First I have to tell you what happened after yesterday’s early post. I don’t know if I mentioned in the post that there was going to be a softball tournament this weekend (I think I put it in a Facebook post). A woman arrived with a truckload of concessions, and we helped her unload it. She told us there would be cinnamon rolls arriving at 6:00 in the morning. Got us all excited…well, that didn’t happen, but that’s not the amazing thing that happened.
Just as we were beginning to set up our tents, a woman came by (to check on the plum tree…not ripe yet). Her name was Wanda, and she is the City Clerk. In the hour she sat talking to us, I learned a whole lot about Ness City, and all about her family. If you think I can talk a lot…she’s got me beat for sure! But, that’s also not the amazing thing that happened.
Doug and I walked up to Pizza Plus for dinner. On the way back, we saw a young girl outside her house. I commented on the heat, asking her if it was warm enough for her. She just laughed.
We were relaxing in our chairs back at the park when that girl, and two other girls came down to the park with some softball equipment. The three of them came over to talk to us. They were all sisters…Kori (sp?), Riley, and Kat…12, 8, and 6. They were very fun girls. Pretty soon along came mom, Camille. She joined us and we chatted for awhile. She asked where we were going tomorrow. We told her La Crosse because there was a pool, and we would have showers. She then asked if we’d like to take showers. Since we were still roasting in the heat we said we’d love to! So we walked up to their house and took nice showers just before bed! It was so great to get clean (even if only until we started sweating again)! Such an awesome family!
Great girls! It would have been fun to watch Riley play in the tournament. Camille also gave us cookies!
Yesterday turned out to be a pretty great day (even though we didn’t get cinnamon rolls).
Before I go on to today, I just have one more thing about Ness City. As we were getting close, there was a big sign that said, “Skyscraper of the Plains-Kansas Products”. So I was looking for this skyscraper as we came into town. All I saw was the grain elevator. When Doug and I walked to dinner, we walked by the “skyscraper”.
There it is…all 3 1/2 floors!
Okay…onto today. I took off at about 6:45, before Doug as is becoming the usual.
Another Kansas sunrise.
Can you see that it says “Christ Pilot Me”? I’m just wondering where the airport is…
Terrain is a changin’. Those are hills out there!
Front yard cows.
Doug must have had more left to do because he didn’t catch up to me until the rest stop in Alexander, about 18 miles in. As I had been riding, I was thinking I could make it to Great Bend before the bike shop closed at 3:00. I mentioned this to Doug when he arrived at the rest stop. But, I told him he could just go to La Crosse as planned because it was going to be another scorcher, and he doesn’t do well in the heat. We had discovered there was a bike camp in Great Bend, and we wouldn’t have to stay in a hotel. He decided he would go to La Crosse as planned. I was also hoping I could get to Great Bend to the post office before they closed, just to see if maybe my tire had arrived. So, we parted ways at Rush Center, Doug going just 4.5 miles more off route to La Crosse, and me continuing to Great Bend (28 more miles).
The cross wind became more and more strong. Good thing was it was from the south. It made it so the cars/trucks didn’t push me around. It also kept me cooler (but a slightly less crosswind probably would have done the same).
I’d heard about the “Timkin” hills. Yes, there were hills, but really they were just rollers, and they didn’t last too long. Then it was back to flat.
I was hoping the post office was open until 1:00. Then 1:00 came and went. I was hoping they were open until 3:00. I stopped at the first convenience store in Great Bend for something to drink (it was over 100 degrees). I checked online and found the post office had closed at noon. I’d had no chance. Oh well, the tire probably wasn’t there yet anyway.
I rolled on to the bike shop, arriving in plenty of time before they closed. Picked up a spare tube and a patch kit.
As I headed to the Bike Camp, I saw this.
Cool mural art in Great Bend.
I found the bike camp. It is provided by the Central Baptist Church. There is a covered shelter, picnic tables, a water pump, sani-can, and a bike fix-it stand. Oh, and trees! The wind is still blowing, but I’m thankful because if it wasn’t, I’d be cooking!
Doug will arrive tomorrow. He’ll just have the 28 miles, so should be here in the morning. I looked online, and my tire is at the post office (if only I could have made it before they closed). So, Monday morning I’ll be there right at 8:30 when they open, to pick it up. I’ll probably ride back to the bike camp to put it on.
Doug is getting to swim, and enjoy the county fair, but I have a spare tube, patch kit, and peace of mind.
Update:
A gentleman named Dwight stopped by to visit. He told me if I called John and Donna, they would let me into the church where I could sleep out of the heat! I did, and now I’m inside for the night!
I think I’ll put my sleeping pad over against the wall.
Jeff eventually showed up too. He’s in another room. Still a bit of a strange ranger, but I gotta hand it to him, when he comes into a town, he goes everywhere. Tonight he’s off to the movies.
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