June 28 Crossing America

Chanute, KS – Cassoday, KS distance 100 miles, I rode 100.
Distance through today 1,885 miles, rode on my bike 1,598 miles.

Woke up this morning without stomach cramps, thank goodness as I had decided if I still had them today I’d better go see a doctor.  Thinking back on what may have caused the problem, I think I may know.  Yesterday afternoon Ms. Vickie and I went to the Nevada Dairy Queen for a Blizzard.  The young man who took our order and collected the money also made our Blizzards.  While he was making mine I observed he stuck his unwashed and ungloved fingers into the Oreos to get them to go down inside the cup.  I almost told him that I didn’t want the Blizzard but decided oh it would be alright.  Just this past week I heard on the radio that 85% of the E. coli virus is spread through handling money and then contaminating anything touched afterwards.  Lesson learned the hard way you can be sure if I ever see my food handled in such a manner in the future I will refuse it.

Today was one of our longest ride days yet.  Glad I felt good.  In fact, I got the best night’s sleep in a tent so far this trek.   It might have something to do with not getting any sleep the night before.  We were blessed with a moderate temperature given the time of year, a fair tailwind for the bulk of today’s riding, had my highest average 14.6 mph for the entire day allowing me to complete the ride by 3:15 PM.  The hills by far were much gentler than the Appalachians and Ozarks hills were.  The last 17 miles were a bit of a struggle as we headed north causing the tail wind to become a cross wind and the terrain seemed to go more upward but it was short compared to what we’ve done.

Special places to eat and visit a few minutes; Lizard Lips Grill and Deli at the intersection of State Hwy 105 and US Hwy 54 has great food, good conversation, a yellow brick road and cyclist very welcome.   Worth a stop to cool off on main road going through Rosalia, center of town on right Old Hat Grill and Bar, for a $1.50 I got an ice cream bar, PowerAde and good conversation about most any topic you think to bring up.

Our campsite tonight is the most primitive we’ve had to date.  No water, outhouses which haven’t been cleaned our pumped out for maybe the last 50 years or more.  Luckily there was a convenience store a quarter mile away which served good food and allowed us to use their bathroom and a hose outside to wash off our stinky bodies from a long day of riding.  In addition, they have an outside electric outlet which they have allowed me to use to catch up with my journal.  Hopefully, tomorrow I’ll be able to find a place that has Wi-Fi to get my journal on my website.

It’s almost 9:30 PM and I’m barely able to keep my eyes open.  Time to call it a day, hope I sleep as well tonight as last night.  Tomorrow we have another long day of riding.

Good night my
friends.  The Old Guy.

Follow