than it had been for days, maybe weeks. I felt such a momentum, especially compared to yesterday's struggles. All day the storms moved by, but rarely hitting me with a drop of rain. The travelling was flat, again with only the occasional tree. Fields stretched out with small oil well pumps making the only noise. It was cloudy and quiet, not the environment that I would imagine having me riding with such a thrill. At Ness City I stopped for dinner and got a cheeseburger and milkshake at the drive-in, and met a transam cyclist who was stuck due to a failed tire. A local lent him his car to drive 100 miles to a bike shop and get a new tire. That's generosity.
I was aiming for at least Dighton which would put me around 100 miles on the day. I thought I may be able to do even more, but the sun might not agree. I hurried on to cover the last 32 miles with the wind still mild but helping me at my tail. As I made the final stretch I could see for miles in every direction, and with that different weather systems moving through the region. To the south was a dark system moving in, and to the north were scattered cloud systems moving out. Directly in front of me was a clearing where the sun's rays peaked through exposing the sunset and the only sun I had seen that day. It seemed to be shining down on Dighton, lighting up my goal for the day. I paused to take a picture of the scene, and stood there for a few minutes appreciating the amazing view that was in every direction. Never before could I see so much from one point. There was a bigger picture you just don't get elsewhere.
A truck soon pulled up and warned me of a major storm moving directly towards Dighton and offered me a ride for the last 5 or 6 miles in to town. I explained I had to refuse and hastily made out for the city to find my shelter for the evening. Dighton was sizeable at over 1,200 people. Amongst the town's gast stations, stores, and houses was the massive complex pictured below. Presumably some sort of grain storage, it stood not far from the center of town like a monster. Amongst these dusty towns in Kansas stand these industrial giants that seem to crawl out of the ground like something from a sci-fi story. Maybe it was the storm clouds hovering over that brought a darker perspective to their existence.
While cycling under a light sprinkle to the public park where I would be camping, I crossed the 100 mile mark. Finally my first century! I felt proud while setting up in the pavilion where a birthday party had taken place earlier. My tent sat amongst a litter of broken balloons and cake frosting smears, and I crawled in to relax and talk to friends of my big day.

Day 40 - Friday, June 19
Start - Hutchinson, KS
End - Larned, KS
Miles (on the route) - 67.0
Miles (total) - 74.25
Avg Spd - 11.0
Max Spd - 31.0
Total ride time - 6:30
I woke up about as early as I do, 7:30, and was leaving by 8:30. I would have liked to ride more with the group but I can't afford to take a day off while trying to get to Pueblo to meet up with Lisa. Anna said she may leave today also but I didn't know for sure. I figure I may bump into the group down the road.
I made a stop to grab a quick breakfast at Burger King, and some locals chatted it up, asking questions. Hutchinson is officially off route so I asked for some directions for the best way to get to Nickerson and back on route. Two older gentlemen instantly started into a battle for the best directions. It's interesting how the morning crew tends to have a battle of egos to see who has the best directions or the best weather report. It makes it difficult to just get the info for which you are looking. Eventually I was guided to Nickerson Blvd and headed towards what would essentially be my "fueling" point for the day. After Nickerson there is nothing until you reach Larned 58 miles later. On the way there I passed by an exotic animal farm and relaxed for a moment, watching the ostriches in the field. These birds are amazing to see up close, so different. They stand like dinosaurs before your very eyes. And their feet are massively unique; strangely exactly what you expect, but strikingly large! This sounds funny, but they are as striking as the huge mits of an Amish man! Only later did I think to have taken a closeup shot of their feet.I stopped at Nickerson and loaded up on extra bottles of water and some snacks to last me the 58 mile stretch. I even found Turkey Hill Iced Tea! It must be a good sign. It was a staple of my diet during the college years, but I haven't had that stuff since the Lancaster days. I moved out with some cloud cover, and the temperature staying relatively mild. I was expecting another blazing hot day, but it wasn't showing itself yet. A breeze slowly increased into a wind blowing from the South, so it was shaping up to be a day of crosswinds. I guess that's better than a headwind!
Save for a turn in the first ten miles this was a stretch of completely straight road. Occasionally there was a tree line, maybe a house, but mostly it was just mile after mile of field and occasional ranching pasture. The sun slowly started to peak out and the temperature started to climb. And within an hour of leaving Nickerson the winds changed to a full on headwind. Frustration quickly set in as I cranked away against the puch of the wind, creeping along despite the miles of flattest land the laid out before me. Shortly this was compounded by getting another flat tire! This day was unravelling rapidly! I took it as an opportunity to take a short break and clear my head, so I found some shade and ate a snack. It helped a bit, but the wind did not let up and my frustrations made an immediate return.
To try to describe the thought process during approximately 40 miles of headwinds that kept me struggling under 9mph is frustrating in itself. Those miles were a test of focus and distraction; a constant cycle of consciously seeking peace and search for anything but concentration. One moment you are finding yourself filled with rage, almost unconsciously finding nothing but negativity in every thought. I played through conversations, arguments, fantasizing about the things I would say or do to a person who might make a sarcastic or negative comment. I'm not proud of it, and rather ashamed of some of it, but it's something that happens. I was amidst a real life myth of Sysyphus for a brief time, and it really does drive you half crazy. Repeatedly, I would catch myself in this negative focus, and almost shock myself when I stepped back and looked at my pattern of thoughts for the last several miles. I then found myself engaged in a self talk that returned me to proper perspective, reminding myself that everything is temporary. Every moment is a passing moment. In time I'll look back on this as accomplishment, rolling into Larned triumphant with my arms raised. I reminded myself of rewards, though small, such as a large bottle of Orange Juice or a phone conversation with a friend. Believe it or not these things motivate in such situations.
The scenery didn't change over the course of those 58 flat miles. The only real marker of progress was a highway intersection 20 miles east of Larned. After passing over that it wasn't long before the headwind miraculously lightened and shifted to a crosswind. I found myself finally finding a sense of ease and contentment as I, shamefully, turned to .38 special for some earphone motivation. I became overwhelmed with excitement as I saw in the distance the sign for the turn that would take me the last mile into Larned. Just a few last pedal strokes and then refreshment and relaxation!
Upon entering I checked in with the police, found the park where I would be camping, and was overjoyed to find the glory of another public pool! I was immediately greeted and told I could use the pool and shower for free! That may have been the most satisfying swim ever. Suddenly everything is right again. And already all the day's frustrations seem distant and almost laughable. I ended the evening with a mediocre chinese buffet and made my way back to the park to set up my tent. I was surprised to find Anna had found her way to Larned, with similar struggles, and had just set up her tent. It was good to have company again and we chatted between tents while the mosquitos swarmed outside.

Day 39 - Thursday, June 18
Start - Newton, KS
End - Hutchinson, KS
Miles (on the route) - 39.0
Miles (total) - 43.7
Avg Spd - 11.6mph
Max Spd - 20.5mph
Total ride time - 3:45
I awoke to the sound of lawnmowers early in the morning. I lazily got up, packed, and sat down at the picnic table to enjoy a hearty breakfast of leftover Pizza Hut. A young lady who brought her son to the playground decided to join me, saying she thought I needed company. We chatted for a bit, she asked questions about the trip, and strangely started to lay it on pretty thick. The flirtation was a bit strong. I'm not entirely sure what her idea was, but she tried to give me her phone number and it got pretty awkward. And then her son came running over to us yelling, "Daddy, Daddy!" Uhh.... I sat there in silence, frozen, not sure what to say. She quickly apologized and added that he calls everybody that. Hmm... I made my exit.
I used the library again and grabbed some water and made my way out of Newton where I ran into Anna. She was riding in the same direction and tagging up with a group of six others. Turns out Anna is from Denver, CO and has been riding solo at her young age of 17! She wanted to do the whole transam but is doing a significant stretch from Carbondale, IL to Pueblo, CO! Crazy amazing! I'm 28 and would have thought this trip was crazy just a year ago. I can't imagine the courage and confidence it would take to even consider such a thing at 17! Another point is the gender issue. I haven't seen a single solo female rider on this trip. Not to be sexist, I don't doubt the ability, but there is a safety concern that most people think of when they hear of a woman riding this trip solo. It's tough not to focus on Anna's demographic as a transamer, but she should be given due credit as an individual. She's good company and seems to be quite the biker.
Things are flat now, having left the Flint Hills of Kansas. Anna and I rode together to Hesston where I met a few of the others she just started travelling with. Jake and Tyler were there who are from Michigan. They rode into Chicago and then down to Missouri to join the transam trail, and that's where they met the other four riders. They were stopping for lunch, and I was still full of pizza, so I decided to ride on. They were all meeting up in Hutchinson, KS to stay at a church hostel and I figured I would consider it an option, though it would make for a shorter day.
Again, high 90s. I headed west towards Buhler, and within a few miles of leaving the group I had another flat. This is getting ridiculous! I pulled on the side of a small electrical service shed, the only shade around, and changed it out. Again I found a puncture. At least I know what is happening! The sad part is that means this Maxxis Overdrive kevlar belted tire is not stopping much. The heat really started to wear me down. I was feeling tired and thirsty when I got into Buhler. I'm not eating as much either in this intense heat, and I'm sure that is taking a toll. On my way in a gentleman, James, stopped me and wanted to talk about the trip. He had plenty of stories to share as he had toured by bicycle for most of his life. He's been through most of the states and parts of Canada. He offered advice and gave me a detour to Hutchinson due to the flooding of the main road. After relaxing at a grocery store in Buhler, I saw Anna, Jake, and Tyler again and made plans to meet up at the hostel in Hutchinson.Hutchinson was a large city with a population of over 40,000. I made my way directly to the bike shop to check on getting a new tire. I grabbed a CO2 inflation tool, to make sure I get maximum pressure, but they didn't have any top notch tires worth purchasing to replace the current. The church hostel was nearby but I found out late the key is supposed to be picked up at the bike shop. Funny they didn't mention that while we discussed the hostel at the shop. I asked a neighbor and she was eventually able to track down someone who could let me in. More helpful folks. For the night we were given a huge recreation room, a kitchen, shower, and mattresses. Awesome! The wonder of simple pleasures!
Anna was the first to arrive and we went to the library. Shortly after we returned to the church and were joined by Jake, Tyler, Conor, and then Mark. We got cleaned up and headed to the Wendy's down the street to gorge on the fast food goodness! It was such a missed pleasure to sit down with a great group of people and laugh and share stories. I could tell right away this group was fun. Eventually John and Brittany joined us at the church and we chatted late into the night. Brittany, Conor, John, and Mark are all from Blacksburg, VA, some of them attending Virginia Tech. They all work together at a vegetarian restaurant there called Gillies. This was the second time on the transam for Mark, and he had a great sign on the back of his trailer. They were all planning on taking the next day off but I was trying to get to Pueblo in time to meet up with Lisa from Chicago before she heads back. Looks like I'll have to leave this group, but I'm sure I'll see them down the road. Below is a group shot of us, and clockwise from the bottom left is Conor, Mark, me, Jake, Tyler, Anna, Brittany, and John.

Day 38 - Wednesday, June 17
Start - Eureka, KS
End - Newton, KS
Miles (on the route) - 75.0
Miles (total) - 75.41
Avg Spd - 13.5mph
Max Spd - 31mph
Total ride time - 5:35
The day brought another Kansas southern wind. With the majority of roads having me travel directly west, it's almost always blasting me on the left side. The terrain at the start of the day still has mild inclines and declines because I'm still in the territory of Kansas known as the Flint Hills. It's been frustrating, despite being some of the easiest terrain so far, because in my head I'm expecting this to be flat. I've heard so many stories of how you can see the next town from 10 miles away and you can spend an hour biking towards the tree out on the horizon and never get there. Everybody has tales of the area, especially tales of riders going crazy from how flat and boring the rides are in Kansas. I'm waiting to see all this, but it's just not here yet. I try to not get anxious; It doesn't make sense to get frustrated by mild inclines.
I made a brief stop in the small town of Rosalia to get water and grab a snack. The lady in the cafe had me fill out her register as many places do along the route. Some registers go back to the early 80s, and contain lists of bikers, their routes, hometowns, and often comments. I found a friend's entry, John, from 5 years ago. He looked to be doing a better pace so far.
From Rosalia I had a 17 mile shot straight north to Cassoday, which I was able to average over 20 mph with the full help of a tail wind. Cassoday was my lunch stop before jumping into a 38 mile stretch to Newton with no services along the way. I stopped at a convenience store/diner by I35 and was impressed by the look of the place. It had a cowboy mystique, all dusty old wood, dirty pickup trucks, and a sign outside that reminded you to wipe your boots. Inside were several long wooden picnic tables with various cowboy hatted men taking advantage of the home cookin' buffet. I didn't blend in and got a few looks. Finally, this is Kansas. This is becoming the southwest I expected.
I loaded up on some extra bottles of water, and with a moderately full stomach, set out on the hot 38 mile stretch to Newton. It was another day of high 90s, and was evidenced by the pickup I passed that had overheated. I offered help but was limited on what I could do. Not much traffic out there and nowhere to really look for help. I was exhausted and desperate for fluids when I finally rolled into Newton. The first sign of a gas station filled me with excitement, and newfound energy sprinted me in for a huge bottle of OJ. Newton was aesthetically beautiful, with new sidewalks, a clean main street, and a modern park. I used the library in the evening, which was crowded with some of the most annoying patrons I've come across so far. The public libraries have been immensely helpful, but you never know who's going to be sitting next to you. Kids were running rampant, yelling and playing video games. But apparently I looked shady because the guy across from at the computers asked me point blank, "Did you just jump off that train out there?" I explained to him I've been riding cross country, to which he replied, "I just thought you looked a little rough, and your wind blown hair." Thanks. I again dined at the local Pizza Hut and brought back leftovers to the park. In town was a skate park where some kids were hanging out late night. It's good to see towns offering options like that despite probable opposition. It seems that some of these towns need something for the kids to do. I'm feeling back in the swing of things and am looking forward to another day of productivity and good mileage.