Current location: Pittsburg, KS..soon to be MISSOURI.
Miles the last two days: 84, 59
total miles: I think I'm gonna stop counting for awhile, I still have 1,000 plural to go....uugh
let me just take a deep breath for a second. phew...
So I left you all back in the rainy days of Hesston, KS. I braved the storm and luckily made it out alive, and with no lightening bolts I might add. The morning I left Hesston was a race to avoid the giant black storm cloud that seemed to be just in front of me the entire day.
A highlight of the morning was meeting two people along the road. I spotted them from a distance, and for a split second had a twinge that it might be my sister walking towards me and the horizon. It was not her, obviously, but it was an older solo woman cyclist (my first sighting!) and a younger man who, get this, is walking-I repeat, WALKING - across the country! I was feeling like this little journey of mine is taking a very long time, but this boy has already been walking for four months! I think I may have made a face similar to the once usually directed at me, you know, eyes go wide and you lose control of your mouth for a second, but once I came to my senses I realized how cool the idea actually is. He just finished getting his masters and decided to just do "something cool." I decided, we should probably be friends.
The rest of that day was actually pretty tough, its not so much fun biking through grey clouds of fog, misting rain, and nasty headwinds. About 25 miles before my foreseen destination, and five miles before a one stop town, my knee started hurting so bad it felt like I was actually limping on my bike. Kind of feels like a sniper hit my knee from the roof of a building, or the top of a windmill in this case. About ready to give up and lay in a ditch, I luckily came across the one diner in this middle of nowhere town. Limping in looking all frazzled and upset, the older couple greeted me warmly and avidly expressed their shock at me being a single woman. In a weird way, its starting to feel good that people who are so used to seeing touring cyclists out on the road, are still surprised to see me all alone.
Well, I obviously looked the usual level of haggard after a day on the road, and I asked them if and where I could camp for the night, already knowing full well there was no where. The woman thought for a minute, and told me that probably out back would be fine. Then it was like a light bulb went off and she jumped up to use the phone, calling her friend down the street. She got her neighbors to open the church up for me, so I could sleep indoors; out of the rain, and off the street. She even packed up a cinnamon roll for me, another staple of my diet.
What a night. Surprisingly it was a little creepy to sleep in the basement of a church by myself, but it was great to stay totally dry, and to be out of the tent for a night, propelling me to nice early start the next day.
Another bit of exciting news: There are rumors going around, and out here word spreads pretty fast, of another solo female cyclist! I first heard about her this morning as I was preparing to leave, and then someone else told me about her in the next town. Apparently I am in hot pursuit of a South African woman cyclist. I feel like I already stalk bikers on the road, but this time it must be a sign. Unfortunately, she is nowhere to be found! I'm starting to think she is another urban legend like all the other solo women travelers out there, because I keep hearing about them, I just cannot find them! It might be nice to have someone to ride with for a few days, not to mention someone to talk to. I'm doing my best to not become one of those crazies that talks aloud all day, although you know I sing at the top of my lungs pretty much all day, and have started the bad habit of cussing like a sailor at any car that passes too close...so I might just be closer to that image than you all thought.
Now here I am in Pittsburg Kansas, just five miles away from the border of Missouri! I couldn't bring myself to bike the extra 40 miles to the next closest thing to a town, so the big border crossing will have to be in the morning.
That's all for now, I should probably leave the library and find a shower, and maybe put on something besides these sexy spandex...hmm.
8.9.09
HALF WAY IN KANSAS.
total miles: 2,043!
miles biked 9/7, 9/8: 98 & 97
have i cycled over half of the United States: YES!!
Here I am waiting out the Seattle rain in Heston, Kansas. I woke up last night at 3am to lightening and thunder, and the pounding rain on my tent. Sure I was going to be hit by lightening, all I could really do was roll over and listen to the rain.
Turns out, I didn't get hit by a lightening bolt, but I was stuck hiding in my tent all morning, waiting for the rain to die off.
I made it out this afternoon to explore this huge city of Heston, (population: around 1,000; which seems like a lot considering where I am coming from!) finally found a place to do laundry, and of course, feed my starving belly.
The great news is: I have finally surpassed the halfway mark, not only of the entire US, but of this long journey I am on. It felt pretty great to realize that I have already biked over 2,000 miles and I am well on my way to nearing the coast-in a few more weeks that is.
The disappointing news is that I don't get to meet up with Channing, my sister. Definitely a mental downer, and I been feeling a little bummed out, but generally trying to stay positive. Literally taking it one mile at a time. I guess since I have already made it this far, threes no stopping me now, right?!
The past few days have been extremely long days of riding, we're talking ten hours on the bike, hitting nearly a hundred miles. First of all, let me just point out the myth behind the prevailing winds. I have been 'looking forward' to the prairie flat lands of the middle states for a few weeks now, thinking I would just sail along with a nice tail wind. However, rather than breezing through I have been battling some pretty strong headwinds. For those of you not familiar with this phenomenon; I like to think of it as equivalent to pulling a couple football players, on a sled, with a keg of beer. One word to describe it: brutal.
As much as I was thinking the mountains were actually the difficult part, the prairies are proving to be a lot more challenging than I thought. At least with climbing a mountain there is always the reward of going downhill, and the breathtaking surroundings are pretty nice to look at. The flat roads running through oil rigs, corn fields, and feed lots may sound pretty fantastic, but believe me; they are not all they are cracked up to be. It seems like all I can do is keep on pedaling and pushing through the wind, rain, lightening, and endless fields of gold.
I might be painting a pretty grey picture of what my days feel like lately, and trust me, its not always pretty...but there are some great things to tell as well.
My trail angels, or I should call them asphalt angels; the wonderful people who appear out of nowhere when I need them most, have been plentiful and generous. For example, a few days ago after one of those ten hour days of pedaling, feeling exhausted and on the brink of tears. I arrived in Larned, KS. one of the larger towns I have ridden through, complete with romantic brick roads and all the fast food a girl could ever want. I was unsure of where I could sleep, if I would get a shower, and if there would even be a food establishment open nearing the holiday.
Low and behold, as soon as I found a Wendy's to add some more meat to my diet, I ran into this cutie old man who had seen me ride up earlier. He offered to buy me a cheeseburger, which I obviously could not turn down. So we sat, he and I, this sweet old man named Keith, and he told me about life in Kansas and asked about cycling. He gave me his phone number saying that he has unlimited minutes and can talk anytime. He wanted an address, and I said, "sir, I'm on a bike, I don't have anything yet."
So feeling better about the night already, I rolled down the corner - a game I like to play when I'm at the end of the rope with cycling, trying to get as far as possible without actually pedaling. I found a hotel that seemed to have an RV park for campers, and the girl working that night must have had a great day because she actually let me shower in one of the rooms, and let me set up my tent in the back of the hotel. Just my style, sleeping in a tent, next to a hotel because I'm too broke to actually sleep in a room - imagine that.
I was also invited to a family reunion picnic in the park I camped at in Dighton, KS. The sweetest old woman named Gay, I think because she is just so cheery, approached me while I was setting up camp. She piled up a huge plate of picnic fixings for me, and even wrapped up two huge pieces of cake, "for later," she said. When she found out I was in fact alone, instead of looking at me with disdain and confusion like most people, she just smiled and said, "Well, my goodness, bless your heart young lady, you are just so far from home." Also another good thing to hear, because it means I am closer to my destination than I am to home on the West at this point!
So for now I will continue to wait out the rain in some far away library, or quaint little cafe in the middle of nowhere ville Kansas. I will hopefully make it to Missouri in just a few short days if it ever stops raining!!
over and out.
Sid.
miles biked 9/7, 9/8: 98 & 97
have i cycled over half of the United States: YES!!
Here I am waiting out the Seattle rain in Heston, Kansas. I woke up last night at 3am to lightening and thunder, and the pounding rain on my tent. Sure I was going to be hit by lightening, all I could really do was roll over and listen to the rain.
Turns out, I didn't get hit by a lightening bolt, but I was stuck hiding in my tent all morning, waiting for the rain to die off.
I made it out this afternoon to explore this huge city of Heston, (population: around 1,000; which seems like a lot considering where I am coming from!) finally found a place to do laundry, and of course, feed my starving belly.
The great news is: I have finally surpassed the halfway mark, not only of the entire US, but of this long journey I am on. It felt pretty great to realize that I have already biked over 2,000 miles and I am well on my way to nearing the coast-in a few more weeks that is.
The disappointing news is that I don't get to meet up with Channing, my sister. Definitely a mental downer, and I been feeling a little bummed out, but generally trying to stay positive. Literally taking it one mile at a time. I guess since I have already made it this far, threes no stopping me now, right?!
The past few days have been extremely long days of riding, we're talking ten hours on the bike, hitting nearly a hundred miles. First of all, let me just point out the myth behind the prevailing winds. I have been 'looking forward' to the prairie flat lands of the middle states for a few weeks now, thinking I would just sail along with a nice tail wind. However, rather than breezing through I have been battling some pretty strong headwinds. For those of you not familiar with this phenomenon; I like to think of it as equivalent to pulling a couple football players, on a sled, with a keg of beer. One word to describe it: brutal.
As much as I was thinking the mountains were actually the difficult part, the prairies are proving to be a lot more challenging than I thought. At least with climbing a mountain there is always the reward of going downhill, and the breathtaking surroundings are pretty nice to look at. The flat roads running through oil rigs, corn fields, and feed lots may sound pretty fantastic, but believe me; they are not all they are cracked up to be. It seems like all I can do is keep on pedaling and pushing through the wind, rain, lightening, and endless fields of gold.
I might be painting a pretty grey picture of what my days feel like lately, and trust me, its not always pretty...but there are some great things to tell as well.
My trail angels, or I should call them asphalt angels; the wonderful people who appear out of nowhere when I need them most, have been plentiful and generous. For example, a few days ago after one of those ten hour days of pedaling, feeling exhausted and on the brink of tears. I arrived in Larned, KS. one of the larger towns I have ridden through, complete with romantic brick roads and all the fast food a girl could ever want. I was unsure of where I could sleep, if I would get a shower, and if there would even be a food establishment open nearing the holiday.
Low and behold, as soon as I found a Wendy's to add some more meat to my diet, I ran into this cutie old man who had seen me ride up earlier. He offered to buy me a cheeseburger, which I obviously could not turn down. So we sat, he and I, this sweet old man named Keith, and he told me about life in Kansas and asked about cycling. He gave me his phone number saying that he has unlimited minutes and can talk anytime. He wanted an address, and I said, "sir, I'm on a bike, I don't have anything yet."
So feeling better about the night already, I rolled down the corner - a game I like to play when I'm at the end of the rope with cycling, trying to get as far as possible without actually pedaling. I found a hotel that seemed to have an RV park for campers, and the girl working that night must have had a great day because she actually let me shower in one of the rooms, and let me set up my tent in the back of the hotel. Just my style, sleeping in a tent, next to a hotel because I'm too broke to actually sleep in a room - imagine that.
I was also invited to a family reunion picnic in the park I camped at in Dighton, KS. The sweetest old woman named Gay, I think because she is just so cheery, approached me while I was setting up camp. She piled up a huge plate of picnic fixings for me, and even wrapped up two huge pieces of cake, "for later," she said. When she found out I was in fact alone, instead of looking at me with disdain and confusion like most people, she just smiled and said, "Well, my goodness, bless your heart young lady, you are just so far from home." Also another good thing to hear, because it means I am closer to my destination than I am to home on the West at this point!
So for now I will continue to wait out the rain in some far away library, or quaint little cafe in the middle of nowhere ville Kansas. I will hopefully make it to Missouri in just a few short days if it ever stops raining!!
over and out.
Sid.
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