What a nice riding day! I had a very nice surprise when I found that the wind was coming from the northeast which gave me a tailwind for a very welcome change. It's funny - the wind is very noticeable when it's coming from any direction other than behind you. When it's a tailwind you don't notice the wind as much as you notice the change in speed and the feeling that you're flying. My average speed today was just above 13 miles per hour which is very fast for me on this trip! I know that's not fast for other people, but it is for me...
Marilyn and her daughter saw me off this morning. I was glad to see her so I could give her a couple of things I wasn't taking with me. I needed to replenish my peppermint soap supply, and while I was able to buy some yesterday, I could only find a larger bottle than I needed. I filled my small bottles and gave her the rest. I also had some extra strength Tylenol that were free with some Motrin that I bought - so Marilyn ended up with the Tylenol too. I was glad to have someone to give those small items to - I hate to throw things away just because I don't want to carry them. It was nice to have someone see me off too - a change of pace for me.
Just before I got to Nickerson I saw some zebras by the side of the road. At first I thought I really must be seeing things, but then I remembered that there is an exotic animal park there. There are supposed to be giraffes there too, but I didn't see any. What an odd thing to see in the middle of Kansas. The zebras have a fabulous design on their hides. I think it's really striking.
I met up with Bob, Ray, and Sandy just outside of Nickerson too - "Three Old Guys and a Gal". (Yeah, I know, there are just 2 guys, but there were three originally.) I was wondering if we'd cross paths. They are doing the Transam from West to East, and I've been watching their journal when I post my own. I noticed yesterday that they were in Larned, so I thought there was a chance I'd see them today. There was also a chance I wouldn't because I was off route last night, and they are early morning starters and I'm not. There was more than a small possibility that they would pass the point at which I got back on route before I arrived there. They've been getting on the road by 5:30, while I'm still fighting to get on the road by 8. I would like to start earlier, but my body doesn't seem to want to get moving much earlier, so 8 it is. When I first saw Bob I thought he must be a local cyclist because he didn't have any gear on his bike. It turns out that Bob is driving Ray's van and carrying all of their gear. He rides about 20 miles each day, while Ray and Sandy ride the full distance. I'm sure I'll be jealous of all of these folks who have managed to arrange sags when I'm hauling all of my gear up the Rocky Mountains! We had a nice visit on the side of the road, and then went off in opposite directions. While I was getting a nice push from a tailwind, they were having a pretty hard ride against the wind.
There was some pretty nasty road work going on at the end of the day today. I was lucky again in that they were working on the other side of the road. The road surface was in good shape, so I don't know why they were chip-sealing it - maybe preventive maintenance. The stuff was flying all over the road when people passed me or went by on the other side of the road. But at least I didn't have to ride on it.
I pulled in to Larned at about 3 this afternoon and went in search of a motel. Nope, not tonight. There are two motels on the outskirts of town, and both of them were full. It's hard to believe that I haven't had any problem getting a room in any other state - just in Kansas. A woman I was talking to in the park said there is a 4-H Fair of some sort going on, probably the source of the motel room problem. So - I'm camping at the city park. It's really a beautiful park, and I have my tent set up next to a fountain. I should have some nice soothing water sounds in my ears as I fall asleep tonight. I went to the grocery store to pick up some food for dinner, and met Jewel Shartz. She told me I was welcome to camp in her back yard - but I'd already checked out the park and decided it had everything I needed, so I thanked her and moved on. I kind of figured middle of the night bathroom stops would be easier and less disruptive in the park than traipsing into someone's house....
The park is very well used. There is a beautiful swimming pool, a fountain, a rose garden, two picnic table pavilions, 2 sets of very clean rest rooms in addition to the ones at the pool, and a pond containing ducks and geese. There were quite a few people here this evening with kids either dangling their feet in the fountain or watching the water birds in the pond. I spent some time talking with some of the kids waiting for their moms to pick them up just after the swimming pool closed, including one little girl who had been to someplace near Albany, Oregon for vacation this summer. She was telling me about a windy road that she insisted I would have to ride in order to get to Oregon. Hmm, wonder where that is... I also had a chance to talk with some of the people sitting around the fountain, and I met a local cyclist and his two dogs when he came over to ask what kind of bike I am riding. He saw the small wheels, and just had to check out the bike. It was his first glimpse of a Bike Friday. He told me he's thinking of getting a recumbent. They have always fascinated me. I wonder how many years will go by before I decide I need one of those.
One of the women I spoke to at the fountain said I'm pretty lucky in the conditions here today. There are two feed lots here in Larned, and apparently if the wind is blowing wrong, the stench is unbelievable. I noticed the feed lots as I pulled into town. I enjoy watching the cattle out in nice fields, but these feed lots were really gross. They looked barren, no grass, and the cows were just packed in there. I guess I'd better hope that the wind doesn't shift overnight.
My bike computer decided to stop sensing speed and distance at the end of the day. I changed the battery in the computer, but that didn't solve the problem, Unfortunately I don't have a replacement battery for the transmitter. Hopefully I'll be able to find one tomorrow, but I have a feeling that I may not have my little crutch for the next few days. It stopped working after I got to Larned, then it started working again. So I'm hoping it behaves itself tomorrow, but I have a feeling that it won't. And unfortunately, the next decent sized city is Pueblo, and I think that's 6 days away. Yuck. I'll know how far I've ridden from the maps, but it's nice to know how much further you have to go based on how far you've already ridden for the day. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
