Outstanding In The Field

Ride Stats:
Distance - 38 mi
Avg Speed - 10.5 mph
Climbed - 2630 ft
Calories Burned - 2285 kcal
Temps - 85 to 115 F

This was my ride back home from Watkins Mill State Park, so it was a chance to practice the "riding after camping" aspect of the trip. The factors that might influence one's energy level are: sleeping ( or not sleeping ) on an uncomfortable ground pad, non-temperature controlled environment ( in this case, too hot ), noises ( like insects, bullfrogs, and other campers ), time spent breaking camp and packing your stuff in the morning, and limited food choices. These kind of non-routine factors could impact one's performance. I still managed to get on the road at 8:15 and got about 1/3rd of the riding done before it heated up too bad. Maybe because I was retracing now familiar ground, or maybe because I was going home, the ride seemed easier; and most importantly I felt like I could have gone much further.


Sunday was a sightseeing day, and we spent the first half learning all about the history of the Park and the Watkins family that first settled here. They were a very industrious family and built the first Woolen Mill this far west in the 1840's.

You can't have a Woolen Mill without sheep.

The family moved from Kentucky and brought a style of architecture prevalent in that area with them. Not only did they make all the bricks for this house, but they made alot of money selling bricks to their neighbors. Quite a step up from the log cabins common at the time in this area.

Later in the day we attended a unique dining event called "Outstanding In The Field," created by Jim Denavan, the fellow on the right over 10 years ago; and hosted by the Fair Share farmers Tom & Rebecca on the left. The concept brings together prominent chefs, organic farmers, and their adoring fans for a creative dining experience.

The servers sign on a for a months long tour of the country, hosting over a hundred of these events; and have a fun attitude about it. They live together on a tour bus, like rock star roadies.

This was a tasty combination of watermelon, a blueberry, basil, spritzed with honeysuckle and walnut oil foam.

Who comes up with this stuff?

The featured master chef, Jonathan Justus, was proudly showing off a rib roast of beef, nicely seasoned and ready to be cooked, well done on the outside and rare in the middle.

Rebecca demonstrated their favorite piece of farm equipment, a 1940's Allis Chalmers tractor converted to run on batteries. They're always thinking "green."

The table was set for 150. Kind of like a Farnung Family Thanksgiving.

On the way back I caught a little glimpse of the KC skyline from about 15 miles northeast.