Konfusing Kansas

Posted on 22 Sep 2011 by John

Firstly apologies for delays in updates. You would not believe how hard to get access to a PC here. Anyway here goes.

After leaving the lovely and very helpful ladies at Cuppa Joe’s at Ness City I rode to Larned with a view to meeting up with Jeremy the nephew of one the ladies at Cuppa Joe’s. Unfortunately he did not show but I can honestly say with was one of the toughest and scariest days on the bike, Horrendous head winds down narrow roads that are used by big trucks. Every time they passed in either direction you had to hang on for dear life and hope you did not get sucked under any following traffic.

I was glad to be able to call into the historical Fort Larned (briefly a posting for a young General Custer) just to escape the winds

After 105 klms I was glad to finish. How strong was the wind?- well put simply if you spat the spit ball went 15-20 meters straight out to the right. Again so much for the promised prevailing westerly winds

After a good nights rest and an early breakfast I head out to Hesston a distance of about 100 miles or 160klms. Still head-winds but nowhere as bad as yesterday – the spitballs only went 10meters. It is getting cooler and although I am complaining about the damned wind I know it is holding back a seriously wet weatherfront that is trying to overtake me. (Blame it onto the Canadians who have sent down this cold front). At the restaurant that night I have a nice surprise when the manageress, who has taken an interest in my journey and cause, dishes me an extra helping of caramel dessert (oops sorry caveman diet) and then informs me the whole meal is on the house. A much appreciated gesture.

Next day, the 15th, I press on to Eureka but the weather is overtaking me and I manage to book into a small cheap but more than adequate motel just in time. I decide that after 4 days of fighting the wind etc, that the next day will be a deserved rest day and then the clincher. Whilst eating at the local restaurant (Copper Kettle – great food great value and great service) I see an advert for a massage. Just what this old body needs and so the massage is booked and I think the rain will pass me by during my rest day – perfect.

Well the massage was great – thanks Gia – but th rain does not pass me by. It stays for three whole days and four nights with thunder and lightening in full accompliment day and night.

Although frustating to be delayed I must admit the rest-up did me no harm at all- the only draw back was the fact that Eureka is a dry town but then that may not have been a bad thing in reality. It was interesting having the chance to walk around a typical mid-west country town. Put bluntly it is struggling . It is a long time since I have seen so many empty or boarded up shops, and then many of those that were open were operating for limited hours only. The people were very friendly and helpful but you could see it was not easy-time for them. You then listen to the politicians or should I say the fools posturing on the hill in Washington and you realise they really have no understanding of what is happening in the real wold. The mid west, and probably the majority of the states a suffering from a huge sense of disenfranchisement.

The rain finally stops on Suday afternoon but too late for me to get a start but I am already packed for the Monday morning early departure. Late Sunday afternoon another cyclist whom I had met earlier in the trip comes through looking like a drowned rat. His name is Stuart Coffey and I had met him briefly in Sula in Montana. He is doing the ride as part of his 60th birthday gig with a couple of mates. This time there is no sign of the mates (they do not like getting up for early starts). I offer him to share my room for the night but he decides to press on for another 25 miles and we part on the vague promise we will watch out for each other along the way. – More on that later

So Kansas had failed to deliver on following winds,had insisted on raining on me and provided the most boring scenery I had come across for a long time but I had still enjoyed the challenges presented but I am looking forward to a change of scenery soon.