29th May 2018 Tuesday – Coolio, Flatio, Smoothio, Tailwinio, Thunderstormio

Hello Everybody!

Route: Sterling to Rush Center

For the non-mathematicians out there:

Distance: 85 miles (Total 1,770)	Average speed: 16.4 mph
Calories: 1,956	Cycling time: 5h 10min
Average cadence: 69 rpm	Climb: 1,096ft, Descent: 646ft
Heart (yes I have one): Max 139 Aver 117	Aver Temp: 26C, Max temp 33C
Temperament: I wish I was born in Kansas

It took the usual, far too long to get going but I ended up saying bye bye to Bob & Sonam around 9.15am but I had a chore to do. Namely, send a bunch of stuff that I had never used on the trip so far or at least could certainly do without. The big decision was to send my main cycle lock back as I have found that 4 panniers, an odd colour and the smell seem to be putting off any cycle pinchers. Mention this when I write that Blossom has been nicked. However, I have kept the second “curly” lock so I can at least secure it for 99% of the places I leave Blossom. The really good thing about US Postal service is that they do not do second class, once your package is over 2 pounds in weight. So $85 later my box is back on its way to Ruth. I did save 3.5kg which is not to be sniffed at especially given the smell.

So I really set off at 9.55am and made blistering pace for the first 33 miles when I had a stop at a crossroads in the middle of nowhere and then had a chat with Ruthie to further lift my spirits. The route today was not littered with silly things like shops, towns, gas stations, hills to be fair or anything that could help a cyclist cycle for 85 miles apart from Larned in which I had a nice lunch until I read the weather forecast and then very closely after that, the Thunderstorm radar forecast – moving picture and everything. It seemed that a reasonably large-ish Tstorm was going to cover my destination within 2 hours (4pm) and I was still 30 miles away with a slightly more inclined route. So I went billy beans for the first 10 miles (tailwind) then as best as I could with heavy crosswind. I kept watching the storm clouds move in my direction but managed to keep slightly ahead of them. I arrived Rush Center around 4.15pm and got the tent pitched in double quick time. Gosh was suspense.

Then the Tstorm arrived and all I could do was listen to the rain, thunder and hope the lighting would not hit me – they were lightning strikes within 2 miles of Rush apparently. After 90 minutes it had stopped and the warm weather had returned as if nothing had happened.

Before

Still Before

Just after

Where's it gone?

My "shower"

Just after putting the tent up I had a shower. My shower consisted of using the community park’s hand pump to fill one of my bottles and then pour said water over various (and all) parts of my body. IT was invigorating and afterwards, I felt invigorated. And also clean. 

I went for a walk to the local gas station which had closed but there were a few people filling up using credit cards. I got chatting to a nice woman called Sandy asking her if there was anywhere I could eat. Sadly there was nothing open until the morning. Sandy also spotted my Cladar ring and so we got talking about Ireland where Sandy and some of her friends had visited a few years back. Anyway, nice chat and then I went back to my tent to chew on broken biscuits and water.

Sandy, Jade, Naggie & Natalie

REAL WARNING ABOUT ACT OF KINDNESS KANSAS STYLE. Time passed and then I started to do my blog on one of the outside tables, well the one that was most dried out. I was plugged into my Spotify (ADVERT WARNING) playlist when Sandy turned up with 3 girls, Maggie – her daughter, and Maggie’s friends Natalie & Jade. She also turned up with a bottle of cold water, packet of crisps and a turkey wrap with lovely mustard (private joke). I was more gasted than flabbered, but flabbergasted is what I was. Sandy “only” lived 10 miles down the road but thought it would be a good idea to bring me some food. This time I did get emotional and it wasn’t something in my eye. Here are the three villains, Maggie, Natalie & Jade and the dastardly ring leader Sandy pulling the strings. Maggie your Mum is a star but you know that already.

I must also apologise for not offering to pay you for the meal – I was not thinking straight but I will donate $50 to the Starlight charity in all your names as a very genuine thank you from me for such a wonderful act of kindness.

I will also be writing to the Kansas Governor, Jeff Colyer, to designate the term “Sandy” as any type of sandwich, wrap or other wheat-based covering that contains turkey with or without mustard. This will apply to Kansas only in the first instance and then to the rest of America in 2019. 

I am now going to get some sleep but this day has been just flipping great

Emotional, Al & Frankie