TransAm Day #27 Rush Center, KS

TransAm Day #27

June 21, 2018

Rush Center, KS - Scott City, KS

89 Miles

Ride Time 9:09 Hours

Tour Total Miles 2049

details at: https://cyclemeter.com/4b2d99e24f1383f2/Cycle-20180621-0559-79717

Last night I slept in my hammock suspended underneath the swing set in the tiny park at Rush Center, which boasts the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade. There wasn’t much here, but Steve and I were fortunate to have a restaurant next to where we were camping. I had the fried catfish, and fellow westbound TransAm cyclist Eileen arrived as we were finishing dinner. Steve had met her earlier in the day, and had ordered her a hamburger in case she arrived late. She camped alongside us in the park. It was really windy when I went to bed and I felt as though I should secure my gear and tie everything down. It was chilly and I used my silk liner and sleeping bag. Because there were no bathroom facilities in the park, I neither showered nor washed my clothes. It was the first time on the tour that I had gone to bed dirty, and wore the same outfit the following day. It got cold, but I stayed nice and toasty in my sushi roll.

When I awoke everything was covered with dew. I'm now in the high plains and I’ve noticed a difference in humidity. My lips have become really dry and I have to constantly smother them with lip balm. The morning was cold and I had to wear my sweater for the first time in addition to my leg warmers and rain jacket to serve as a shell. I’m headed west on Highway 96, which tomorrow, fingers crossed, should put me in Colorado. It wasn't nearly as windy in the morning is as it was yesterday afternoon. I let Steve set the alarm. We got up at five and were on the road by six.

There was nowhere to charge my devices last night in the park. I charged a little bit at the restaurant but it was insufficient. I have phone service today whereas I didn’t yesterday. I think there had been a problem with my phone. My communications issues are rectified for the moment. I decided not to use my Garmin today, because I'll only be on one road, and I don’t want to waste power.

Eileen had been traveling with a pack of west-bounders. I believe they called themselves the TransAms. The group got split up because people ride at different paces. They're planning to reconnect and take time off in Pueblo, CO which is it at the end of the current map section and 300 miles to the west, right before the mountains. I’m planning to spend two nights in Pueblo. I need a break.

Highway 96 parallels what appears to be an inactive railroad line, judging that many of the bridges are wooden. There were no noisy freight trains last night. I followed this line for the entire day.

I’ve been thinking about this powerful Kansas wind and how the state should harness it as an energy resource instead of pulling toxic oil out of the ground. Lo and behold today I saw my first wind farm. All right Kansas! There’s hope for you yet. Today is the summer solstice and the longest day of the year. Unfortunately I spent much of it either riding into the wind or being blown from my right hand side.

Last night Eileen told us a story about some very friendly motorists in Kentucky who offered to transport all of her gear up over Hayters gap. Steve and I both agreed that that she would have to go back and fill in that gap.

There was road construction west of Alexander for two miles to the Ness county line. The crew was grooving the pavement in preparation for new asphalt. Flagmen were posted at both ends, and motorists had to be guided through by a pilot car. This didn’t apply to cyclists, and I pedaled on through. I talked with the toothless flagman and he prepared me for the bumpy surface ahead. I asked if any other cyclists had been through today and he replied that a cyclist dressed in black came through early in the morning before they had set up.

I met eastbound TransAm cyclists Rob and Gary whom had started May 15th. Rob was a former park ranger at Yellowstone, and he told me that Grand geyser was way better than old Faithful. The pair was enjoying their tail wind and was hoping to make it to Nickerson by day's end.

I’ve noticed block shaped hay bales in this part of Kansas. I’ve seen enormous stacks on the side of the road and also trucks transporting the hay bales to hungry livestock. I was passed by two dozen semi-trucks carrying brand new green John Deere combines. The machines are wider than the truck beds and extend wider than a single lane of traffic. The front end attachments are towed by a separate truck.

I had to battle the wind to make eight miles an hour. This wind really wears me out and makes me crazy. Hills are equitable. For every uphill struggle there’s a down hill reward and vice versa. Wind is unpredictable and not fair. I’ve enjoyed two tail winds on short north-bound stretches. Following the other night’s storms, the wind has shifted and is now coming out of the northwest, which does me no good. Its agonizing, taxing resistance. The locals tell me that this is just a breeze. The other day in Ness City the winds were sixty mile an hour.

I had breakfast at the Cuppa Joe’s Café in Ness city. Really nice people run it, and my omelette special was fantastic. I got the owner talking about the wind, and she said it can be crazy here. She admitted that it sometimes drives her nuts. Her husband helped renovate the historic Ness City Bank building, which I later visited. It's a gem.

After breakfast it was a battle to do six miles an hour. That’s my unicycle speed. I listened to music on my iPod, stopped frequently, and tried not to get frustrated. I hit the two thousand mile mark, but had to wait another eighteen miles before I could document it.

At about 3pm I finally made it to Dighton. I stopped at the ice cream store and got myself two root beer floats, because I deserved them. Actually, I deserved to call it quits for the day, but the insane plan was to make it all the way to Scott City. I learned that Scott City got 8-1/2 inches of rain the other night. A lot of the fields around here are still flooded. I’ve been so lucky with the weather. This trip is like threading a needle.

I’m staying at the Scott County Fitness Center and sleeping on the gymnasium floor. I was so tired that, after showering and doing my laundry, I ate the granola I had been hauling instead of venturing out for dinner. It appears that Steve is spending the night in Dighton. I got a text from Eileen that she was headed here.