Miles 1810 to 1875, 65 miles, 650 feet of climb, max speed: 23 mph, avg speed 14 mph
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| Some of the nicest people in the world. |
It’s the people that make the trip fantastic. During a weather break this morning I pulled into a business along the highway, the Elinwood Meat Packing Company. What was humorous was that I planned to get warm because I was freezing from the wind. I went in the store only to find it was ten degrees colder in there than it was outside! The clerk invited me into the head office to get dry and warm. In there I met the office staff and Jeff, the company owner/ foreman. They have 18 employees at the plant that processes both pork and beef. While getting warm I overheard the office staff making reservations for somebody’s Bosse and Porky to visit, and there weren’t any openings in their schedule until August. Jeff said they enjoyed a very good local reputation and a thriving business. The folks could not be friendlier and accommodating. They had mercy on me. I looked like a drowned rat. Four other people that made my day too: An engineer operating a switch engine outside the LP Gas facility in Conway, a mental health nurse who was getting ready for another interesting day at the office (10 people with 30 personalities), an Army Sergeant on duty getting ready for a big inspection, and a pipeline worker who was staying at the motel (homes sell in just a day in McPherson, the pipeline has made this a boom town.)
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| Flash, Bang, Swirl. The storm that never ended. |
The good news today was that my suntan lotion worked flawlessly. The bad news was that we have yet to see the sun today. The storm system that met us this morning is still swirling around us tonight giving us a brisk south wind (sustained 24 mph, gusts 35mph), thunder, lightning, and a nasty horizontal stinging sleet/rain. During the sixty miles of riding my right ear took a few direct hits inside it before I wadded up a piece of paper to stop the washing of my eardrum. The cold rain managed to wet both sides of my glasses. When the weather turned severe AbB folks grabbed up all the bikers they could find (10 in one van, 8 in the other) but they couldn’t find me. I had already ducked into the park at Fort Zarah and found shelter in a pavilion. Eventually I got through on a cell call. Oh yes, the AbB folks were working hard this morning! The really fast riders stayed out of in front of the storm for over half of the ride – good for them! I also had a flat tire, and during the wobble to stop I was unable to unclip my feet in time and took a tumble. I am looking for a sewing kit right now to repair some clothing tears. The bruises will just take time. Oh well. They said this was a challenge, not a picnic.
Although I am on the adventure of a lifetime, I am quite homesick. I wonder if that is directly linked to having aches and pains, and missing somebody to help me through the hard knocks. No, it is much deeper than that. Every day I look forward to the texts and phone calls. I have to chuckle. It was here in Kansas that the phrase ‘There is no place like home’ was coined. It is true. This is a once in a lifetime adventure, but there really is ‘no place like home’. Today was half way point in terms of days; tomorrow in terms of miles.
Bottom Line: My most difficult day yet. Winds, storms, bruises. I’ll get over it. I got to. I have no choice.
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