Day 27- Newton and the Mennonites

90.4 miles- Cassoday to Nickerson, KS

The population of Kansas exploded when the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 opened up for settlement what had previously been reserved as Indian Territory. People flocked to the state enticed by fertile cheap land and the desire to cast their vote over the slavery issue in a new territory.

Today I passed through Newton, which, for a brief time, was the cattle trading center of Kansas. In 1971 two railroads were built into the area to ship Texas Longhorns to the growing northern market. This market was short-lived however, and the traders were quickly replaced by the growing Mennonite population emigrating from Southern Russia.

I certainly have entered Mennonite stronghold. The dominance of the Baptist churches has been replaced by Mennonite churches. I also ran into an ex professor from Harrisonburg. After I told him my sister went there he asked excitedly- "to the Mennonite school?" He did not teach at JMU, but rather the small Mennonite University there. I should have known.

A coldfront came through last night, so I awoke to a chilly 40 degree tent. The morning winds were a strong northwest cross. By the afternoon, however, the winds had diminished into a slight tail, the temperature was an energizing 65 degrees, and the land remained flat flat flat. I am enjoying the sweet smell of oil as it sits in black drums along the sides of roads, as pictured. Not joking- it is not bad!

Day 26- Inch by inch

37.7 Miles- Eureka to Cassoday, KS

As I left this morning Mrs. Schmidt gave me a TY Beanie Baby inch worm advising me to take my trip inch by inch and I will get there. There could not have been a more appropriate day to have those words running through my head. Today was supposed to be an 80 mile day, but my goal was blatantly unattainable. In the first three hours I made it 17 miles to a restaurant before taking a break from the miserable 25-35mph cross headwind. At the restaurant talked to the hostess about oil drilling, wind power, restaurant fires, business, and more. A regular came in. After telling her what I was doing she advised me not to talk to strangers, then came over. She hugged me and said we're not strangers. After reading for a few more hours I barreled through the winds for another two and a half hours to cover a disappointing twenty miles.

The land is really flattening out. Power lines fade into the horizon, and most things are disappearing leaving only cows and oil pumps. Rather than chase me, the cows now seem to stare at my stupidity for riding this contraption in the wind. It is exciting to be in a type of land that is completely different than anything so far, and would be perfect if the winds were blowing from the east!

Day 25- Eureka

97.3 miles- Walnut to Eureka, KS

Finished yesterday sitting by a bonfire with a Lutheran preacher drinking whiskey and talking about the world. He asked me how many Lutherans does it take to change a lightbulb? Change!?

Started seeing lots of little oil pumps in the fields. They are tiny but everywhere, and running extremly slowly. Apparently there are little pockets of oil all over the place, so they pump for while then are moved. Had strong tailwinds today, making it an easy flat ride. Spending tonight with a very energetic family in Eurika.

Day 24- Fact of life

63.3 miles- Golden City, Missouri to Walnut, Kansas

One has to have a stomach of steel to ride on the roads. Road kill not only looks unpleasant but the stench can be disabling. From tiny worms and turtles trying to cross the road, to possums and armadillos, the sight and smell is terrible. I see turtles most often, hiding in their shells in the middle of a lane. I ride past thinking "that's not going to save you from a car buddy." I have put off writing about this but today saw a black dog who had recently been hit and killed. His buddy, a brown dog, was sitting 20 feet from the road on the steps of the house whimpering.

Tonight staying at a Lutheran church for the first time- my first non-Baptist church! The tent setup was last nights accommodation.

Day 23- Exhilarating flatness

68.9 miles- Fair Grove to Golden City, MO

While leaving Fair Grove I thought I probably would not find a town with more friendly people for the remainder of this trip. But within an hour of reaching Golden City I had talked to several people and was offered dinner twice! People's willingness to help has astounded me every day.

While riding next to a long field today all the cows decided to run beside me- probably a hundred of them. As I neared the end of their fence the ran in, I thought to leave my side. Instead they curved in and back out as if to charge directly at me. A woman in the car behind me looked as startled as I was at the stampede and ominous looks on their faces.

The last ten miles today were flat and coupled with a 10mph tailwind- I rode at 25mph through the home stretch. The feeling is amazing because a tailwind is silent propulsion, that is, the noise of the wind as you move forward is muted. You can hear the smooth beat of rubber on the tarmac, the birds singing on the telegraph lines, and every blade of grass being pushed and pointed forward as if waving you ahead. The feeling is exhilarating.

Day 22- A rude awakening

81.5 miles- Houston to Fair Grove, MO

This morning I was rudely awoken by all the birds in Houston singing as loudly as possible just outside my tent. The cacophony began at 5:45 and was still going when I clamored out of my tent at 7:30. While I managed to roll over and go back to sleep during this unrelenting onslaught, I was spent the morning in dazed Hitchcock inspired nightmare. If you think this description is extreme, you obviously have never spent a night outside in Houston, Missouri.

"You're number four!" yelled the sternly excited young man with his feet up behind the gas station counter. I looked at him in shock, replying "what, today!" "No, this year," he corrected me. It was quite an honour to be the fourth of the roughly 700 people who transverse this trail every year. His store was the only commercial establishment for thirty miles in either direction, so I considered him an authority on the matter.

The steep hills of the Okarks are slowly being replaced with increasingly large fields and vistas. I finished the day in the surprisingly friendly town of Fair Grove. After calling around I figured out I could camp at the Historical Society pavilion, and someone would be there shortly to unlock the bathroom and shower built primarily for cyclists passing through. Thereafter I ran into at two more people in town who offered to let me in. Such a friendly place!

Day 21- Found a friend

72.3 miles- Ellington to Houson, MO

The land today was a difficult up and down roller coaster ride. When coming up a hill at about 1pm I saw the shimmer of another cyclists rear Ortlieb panniers (bags). After yelling "Howdy!" a few times he finally heard- he was the man from New Zealand! I had seen him sign the guest books at two hostels over the past few weeks, so already knew a bit about him. (He was pleased with his celebrity status.) He had left LA in November and had traveled to the bottom of the Florida keys before heading north to Virginia, then west via the Transamerica Trail. He planned to continue to Astoria, Oregon then head back down the west coast to LA, finishing by November. I rode with him for an hour before realizing his pace was probably 40-50 miles a day. We wished each other luck as I sped off. What an adventure for a 57 year old!

The Ozarks are much like old Appalachia, (that is, the western side of the Appalation Mountains,) but with little mining, much more pleasant. Upon entering the range the land is generally too hilly to farm so is instead protected by national forest reserve. Towards the end of the day things start to flatten out, as I reach the top of what I am quite sure is a small escarpment. Small cattle and horse farms cover most of the land.

Tonight there are pending thunder storms but the city park I am camping at tonight has a gazebo that I worked my way inside for a certain degree of coziness. I am looking forward to the speedy flats of Kansas with excitement.