Todays Distance: 85 miles
Cycling time: 5 hrs 42 mins
Average Speed: 14.8 mph
Today’s cumulative ascent: 456 ft
Average Heart rate: 93 bpm
Distance so far: 1813 miles
Distance so far: 1813 miles
Ascent so far: 61,076 ft.
Centuries so far: 5
Punctures so far: 3
Today’s Profile:
Punctures so far: 3
Today’s Profile:
Today’s Route:
Dedication: Today is for all the children whom I have met in Providence since 1999 including (back) Iawanlang, Ibameker, Stevenson, and (front)Rebecca, Larisa and Wilbert.
Today’s 85 miles was not a tough one as the ground was slightly downhill and the wind was favourable. No great heat till we got close to Great Bend.
The best news of the day was that Steve was back in the saddle after not feeling the best for the last few days culminating in that horrendous 15 miles for him into Garden City. He was back to himself this morning and eager for the road. Appetite is back so the fuel for the challenge can be taken on. Great to have him back to bring the Tree Amigos to full strength.
Last night after dinner as the general street traffic became quiet I noticed the continuing roar of cattle trucks outside. I wondered if it would last all night. It wasn’t just the noise. The ground shook just like outside the old Amber station on the Bansha Road. Was I in for a sleepless night? I could do without that. The truck traffic continued but as soon as I hit the hay I just drifted into peaceful sleep. I woke up once during the night and the trucks were still rolling and rumbling but I just resumed my peaceful slumber.
We rode out of Dodge at dawn on our steeds and headed east to clean up a few other troublesome spots. On the hill over the city we looked back with our own memories. I suppose it brought me back to the days of playing cowboys up in the orchard and in the grove. Looking at the old Westerns will never be the same again.
Dodge City’s reputation was based on longhorn cattle. Longhorn cattle were driven up from the grazing fields of Texas on the Chisholm Trail to the stockyards by the railway. Cowboys were on free-time after many hard days in the saddle (I know how they felt) an so Dodge City became a boomtown, with all the usual accompaniments of frontier boomtowns: saloons, gambling halls, gunfighters, and women. A number of longhorn still graze by the city sign.
We were generally riding into the sun but heading more north-east than yesterday. It was to be a light south wind today and we hoped to capitalise on it. Coupled with the fall of ground (we’re back now to around 1800 feet) it made for a good ride. We wondered how Steve would cope but he cruised along with us generally at 16+ mph.
When we left at 7 am the temperature was at 71 F (21 C)
Scenery today was much as yesterday with a few changes. Once we left Dodge I notice an end to all the irrigation by moving booms and channels and it was like that for the day. On enquiry I was told that the humidity at night really dampens the soil in this area and is sufficient for growth. Also there was more combine activity to be observed.
In this area, I was told, it is mostly large industrial farms but as we move further east we’ll come across more family ranches. The tall grain silos, sometimes in pairs, continued to appear on the far horizon ahead. To give ourselves intermediate goals, one of us was sure to jokingly call out ‘New York ahead!’. It worked and helped the miles to fall away. Not that the road was boring.
At one stage, around the 30 mile mark, the Ford County deputy-sheriff in his car pulled in ahead of us and flagged us down. What now? He informed us that motorists had called in reporting bikers cycling out on the smooth carriageway. Too dangerous on these roads with trucks meeting cars or trucks overtaking trucks. We were well in on the shoulder in single file all the time. He just asked us to pass the word on to the others ‘as soon as we caught up with them’ of the folly and the danger of their ways. (That message has been conveyed to the group at Route Rap) He asked where we came from and our destination. Was interested in our stories and wished us well on our way. Didn’t think it was appropriate to ask him to stand in for a photo.
At one stage we spotted at least 100 windmills up ahead. Not a good sign. The last time we saw those we were into a wind funnel as we left Provo (UT) (see Day 14).
It took us a while to come level with them with no significant adverse wind and we ‘tip-toed’ by not tempting fate. Head-wind is just the pits.
We are not halfway across yet (that will come soon) but today we came to Midway, the point halfway between San Francisco and New York (not the silo New York) ….1561 miles from each. It is well marked and also the location of a sod-house museum. Inside is a sod-house that early settlers constructed as well as all kinds of domestic and farm utensils from the early days. One could spend an age there, but the thought of the wind changing around mid-day urged us on. We remembered the too-long dally at Royal Gorge and the resulting struggle with viscious head-wind (see Day 20)
Great Bend is named from the historical big bend in the Arkansas River. One of its claims to fame is that Jack Kilby, co-inventor of the integrated circuit in 1958 and the hand-held calculator spent his early years here and attended school in Great Bend. He developed these while working with Texas Instruments. A fair contribution to the modern world. Agriculture is the mainstay of the local economy. Oil was important till 1960 even with an oil-well in the city park. Might need to be revisited with gas here now up around $4 a US gallon. That would roughly be 70c /litre at home.
Another smooth day’s cycle and completed before the big heat. At 4.30 in Great Bend the temperature was 102 degrees. In spite of sameness there is also a variety and the slow progress on the bike gives an opportunity to take it all in. Stopping to ask about everything just isn’t on, or we wouldn’t be home till dark.
Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.
Seen Yesterday: In the Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame “Teachers have Class” and I’m bringing a copy home.
NB: Went into O’Reilly Autoparts to day to enquire re Irish connection. It is a national chain and founded in 1957 by Charles H. (Chub) O'Reilly a descendant of a Michael Byrne O'Reilly who emigrated to America from Ireland in 1849, escaping from the hard times of the potato famine. Couldn’t say from what part of Ireland.
The best news of the day was that Steve was back in the saddle after not feeling the best for the last few days culminating in that horrendous 15 miles for him into Garden City. He was back to himself this morning and eager for the road. Appetite is back so the fuel for the challenge can be taken on. Great to have him back to bring the Tree Amigos to full strength.
Last night after dinner as the general street traffic became quiet I noticed the continuing roar of cattle trucks outside. I wondered if it would last all night. It wasn’t just the noise. The ground shook just like outside the old Amber station on the Bansha Road. Was I in for a sleepless night? I could do without that. The truck traffic continued but as soon as I hit the hay I just drifted into peaceful sleep. I woke up once during the night and the trucks were still rolling and rumbling but I just resumed my peaceful slumber.We rode out of Dodge at dawn on our steeds and headed east to clean up a few other troublesome spots. On the hill over the city we looked back with our own memories. I suppose it brought me back to the days of playing cowboys up in the orchard and in the grove. Looking at the old Westerns will never be the same again.Dodge City’s reputation was based on longhorn cattle. Longhorn cattle were driven up from the grazing fields of Texas on the Chisholm Trail to the stockyards by the railway. Cowboys were on free-time after many hard days in the saddle (I know how they felt) an so Dodge City became a boomtown, with all the usual accompaniments of frontier boomtowns: saloons, gambling halls, gunfighters, and women. A number of longhorn still graze by the city sign. We were generally riding into the sun but heading more north-east than yesterday. It was to be a light south wind today and we hoped to capitalise on it. Coupled with the fall of ground (we’re back now to around 1800 feet) it made for a good ride. We wondered how Steve would cope but he cruised along with us generally at 16+ mph.When we left at 7 am the temperature was at 71 F (21 C)
Scenery today was much as yesterday with a few changes. Once we left Dodge I notice an end to all the irrigation by moving booms and channels and it was like that for the day. On enquiry I was told that the humidity at night really dampens the soil in this area and is sufficient for growth. Also there was more combine activity to be observed.In this area, I was told, it is mostly large industrial farms but as we move further east we’ll come across more family ranches. The tall grain silos, sometimes in pairs, continued to appear on the far horizon ahead. To give ourselves intermediate goals, one of us was sure to jokingly call out ‘New York ahead!’. It worked and helped the miles to fall away. Not that the road was boring. At one stage, around the 30 mile mark, the Ford County deputy-sheriff in his car pulled in ahead of us and flagged us down. What now? He informed us that motorists had called in reporting bikers cycling out on the smooth carriageway. Too dangerous on these roads with trucks meeting cars or trucks overtaking trucks. We were well in on the shoulder in single file all the time. He just asked us to pass the word on to the others ‘as soon as we caught up with them’ of the folly and the danger of their ways. (That message has been conveyed to the group at Route Rap) He asked where we came from and our destination. Was interested in our stories and wished us well on our way. Didn’t think it was appropriate to ask him to stand in for a photo.At one stage we spotted at least 100 windmills up ahead. Not a good sign. The last time we saw those we were into a wind funnel as we left Provo (UT) (see Day 14).It took us a while to come level with them with no significant adverse wind and we ‘tip-toed’ by not tempting fate. Head-wind is just the pits.
We are not halfway across yet (that will come soon) but today we came to Midway, the point halfway between San Francisco and New York (not the silo New York) ….1561 miles from each. It is well marked and also the location of a sod-house museum. Inside is a sod-house that early settlers constructed as well as all kinds of domestic and farm utensils from the early days. One could spend an age there, but the thought of the wind changing around mid-day urged us on. We remembered the too-long dally at Royal Gorge and the resulting struggle with viscious head-wind (see Day 20)
Great Bend is named from the historical big bend in the Arkansas River. One of its claims to fame is that Jack Kilby, co-inventor of the integrated circuit in 1958 and the hand-held calculator spent his early years here and attended school in Great Bend. He developed these while working with Texas Instruments. A fair contribution to the modern world. Agriculture is the mainstay of the local economy. Oil was important till 1960 even with an oil-well in the city park. Might need to be revisited with gas here now up around $4 a US gallon. That would roughly be 70c /litre at home.The 85 miles just took over 5 hours and we pulled into our motel in Great Bend at 1.45 pm. Another relatively early finish.
Another smooth day’s cycle and completed before the big heat. At 4.30 in Great Bend the temperature was 102 degrees. In spite of sameness there is also a variety and the slow progress on the bike gives an opportunity to take it all in. Stopping to ask about everything just isn’t on, or we wouldn’t be home till dark.
Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.
Seen Yesterday: In the Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame “Teachers have Class” and I’m bringing a copy home.
NB: Went into O’Reilly Autoparts to day to enquire re Irish connection. It is a national chain and founded in 1957 by Charles H. (Chub) O'Reilly a descendant of a Michael Byrne O'Reilly who emigrated to America from Ireland in 1849, escaping from the hard times of the potato famine. Couldn’t say from what part of Ireland.
So ‘Sarge’ and I set out together in the crisp morning air as the grain trucks lined up to unload their cargos at the collection points on the edge of Garden City. Grain, silos, maize in its early stages and irrigation dominated the scenery as we moved along. We maintained a steady pace of 15mph and others joined in for periods along the way.
The different communities along the route had their own co-op each with its massive silos. Dodge City Co-Op had one out the country and there is a much larger one on the principal road (Wyatt Earp Boulavard) into the Old Town.
Again we passed several feedlots with one easily measuring half-mile along the road. It was feeding time and all were feeding at the same precise time They are used for finishing livestock, 
Only one SAG stop today and it was located beneath the water tower in Ingalls at the 27 mile mark. Each community has its water tower to enable gravity feed. The older ones (see Sunday June 22) create a real western feel. But the more modern ones have their own beauty and symmetry.
Our route generally follows the old Santa Fe Trail that linked Missouri and New Mexico. On the Santa Fe Trail, hundreds of freight wagons laden with trade goods lumbered along taking 6 or 7 weeks to cover the 800 miles just doing 12 to 1 miles per day and always with the threat of attack. It was in use for 50 years till the railroad eventually went west. The ruts from the constant use can still be spotted in places on the slopes as in the centre background. We on our bikes are moving a lot faster than wagons and still we are almost 4 weeks away from California.
In Dodge City itself I spotted an auto-shop that has to have one of our own somewhere in the ownership line….and probably a Cavan connection.I dropped into the Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame and met another customer there from Ballymahon in Longford who was returning home for a visit in 3 weeks. Told her to bring her brolly and heavy coat.
A few miles short of Dodge City there was no mistaking what lay ahead. The approach is dominated by wild cowboys in silhouette and it provided a great photo op. One extra cowboy up there.. It is regarded now as the meat-packing capital of the US with 11,000 cattle being processed each day.
Dodge City had more famous (and infamous) gunfighters working at one time or another than any other town in the West. Wyatt Earp and Doc Halliday were lawmen here and earned their pay.
Just on the way into Dodge is Boot Hill where they buried them with their boots on and I paid it a visit. 
All remains have been moved ond only a few plaques remain. A section of the Old Town has been somewhat preserved for the tourist and the Boot Hill Museum allow the visitor to relive the legends. 
There were thunderstorms forecast for the afternoon in Garden City and so everyone packed the rain-gear just in case. As it turned out there was no need. The route again generally followed the course of the Arkansas River although we didn’t see it very often. Plenty of greenery around during the early stages and temperatures were quite pleasant as we left at just after 6 am.
The Arkansas River that we did see bore no resemblance to the mountain torrent that we accompanied out of Salida. It moved much slower and didn’t have near the same volume of water. Much of it had been diverted for irrigation purposes into channels around the fields.
For the first 50 miles we had a tail-wind behind us and we moved smoothly on relatively quiet roads at 18 to 20 mph with little or no effort. The idea of a century (after yesterdays 121 miles) held little fear for us. We were already half way there. I had the preconception that Kansas was flat. If so, we were not in typical Kansas today. It was rolling without anything too demanding. Hills are only number three on my X-list the others being headwind and great heat.
First SAG was at 33 miles and we arrived there very fresh. Someone had used their imagination to find a safe place to park in the Rest Area by Highway 50 while taking on calories and water.
Shortly after that SAG we came to the state-line. Goodbye to Colorado and hello Kansas. This is now the 5th state on my trek across 14 of them. It also marks our passing from Mountain Time Zone to Central Time. We are now only 6 hours behind Ireland. Always getting closer.
In places there was no cultivation and even abandoned homesteads but these areas weren’t extensive. In general today’s route was through fertile country in ccomparison to previous days.
With so much barley and maize it was only to be expected that grain silos would be visible regularly. Large ones in co-ops and smaller ones in individual ranch-yards. I expect we will see many more as we cross the state - 5 more days.
There were many feed-lots along our route today again with thousands of cattle being fattened in each. You knew one was coming up – especially when we had a headwind. The nose could pick one out. But not all cattle were in feedlots. Some had a less crowded existence although I wouldn’t like to ‘lock horns’ with them on one of their off-days.
Yesterday was a quiet one in the fields but it was back to work today with the baling to be done. They don’t have to worry about the drying over here judging by our experience over the last few days. Their worry might be that the lot would just disappear in the case of a tornado.
In the mid afternoon the wind began to swing and change and blow right down on our noses. It wasn’t violent but added to the effort. Temperatures began to climb up into the mid-90s and that just drains energy. Steve in our group had what one might call an energy slump around the 85 mile mark and we slowed the pace to accommodate. Everyone found the combination of heat, wind and rather tiring terrain over the final miles a bit much to take. We arrived safely at the motel just before 5 pm (Central Time)
In the Tour de France etc the names of the top riders are often written on the road to encourage them on to victory. I must have a fan-club over here who have been busy with the paint-brush. Anything that encourages is OK by me. But the only victory I seek is that sufficient funds will be raised to ensure that the children of Providence get a break by means of education.
