Today we rode 85 miles on our route from Dodge City to Great Bend Kansas. Although this was a longer ride than yesterday, we still arrived in Great Bend by Noon. Our track took us took us East and slightly North. We had a SW wind of about 12 mph sweeping us along our path.
The temperature was mid 60’s when we left and had risen to maybe about 92 by the time we arrived.
Along the way we had a SAG stop at a small park/rest stop which was the halfway point between the West coast and East coast at 1561 miles each way. When I think about it, it seems unreal that we are riding our bikes across America and that we have actually already ridden nearly halfway. The group, although very diverse with individuals being from different parts of the US as well as different parts of the world, are united in our goal to pedal across America.
No cattle feed lots today so the air quality was much better. Something I thought about when I was riding today is how the riding here in Kansas is in a way similar to navigating a boat to a destination on the Chesapeake Bay. When boating on the Bay, sometimes you can’t see anything but the vast expanse of water before you. But you know based on your planning with navigational charts and your compass heading that something should appear. After some distance you may see a dot on the horizon, and when you get closer you identify the navigation feature (navigation aid) and can tell exactly where you are on this vast expanse water. It occurred to me while cranking the pedals along at a clip of about 22 mph with nothing but fields of grain and corn as far as the eye could see, that the grain silos that rise several hundred feet in the air are like navigation aids. Each small town has a large complex of these grain silos. The towns may be separated by 10 to 20 miles of fields with a ribbon of highway running through. As you leave one small town and pedal off into the wide open space, after some time you notice in the distance ahead a structure is becoming visible on the horizon. Soon you can make out the outline of this grain silo structure and know that you are coming to the next town on the route. I estimate that you can see these grain silos 8 to 10 miles in the distance.
After much online bike tire shopping and calling bike shops along our route to check their stock and still not being able to find the tires we want. Rick my roommate called “Three Sports” in Richmond and found that they have what we need. They will ship them, UPS to our next day off hotel location in St Josephs Missouri. This Sunday I should be installing the Continental Gator Skins on my bike and can return the loaned rear tire I’m running now.
The temperature was mid 60’s when we left and had risen to maybe about 92 by the time we arrived.
Along the way we had a SAG stop at a small park/rest stop which was the halfway point between the West coast and East coast at 1561 miles each way. When I think about it, it seems unreal that we are riding our bikes across America and that we have actually already ridden nearly halfway. The group, although very diverse with individuals being from different parts of the US as well as different parts of the world, are united in our goal to pedal across America.
No cattle feed lots today so the air quality was much better. Something I thought about when I was riding today is how the riding here in Kansas is in a way similar to navigating a boat to a destination on the Chesapeake Bay. When boating on the Bay, sometimes you can’t see anything but the vast expanse of water before you. But you know based on your planning with navigational charts and your compass heading that something should appear. After some distance you may see a dot on the horizon, and when you get closer you identify the navigation feature (navigation aid) and can tell exactly where you are on this vast expanse water. It occurred to me while cranking the pedals along at a clip of about 22 mph with nothing but fields of grain and corn as far as the eye could see, that the grain silos that rise several hundred feet in the air are like navigation aids. Each small town has a large complex of these grain silos. The towns may be separated by 10 to 20 miles of fields with a ribbon of highway running through. As you leave one small town and pedal off into the wide open space, after some time you notice in the distance ahead a structure is becoming visible on the horizon. Soon you can make out the outline of this grain silo structure and know that you are coming to the next town on the route. I estimate that you can see these grain silos 8 to 10 miles in the distance.
After much online bike tire shopping and calling bike shops along our route to check their stock and still not being able to find the tires we want. Rick my roommate called “Three Sports” in Richmond and found that they have what we need. They will ship them, UPS to our next day off hotel location in St Josephs Missouri. This Sunday I should be installing the Continental Gator Skins on my bike and can return the loaned rear tire I’m running now.
3 comments:
Enjoyed our talk last night. I hope your weather remains favorable and your tires bulletproof.
Jay. You write well and describe your journey in a way that makes good reading. Your analogy of navigating the Chesapeake and biking through Kansas is a good read.
Aren't modern communication technology and logistical systems wonderful. When you could not find the tires you wanted on route, it only took a phone call and UPS to order what you needed. //Ron
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