Earth, Wind and............Rain

Day 33, August 3, Westcliffe to Pueblo, 64 miles, 3400 feet ascent

Well, in Pueblo the section of my trip called "Western Express" ends. With it end the mountains until I reach the Appalachian mountains anyway. The terrain change is dramatic. It was a very hot ride, I arrived tired from a constant headwind.
The new section, which will get me to the end is called "Trans America", all by "Adventure Cycling Association". I follow their maps. A great organisation.
I was not expecting Pueblo to leave a lasting expression on me, but it did. I am a little torn as to how much any reader would be interested in me writing before they get bored. I welcome feedback. Based on that I may add more. In the meanwhile I have started recording my many thoughts on my smart phone.
I am experiencing an outburst of creativity while riding, quite unexpectedly so I must say. Maybe it is the result of the endorphin from riding.  Also empowering. I am getting much better overcoming my shyness with new situations. I am no longer waiting to see if people wave to me (as a test if they like me or mot), instead I wave whenever I feel like, nobody has failed to wave back yet. (Excluding traditional Mormon woman, who never look you in the eye). After 2 nights sleeping outside I am usually very dirty and I did not bring a comb. Nobody has cared yet.
When I arrived in Pueblo I tried to find clips for my shoes (that latch onto my petals) because I lost screws from the used ones I got 2 weeks ago. I arrived at the first store and was invited by the owner to stay at his house for the night. Good timing because 2 hours later a huge rainstorm passed through.
I agreed to rejoin the owner (forgot name) 2 hours later and left to buy groceries and have dinner.
At the grocery store, I saw a young man sitting on at table. I joined him and he asked me for a cigarette. I mentioned to me him that I do not smoke and then of course told him neither should he ....and why. In the ensuing conversation I found out, that he was kicked out of his home by his very drunk father, and had nowhere to go. He did not say, but I could tell he was hungry. I shared my grapefruit with him and then gave him $20.- in order for him to go into Safeway and buy dinner.
I asked him to please come back, since it really was my last $20.- It took him a little longer than I thought it should, but back he came, having bought the cheapest food he could find ($7.-) with receipt and chance in hand. I left him to his dinner and as I rode passed him he said: "You taught me a lesson tonight". I told him I was grateful for that. I do not know what the lesson was to him, no need.
I went to the bicycle store, where the owner made me wait 5 more hours, expected me to pay for dinner and then showed me an empty room to sleep in, no shower, no coffee in the morning.
A motel would have been cheaper and far more comfortable. I did feel used. If it was not for the torrential downpour, I would have left in the evening.
He had an employee who reminded me of myself at his age. Very sweet young man of course.



Day 34, August 4, Pueblo to Sugar City, 67 miles, 1600 feet ascent

I did not leave Pueblo until noon, spent the morning securing supplies. I had my first flat tire of this trip, on my bicycle. Was easy to fix. Due to the special liquid I had put into my tires, called "Slime" I have only added air to my tires once in 1600 miles and avoided most flats, great stuff.
Uneventful ride, quite dry landscape. Interestingly enough, a lot of oil wells. I did not know Kansas has oil.
I lugged my bicycle and trailer through a ravine and over railroad tracks towards a place to pitch my tent. By the way, my trailer and I have made up long ago. We are now "friends". It carries everything I need, and in return I pull it. I have yet to meet another person with a similar setup. All other, maybe 25 people, I have encountered doing a similar trip, have touring bicycles with panniers (bags) with which they carry their belongings. Most talk with you, some do not stop.
15-25 Miles per hour headwind all day. I slept on the side of the road.



Day 35, August 5, Sugar City to Sheridan Lake, 74 miles, 1100 feet ascent

I had lunch in a small town and sat next to a table with four grain silo inspectors, wearing their orange safety vests. One young and inquisitive, one cynical (I am sorry you are from California), and two quiet. I had a good conversation with the young one. The cynic remained silent after his initial comment. They left, the young man shaking my hand, sad to leave. After they left the waitress told me that one of the men who did not utter a word, paid for my lunch. I was genuinely touched.
Found another ditch, made camp and fell asleep to trucks rambling by. Thank you Ibuprofen PM!
15-25 Miles per hour headwind all day.



Day 36, August 6, Selkirk to Scott City, 52 miles, 1000 feet ascent

The day started beautiful, like so many mornings. Sitting with my instant coffee, taking in the landscape, smelling the dirt, birds chirping. After lunch, a strong wind started blowing, maybe 50-60 miles per hour. I rode 9 miles in 2 hours on flat ground. It was exhausting. My friend Kevin warned me about this, in a comment on this blog, before I left. I deleted the comment, because he was not in a good space when he wrote it. But man, he was right, the winds are tough.
I tried to shelter in an abandoned grain silo but doves had found it first. Doves do not wear diapers in Kansas. Off I went, finally just set up my tent on bare ground next to the road, fully exposed.
No shrub, no tree, no grass. I felt like I was in a glass house, truckers honking while I ate. I had no choice. I could not go on. After dark, the wind subsided. I slept better than I thought I would.


Day 37, August 7, Scott City to Alexander, 63 miles, 900 feet ascent

I chose to have a second breakfast at 10:00 AM, my appetite having returned. The only food available in many of these small towns, is located in gas station eateries. This one was a bar that served food and had just opened.
I have liked Kansas so far, the people have been very welcoming. I love the landscape, it's vastness. The food here though, like in much of the places on this trip so far, is unimaginative, and of poor nutritional value. Think hamburger and sandwiches in varied ways coupled with french fries and white bread. Fruits, vegetables are rare. I did hit an emotional low point when I watched a young family order a Sprite for their one year old baby. Nothing else, just Sprite. I had the special of the day, ground beef over french fries. I was hungry, OK?
On the other hand, it did propel me 63 miles that day. The only place I found to make camp was in 12-18" high grass. It was almost dark when I set up and I was a little freaked out, that I could not see what I was stepping on. I had to mat the grass down just to set up. A big thunderstorm hit right after I "tried" to sleep. In the morning everything was soaked. It was quite uncomfortable.
15-25 Miles per hour headwind all day.


Day 38, August 8, Alexander to Larned, 89 miles, 1000 feet ascent

A long day of riding against the wind. Nose to grindstone and pumping. I talked with a gentleman on a table next to me while having lunch. He looked like a worn out farmer. Instead he was a college educated motel owner. He majored in Spanish. He was a very sweet man. As I left, he gave me the most tender and longest handshake of my life, adding "God bless you". It is these moments that make a trip like this. He added, that there is more that unites us that there is that separates us (meaning coastal regions and conservative interior). A wise man. So much for my judgement of what people do for a living by gaging their appearance.
15-25 Miles per hour headwind all day.


Day 39, August 9, Larned to Hutchinson, 82 miles, 1300 feet ascent

This day was supposed to be my rest day but I did not want to spend it in a small town.
I left in pouring rain at 11:00 AM. I waited to see if it would stop. I got lost for the first time. It added a painful 11 miles to the day. It rained for about 45 miles. I had better days.
There was flooding everywhere. Every time I stopped mosquitoes the size of small chickens attacked in carefully orchestrated formations. I hit my leg once and killed 5 at the same time. That was a first for me. This was worse than the night when a group of Mormons attacked me on horses. You remember?  
10 Miles out of Hutchinson, I ran into (figure of speech (have you noticed I like putting words in brackets? (my friend Mike told me it is temperament specific(funny)))) two fellow road warriors coming the other way. Very good men. They were looking for an elusive dry spot to camp. Since I had a motel room booked, I offered to share, they accepted. I am glad they did. Open minded, curious, with a passion to make the world better with food and schools, to me these are the young men we need more of. To Zachary and John (your mom could have given you a more imaginative name though): Thanks.
I like beds, sheets, cushioning, running water.
15-25 Miles per hour headwind all day, except 20 miles when the road jogged.

Day 40, August 10

Day of rest. I like Hutchinson. They are trying to rebuild downtown, staying local. All the things I have lamented are missing in so much of this country. Go Kansas.
I have found three bookstores within 1 mile radius of the motel. Go Kansas.

Total distance so far: 2078 miles, passed half way point of about 3700 miles total.
Total ascent so far: 101,800 feet.


Dietmar's Index and other tidbits..

Name the town of the first documented public performance of an electrical guitar happened?
Wichita, Kansas


Guess the difference in height between the lowest and the highest of Colorado's 58 mountains over 14,000 feet.
482


Guess the weight Dietmar has lost so far on this trip.
How would I know, I do not have a scale!