STATS
Miles: 38.65
Calories: 2,264
Top Speed: 14.6
Average speed: 6.6 (WIND!)
It was a short mileage day (38 miles) which offers so much promise to get into camp early, maybe do some exploring around town or just sit and relax in camp, but Murphy’ Law kicked in.
We left the B&B at 7:30am and rode to a local diner, had breakfast and began our ride to Dodge City.
Sure enough (Murphy’s Law) before long the wind started. It was blasting from the south again as we headed west. Still on Route 50, the truck and semi’s would blow past creating such a strong back draft it would toss us around. Fortunately the shoulder was 15 feet wide so we had plenty of room.
There must be something with the aerodynamics while on a bike while pushing against the wind on flat ground that creates such an uncomfortable ride. Our hands hurt, our butt bones hurt to the extent we both had to stop every mile to half mile to relieve the pressure.
We knew we were, “in for it” when we saw the wind farm. There was no getting around it, we were in a wind tunnel.
Bodies hurting, being tossed by traffic, but what’s the alternative? There is none, one just presses forward, so we did. With little landscape to divert my attention for the first time since the beginning of this journey I put on some tunes. Listening to music seemed to help.
I had been hoping for a hawk feather; and they were provided. The poor fellow was a road kill, not recent, but there were still feathers around. We picked up a few and continued on our way. I also found a talon, I won’t explain how I got that one.
We moved forward, grain elevator to grain elevator. Soon I saw more feathers, this time they were from an owl. So, I collect the feathers. I need to send them home as my collection is growing too large to carry.
Eventually we arrived in Dodge City, a historic town of the Old West. The essence of cattle drives, saloons, cowboys, and lawlessness struggles to hang on among the modern world of fast food business and hotels.
We camped at the Gunsmoke RV park. Arriving late, a 12 hour day, we set up camp quickly. Lisa dove into her tent as soon as possible to keep the skitters off her. I cooked myself some dinner and took to my tent as well.
Tomorrow will be a diversion from the trail, first to visit Lisa’s husband’s family in Colorado Springs and second, as an attempt to catch up, as we are far, far behind schedule.
…I’ll keep you posted.
The Long and Winding Road - TransAmerica 