Distance - 95 mi
Avg Speed - 13 mph
Climbed - 700 ft
Temps - 43 to 85 F
The cool North wind is persisting, so I'm staying on an East course. At the worst I have a crosswind, and occasionally I feel a little tailwind. I got up early and made pretty good time today. The low 40's for the first hour or so were the coldest of the trip; and that's about as low as my clothing will tolerate. My fingers were a little numb and my ears were starting to hurt. With the dawn came some warmer air, and all was good again.
I changed my itinerary to stay on an Eastern course again tomorrow to Cottonwood Falls, and then head North on Sunday to Ottawa when the wind is supposed to swing around to the South.
I'm still expecting to reach Kansas City on Monday afternoon. The "Official Finish Line" for this leg of the journey will be Grunauer's Restaurant in The Freight House Building, 101 W 22nd St, Kansas City; at about 4:00, which I think coincides with their Happy Hour. I may celebrate with a beer or two.
Angela is meeting me in Cottonwood Falls tomorrow, and will be my support driver for the final two days of the ride. Thanks, honey.
This is the first hill I'd seen in a long time. It even had a name, Timken Hill. There were a few more after that, but then it flattened out again. Tomorrow I'll go through the Flint Hills, so this was good practice.
Approaching Great Bend I started to see more signs of civilization, like this Gas Fueled Electric Power Plant. It looks pretty clean and compact.
Signs of new oil and gas drilling in the Arkansas River Valley, east of Great Bend.
The little town of Ellinwood seems remarkably well preserved, with a quaint downtown and Antique Shops.
And, more Antique Shops.
The Old Ellinwood Train Depot is on the Missouri Pacific Line that I've been following for days, and I noticed they post the the town's elevation prominently.
Ellinwood came up with this big steel wheat motif displayed at both ends of town.
Now, those are some dangerous looking horns! I don't know if these are Texas Longhorn cattle, or some exotic breed imported from Africa. They got very nervous when I approached for a photo.
My first sighting of rock fence posts. I'm sure I'll see alot more.
I'm camping tonight here in Lyons because all the motel rooms are booked. It's Fair Week, I'm told. Once again, I have a campground to myself. Doesn't anybody camp anymore?
Dick and I will be in Portland at a microbrewery on Monday at four....we'll be toasting your accomplishment for sure. Amazing journey, just wish that my armchair travels with you would have burned off as many calories as you did!
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