The Finish Line

2384 MILES!

My shortest day was 44 miles. My longest was 96.

I was blessed with perfect weather and a multitude of  interesting sights, people, and events. I have not traveled outside the country extensively, but feel the United States has some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the world - some off the beaten track, not seen by many. It also has a lot of caring and courteous people willing to share with others. There were many encounters that will remain a part of my memory. It is important to know that small kindnesses do make a difference in the world.

 I especially appreciated the time Larry spent making this a wonderful experience. Without him (my Super Sag) my experience would have been less enjoyable. His handling of the everyday issues made my days so much easier. It was nice knowing he was always close if I needed him.

If you ride, I encourage you to try a long trip. If not, give biking a try. It can be habit forming.

Until next time - bike on.

Day 35. Creston IA to Home. 74 miles

   Last day! The morning was perfect. The sound of birds singing was most wonderful. They serenaded me with a marvelous symphony for the first three hours of my ride. It was the most birds I had heard in the morning. I think the abundance of lush trees and grasslands from all the rain in this area played a part in it.
   The roads today were fantastic and I was able to make great time. I saw the birthplace of John Wayne in Winterset and then headed on to Martinsdale and the bike path trailhead into Des Moines. Larry met me there and I offloaded some of my stuff.
   It seemed really weird to be seeing bikes and no cars. I got to the point that I wanted to hop off and luckily, a lot of other people had done the same since there was a path through the weeds and up to the road. I didn't have far to go now. As I approached the last major intersection two bikers caught me from behind. I didn't know where they had come from, but they were really anxious to pass me. They did the "on your left" and I waited for them to pass, but they just kept saying "on your left" like a broken record. I pulled off onto the grass and they still followed me. To my surprise, it was Trent and  Allison. I could hardly believe it. They finished my ride with me! I had another great surprise of balloons and signs and Tyler and Erin at my "finish line".
   The surprises just kept coming. After a nap, I had beautiful flowers delivered from Nate and then we headed over to Tyler's. Trent couldn't find his wallet, but before he did, Alex, Jimmy and Stephanie snuck up to the car. Needless to say it was an amazing end to a wonderful ride.

Day 34. Shenandoah to Creston IA. 74 miles

   The day started with a nice wind to my back. Then the route turned first to gravel and then "minimum  maintenance road - enter at your own risk" and then repeat with a little more gravel. Add to that hills and a strong wind and the day got long. I did get to see a coyote and two very young deer.
   At Villisca, my Super Sag came along and modified the route. The roads were much better.
   A storm started to brew later this morning. As I pulled into Corning, I was greeted with a loud thunderclap. Perfect timing! Larry and I sat under a gazebo and had some drinks and fruit while we waited for the storm to pass. After the storm, it got pretty hot. I was really happy when I saw the sign for our motel at the very beginning of Creston.
   Our last night in a hotel - The Moonlite Inn - all the comforts of home.

Corny Quiz

Ok, you legion of followers....my last day in a motel has inspired a "corny quiz" .....let's see how you do:
Picture 1.      Is the house pictured   1). A Bed & Breakfast.  2). The scene of a mass murder
                       3)  A primary Southwest Iowa tourist attraction. -or- 4). All of the above?
Picture 2.      Is the person in the picture.  1).  A paid prop for this picture.  2). Larry's long lost
                       relative. 3).  Another bike repairman. -or- 4). The mayor who gave Larry the keys
                       to the school?
Picture 3.       Which famous Iowan(s) birthplace is this....and name the city. (All in Southwest IA)
                        1). Andy Williams.   2)  The Everly Brothers. 3). Johnny Carson.  4). Donna Reed

Summer Solstice

June 20th represented the longest (by sunlight) day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.  It also is the day we reentered Iowa for the first time in over a month of biking across the Western United States.  Unlike most of the rest of America, we have had near perfect weather on this trip, and no disruption by rain.  That is a far cry from what has happened.  We have seen the wild fires, read about  the devastating rains and tornados that have occurred.  I have seen the crops, and at this stage, they are in EXCELLENT condition, regardless of what the doomsayers are telling you.
Iowa has always had a lush green color, and this year is no different.  The uniqueness of Iowa is in most cases it does not require center-pivot irrigation to get that beautiful color.....it does in Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado.  I want to include a picture that sums up the trip.....a silhouette of  the two bicycles on this trip.....a reflection of just how beautiful something can be, if we only take the time in our fast-paced world to SEE it....right in front of us.

Day 33 Tecumseh NE to Shenandoah IA 72 miles

   It was a very windy day today! I had to get off my bike a couple of times because I thought I was going to be blown over or into traffic. Without shoulders on most of the roads, it was necessary to keep a close eye on traffic. Drivers were not very generous with road space.
   I enjoyed getting to see Larry and Jackson several times today. It really helped break up the trip. More Iowa tomorrow.

Day 32. Marysville KS to Tecumseh NE. 61 miles

   I started out with another beautiful sunrise. Two elephants were walking along the clouds surrounded by a glowing pink background.
   My last 12 miles in Kansas were on gravel. While on it , a train said hello, I saw one deer, and one pickup. It was a peaceful ride through farmland. At one point, I thought the road might have ended since it became more of a lane with two tracks and foot high weeds in the middle. Shortly after, the gravel changed to a red color and I was in Nebraska. Three miles later I was on paved roads. The roads remained fairly calm. I stopped at the top of one hill and looked out at a beautiful patchwork of varying shades of brown and green. The crops are beginning to show their differences.
   Nebraskans seem to be wavers. They are friendly on the road and also maintain a clean roadside. It's off to Iowa tomorrow. Sorry Dorothy, but there's no place like home and I don't mean Home, Kansas.

Day 31. Clay Center to Marysville KS. 56 miles

   Shortly after leaving, I watched a beautiful pink sunrise. It was most amazing. As I watched, a pink spot would blink at me through one set of clouds. I knew it was going to be a good day.
   I thought I might see a lot of deer today, but only two crossed the road. I did see a really big green bullfrog. Large farms remained the scenery today.
   I would like to commend the people of Kansas on two things. They are extremely courteous on the roads and the berms are practically litter free.
   Marysville is a quaint town. It is the home of the first home station on the Pony Express route. Riders would stop here after leaving St. Jo, Missouri. The rider would stay here until the return mail came from California.
   Our entertainment tonight was a first run movie complete with popcorn and drink for a total of $7. Hard to beat! Once again a great day.

Day 30. Salina to Clay Center KS. 61 miles

   I left this morning on wet roads and under a threatening sky. At one point I thought I could almost reach up and touch the clouds. It never did rain though.
   It was a day of beautiful rolling hills through farmland. The clouds helped keep the temperature down. I stopped at the top of one hill for a break and a car pulled over. I was a little leery at first, but then I saw the State Trooper insignia on the side. He wondered how I was doing and didn't think I had a very good day to ride. We talked a while and he assured me I was on the right path even though he had to help me remember what city I was going to. Then he took off.
   It stayed pleasant all day. I got to enjoy the sun the last 20 miles. Another nice day.

Day 29. Hutchinson to Salina KS. 65 miles

   I started with a 40% chance of rain. The skies were dark and a little ominous, but by mid morning I was traveling under beautiful blue skies - no rain at all!
   I traveled through more farmland today. More corn and still a lot of wheat. I thought I was moving along pretty good until two tractors passed me.
   Oil still has some presence in this area. The city of McPherson had a huge oil refinery. Salina is a fairly good sized town. It is very long. I rode about 8 miles to get to the North end. A nice ride today.

Day 28. Pratt to Hutchinson KS. 58 miles

   A wonderful day to bike. The roads were smooth and with little or no wind, the miles went by quickly.
   There were still a lot of oil wells as I left Pratt, but it soon turned into farmland. There were a few cattle, but mostly wheat. I saw my first cornfield shortly after leaving Pratt, but then it was back to wheat. There were several small towns today which helped break up the trip. I waved to a train which they don't usually response to and this engineer blew his whistle loudly making me jump. He obviously thought that was funny since he blew the whistle about four more times. It sounded like he was laughing.
   Hutchinson is a nice town. It has a lot of museums, a zoo, exotic wildlife park, and is home to the Kansas State Fair.

   Way to go Holly and Paige!  Great job figuring out the musical terms.

Check out the Model H tractor with electric start......it requires an operating battery...a luxury on the Haines family farm....no wonder we always used the flywheel option!

Day 27. Kiowa to Pratt KS. 57 miles

   Ready to leave and my back tire is flat. I trade bikes and leave repairs to Larry. He fines about 9 pieces of wire in my tire and tube.
   This was probably one of my favorite days. The song I kept repeating today was " it seems like home to me" from How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.  I had to smile when I pulled into the city of Medicine Lodge and saw a Casey's.
   I didn't realize how much oil production occurs in southern Kansas. There were working wells all over. It is nice to see trees again! Beautiful rolling hills and courteous drivers.  We are in the city of Pratt, Kansas tonight. It is full of beautiful churches.

Day 26 Seiling OK to Kiowa KS. 82 miles

   It was a hot day today.  I saw a lot of animal parts along the road. There were a few times I thought I was  going to join them.  A lot of oil workers out today and also a lot of semis.
   One interesting thing about Oklahoma was the number of cemeteries. There were highway signs announcing all of them along the way.
   We were definitely in oil country. There were tanks throughout the fields. A lot of wheat was also ready for harvesting. It made it difficult to find a hotel. The town of Alva was totally booked, so we headed to Kiowa, Kansas. We got the last room in our hotel. The owners were extremely nice. They even allowed Jackson to be the first dog to stay there.
   Nice to be in Kansas - definitely a Midwest feel!

Summer Homework

                                                Music Quiz

   This is for my students, but anyone that wants can try their skill.

   Jackson and I found this along the way and decided it was a great opportunity.

   Check out the pictures below. I found several musical symbols in each picture.
   Picture 1: 8 symbols
   Picture 2: 8 symbols
   Picture 3: 7 symbols

   Can you find and name all of  them?  Did I miss any?

Day 25 Higgins TX to Seiling OK. 65 miles

   Starting early, I crossed into Oklahoma just as the sun was rising. It was another day of hills and heat. I went through miles of wheat fields, cattle grazing and areas of oil tanks.
   I did see a coyote this morning and 2 turtles crossing the road. In Vici, I did meet some people who's son had lived in Urbandale. They really liked the Des Moines area. It was a morning hangout for the locals, so I got quite a bit of info while I was there.
   Our motel is really nice tonight. I will be entering Kansas tomorrow.

Day 24. Pampa to Higgins TX. 75 miles

   I started early, but so did a lot of oil workers. There was a steady stream of trucks needing to be somewhere by 6.
   It was a pretty ride today. A lot of hills, but they made for a scenic trip. At one point I did have to take over traffic control on the highway. It looked like two of the cattle in the field were headed for the road. Then I realized they were deer. One barely made it across just ahead of me and the other turned around. I flagged the cars coming behind me and they slowed averting the second. :)
   Somehow I missed the danger on the cliff. Larry got to see the dinosaur eating his lunch.
   I went through three small towns . We are staying in the fourth. Higgins, a whopping 397 people. We have a luxury 2 bedroom suite right next to the one Cafe in town. When we got in town, the manager had told Larry to take room 1 because he would be in the next town when we arrived. It was no problem, the door was ajar and the key on the frig. Easy check in!
   It's off to Oklahoma tomorrow. Should be there by sunup!

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Day 23. Vega to Pampa TX. 94 miles

   Today was supposed to be a short day to Amarillo, but it was so nice and the wind was perfect so I decided to keep going and do tomorrow today. The first part of the ride was a mixture of farms. There were wind farms, a huge cattle ranch complete with cowboys, and the Cadillac Ranch. This was unique in that it was a field planted with painted Cadillacs.
   When we got to Amarillo, we stopped at Hills Sport Shop to have my gears worked on. They were fantastic. They tuned my gears, tightened everything, gave directions and then told us to get going.
Our first touch of Texas hospitality.
    The rest of the way went well. I stopped in White Deer for a drink. After finishing my water, I got ready to leave. Unfortunately, I started coughing. As I searched for a cough drop, a gentleman asked if he could get me some water. I think he thought I was going to keel over.
 Continuing to cough, I said I would be fine, but thank you. I left a few minutes later. About 3 blocks down the road, up pulled the man's car and he handed me a water and turned around to go back and get his gas. My second taste of Texas hospitality!
   The hotel is great. We are headed North now.  Iowa, here we come.

Day 22 Tucumari to Vegas TX. 77 miles

   We changed the route a little bit today. I started out on a great frontage road that led me to San Jon. From there I continued on the frontage road which turned into a gravel road after about 2 miles. Not ideal , but the next 14 miles were very quiet. There were many abandoned houses along the way. I only saw 2 cars and I think they were as surprised to see me as I was them. It was fitting that since it was Sunday, I saw a large cross placed on a hill with no visible signs of people near. It was a beautiful sight.
   At the end of the gravel was the city of Glenrio.  I had made it to Texas.  Back on the highway I traveled, until I realized I could walk my bike over to a frontage road.  Calmness once again.  I took a break at a little country store. Some people were just buying some miniature burros from the people next door. Did you know that burros don't like dogs?  The lady at the store told me that they would attack a dog and kick it to death if it came close.
   I was able to continue on the frontage road. Things are starting to look a little more "Midwest". I saw many grasshoppers, a turtle and the first fly in a long time. Vega could be a small farming town in Iowa. It has 800 people, an elevator in the middle of downtown and a John Deere dealership.
   The weather has remained fantastic, looking forward to a short day tomorrow.

Enchantment from New Mexico

This completes our third week of biking as we leave New Mexico and enter Texas.  New Mexico is a unique beautiful place.  The winds at night are typically strong in many cases stronger than the daytime. The mountains and valleys and plains make for a very diverse change in climate....like the seasons in the Midwest somewhat.  I would like to explore some of the different regions, Taos and Las Cruces for two....maybe another trip??  This leads to our next quiz....the town of Cuervo, NM.

1). Did Jose find someone doing the "worm" behind his station on Route 66. -or-

2) Assist the "team" to the end of town?

3). Start a new condominium project?

Day 21 Santa Rosa to Tucumari NM. 62 miles

   It was a great day biking. The roads were smooth and my music helped the miles fly by. Three horses along the way were fascinated by the tunes - I guess they like party songs.  A great feat for me  today - I beat the sag wagon  to the hotel.

   We had a great time at dinner today. Larry spotted an Iowa car in the parking lot. We were thinking it would be fun to figure out who belonged to the car when I noticed a lady at the next table with a pink Iowa shirt. A lively conversation started with our new friends. Mom and one daughter from Mechanicsville and a second daughter, Susan from Cumming ( can you believe a Younkers shopper ). They were headed home from Phoenix. I think they will beat us! A nice end to a great day.

  I almost forgot the scariest part of today. Larry had gone to the pool. I woke up to a thud outside our door. I opened it to see Larry sprawled on the walk with a bottle of vodka lying next to him. I thought sagging had finally gotten the better of him, but he was sober and thankfully nothing was broken, not even the bottle.