Friday, October 5. Another windy day in Kansas, from Emporia to Ottawa.
We had what looked like a lovely route planned, that would take us down a county road and past a small lake. Rod, however, did some research. He looked at the paper map we have in the car, then took a quick drive down the road ahead of us. Turns out the route was not so nice - 10 to 14 miles of gravel. Yuck. Not for us. He rerouted us back onto a couple of Kansas State Highways. We missed the lake, but we also missed the gravel.
The wind - ah, yes, the wind. Another day of wind from the NNE, although not so strong today. Almost easy compared to a couple of days earlier this week. But it was much colder. In the 40's when we left Emporia, climbing to the 50's. With the wind, it didn't feel that warm.
After Rod dropped me off, about 15 miles into the new route, he went back to where Jody was. Jody then drafted off the back of The Little Darkness. It certainly made for easier riding (and faster chasing) on the stretch that was due north, directly into the wind. With that assist, Jody caught me after I'd been on the bike for about 11 miles (close to 90 minutes). I had just stopped for a drink of water when he caught up with me. (I still don't like to drink on the bike with the kind of cross wind we had today.)
While Jody was chasing me, the cows were running from me. Seriously. Young ones, I think, and either a little skittish or just being silly in the cold weather. Snorting and heads up, and then running along the fence line ahead of me. Three times today. For weeks, we've been passing cattle who just look and watch. Today, they ran. Silly kitties.
We stopped by a small farm with goats, ducks, a very friendly little dog in with the goats, and two lovely people who waved to us as they drove off. We talked for a couple of minutes, then Jody went off to find a tree. The one he found was at the base of a hill. The day was filled with ripples in the road - rises and falls - but this one was a little bit of a hill. He got off, then rode up the hill. Not me. Momentum (such as it was in the wind) on my side, I pedaled up to the top before stopping. We were talking about snacks, then smooching, when Rod came back from forward scouting the route. Busted! Kissing instead of riding hard. Ah, well. Snacks, then I jumped in the car and gained a few miles on Jody.
Rode about another four miles into the little burg of Osage City (arriving before Jody!), where we had lunch at the local bar and grill.
The bar and grille in Osage City, KS.
There was nothing vegetarian on the menu, but the waitress asked the cook, who said that yes, he could make grilled cheese sandwiches for Jody and me. Yum. Comfort food on a cold, cold day. Jody and I were both pretty warm when we stopped, but the longer we sat, the more we cooled down. Cold day, but we were dressed for it, so it wasn't too bad.
The proprietor came in while we were eating. He was laughing and shaking his head. Said he'd never seen a bike locked up in Osage City before! Thought it was very funny. Jody said he'd talked to a cyclist he'd seen outside of town, who had a lock for his bike. Jody thought if someone local was going to lock his bike, Jody should, too. The proprietor then went on to tell us the story of the Ride Across Kansas coming through Osage City a couple of years ago. Bikes lining the streets, and not a one of them locked. The forward car had came into town, warning him that the cyclists were coming and that they would drink the town dry. They'd done that to every town they'd stopped in. Not my place, he said. And they didn't - turned out the Budweiser distributor was just down the road and delivering an extra refrigerated truck full of beer was no big deal!
After lunch, Rod drove me another few miles down the road, dropping me about 19 miles away from the hotel. Great ride in from there, taking about an hour and 45 minutes. Rippling rises and falls, flat straights, a few miles due south and with a big tailwind, then the rest of the miles mostly sheltered from the wind either by trees or the buildings in town. On the southbound leg, I startled what I thought was a small coyote by the side of the road. At least at first glance, I thought it was a coyote. It might have been a fox. Yes, I know the difference, but I think I was as startled as he was. And then I was past him, without ever getting a really good look. Either way, very cool. Hawks again today, too. And lots and lots of carrion birds. Haven't seen any Canada geese in a couple of days, but plenty of other birds.
Migratory birds, headed even further south than where we are now.
It's been unseasonably cold the last few days, or so we've been told. There is supposed to be a hard freeze here tonight, and then again tomorrow night. Glad to have warm cycling clothes today. Glad to get to the hotel to take them off. Glad we're going to have a rest day tomorrow. And we'll be glad to have clean cycling clothes when we get back on the bikes Sunday morning.
Jody's been looking online for Rotary meetings early next week - it looks like the timing might be right in Missouri once or twice. We're doing laundry now and will drive into Overland Park (suburban Kansas City) to Congregation Beth Torah for Friday night Shabbat services.
Shabbat Shalom! And we'll see you down the road.
Today I am a Dal'she Budesh radish!
~Janie Braverman, on riding slowly in the cross wind
from Tishe yedesh - dal-she budesh.
~Traditional Russian: The slower you go, the further you get.
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