What a day today's been. Left Goodland, continuing south on Route 27 and reached Sharon Springs which showed on my odometer as being 2000 miles from the Pacific, which by my guesstimate is the mid point (mileage wise) of the trip. And what is the town emblem? A 'wildcat". How's that for a coincidence, as well as being very appropriate.
Sat and had lunch and realised I'd returned to Mountain time the previous day. Asked some locals how they cope with it. With a shrug they comment, it's just how things are. When mentioning time however, it's always qualified with, "your time or mine", or if arranging a meeting they simply say "in an hour", or whatever.
Continued south to Tribune where I had lunch and noticed some signs mentioning 'Biking Across Kansas' (BAK) but didn't have any idea what that was. Turned left onto Route 96 and will now be heading basically due east to the Atlantic, with a few minor deviations along the way to visit folks. A few miles along the road I finally left Mountain time for good. It's now Central time for a while. Also past Selkirk but it's a blink and you miss it sort of place. Few houses by the railway line and a huge cereal silo. Then on through Leoti, Coronado and Modoc and was considering where to stop for the night. Pulled off the road onto the side grass to look at the map. Now has anyone heard of 'goatheads' or 'sandburrs'. Certainly not me. Well I have now!!!! Two seconds after pulling away and I've two very flat tyres. Give them a check and I pull out 50(ish) little thorns. The tyres are obviously ruined, as are the inner tubes. This is 8pm on a Saturday evening, about 3 miles east of Scott City. I'm going to loose serious time here as there's no where nearby which will have comprehensive bicycle shops. This is a problem, or so I thought. I called in at the nearest house to see if I can camp in the garden and I speak to Flossie and Steve Kough and there son Scott who enlightened me about the thorny problem of goatheads and the effect on tyres. But more importantly they tell me the 'Biking Across Kansas' event started today and the first overnight stop is 3 miles away in Scott City . Not only that but the event includes a mobile bike shop. HAPPY DAYS. Steve very kindly took me and all my stuff into town. My two new tyres and inner tubes were bought from Bicycle Pedaler (http://www.bicyclerpedaler.com/) run by Ruth and her husband 'Doc' and I settled in at the campsite in the local park along with several hundred other happy campers. But none as happy as me, as a rather tricky situation with punctures has been resolved in half an hour. So to Flossie, Steve and Scott, can I please extend a huge "Thank you" for all your assistance. It's very much appreciated. So I'm now part of the 'Biking Across Kansas' (http://www.bak./org) event along with some 800 very friendly participants in addition to maybe 100 organisers/helpers. Is this luck, fate or something else. Who knows but I was one relieved and happy little Scotsman.
Updated: La Crosse, Kansas (library).
Fiona says
ReplyDeleteWell Andrew, at last I've caught up with things as I've missed a few days of your blog. Half way, pancakes, Yellowstone and geysers. Great geology, The Continental Divide, blizzards and storms. What can I say except...wow...what an adventure,a geographers paradise, I'm drooling reading it... and what tenacity and stamina and courage you have. Talk about luck with your punctures though..its just an amazing, amazing bit of luck..or is it more than that? Not so happy about this stone you,ve lost... guess it must be hard to get in enough calories though. Thank goodness you have stayed in a motel and had a bath at last though!!!Well done you, though, keep up the good work. I've actually had a couple of punctures and fixed them myself!!Needs must with you away I guess. Now take care and keep eating those double stack portions of pancakes Lots of love Fiona