I felt like crap when I awoke at 6:30 to pitch black skies that slowly lightened to show thick gray clouds. We had been spared the sprinkler ordeal that we suffered through in Lamar, but got old fashioned rain during the night that was preceded by a thick London mist-fog. My flannel shirt on Steve's clothes line did not get dry during the night. And, did I mention, it was cold.
We had 78 miles to go Dodge City and we all knew this was going to a tough day given that the wind was blowing from the north and east, basically a headwind. Steve suggested we ride in a strict three man formation with the pacer dropping back every three miles so as not to get too tired. Then, the second rider would cut the wind for his turn. It seemed about the only way we could get to Dodge City. My legs were stiff and the cold wasn't helping me warm up. We creaked out of Latkin and started our day.
About the Kansas landscape, I do not have much to add that I haven't already mentioned. It is flat, and with a leaden sky it looked even flatter. We passed stockyards, a slaughterhouse (how lovely), some horses, sorghum and corn fields, as well as just plain nothing in the fields interspersed with an occasional oil derrick and natural gas compression installation. And have I mentioned the trucks? It seems as if every second Kansas male is employed as a driver of a rig either carrying cattle, cattle effluent or farming apparatus of some sort. They roared passed all day. Lunch at the grain silos of Pierceville (see photo left) were ham and cheese sandwiches packed by the nice ladies who feed us dinner at Latkin High School last night. The three of us are devouring everything in sight, so the ham sandwiches disappeared quickly. It seems as if my body has recognized the new insane routine I have assigned to it. I crave food every few hours.The sandwiches perked me up. The three of us began to make good progress. The wind died down, but the day seemed to get colder and grayer. It was like biking on the Oregon Coast, except for the lack of an ocean.
In Cimarron (Kansas has a Cimarron, too), we stopped at a corner drug store that had an old fashioned soda fountain and the checkered tile floor one associates with era of Eisenhower. Russ managed an ice cream sundae, while Steve and I warmed up on hot chocolate. When I mentioned I needed a new pair of sunglasses, two of the employees nearly fell over themselves to show me the fine selection of University of Kansas sunglasses they had on stock, adorned with Jayhawk colors. I now own a pair. Some day the sun may shine again, here.
Cimarron, by the way, was the place where the Santa Fe trail separated into two branches, the mountain branch which we have been following and the flatter and easier path that avoided Raton Pass. To be fair, the so called easier branch had issues with water and good pasture for the hundreds of animals each wagon train required to make the trip.
After Cimarron, we powered our way through the final 20 miles and arrived in good spirits at Dodge City Community College. The wet tent is up. We ate. I have to say that the DCCC student cafeteria has the number one rating so far on this trip. And they have hot water in the showers, too. What a deal!
Stats: Mileage 80. Road kill: 1 rattlesnake, 1 rabbit, lots of birds. Best moment of the day: Hot chocolate at Hart's drug store in Cimarron. Worst Moment: Waking up knowing I had to bike 78-80 miles with a headwind.
Russ enjoys an chocolate sunday at Hart's Drug Store in Cimarron
Stats: 80 miles. Number of consecutive days without consuming beer: 3 (probably a record). I'm tired of stats. Check in tomorrow.
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