Pueblo, CO to Hutchinson, KS (415 Miles)

My dad got a lot of miles in this past week thanks to strong tailwinds. On Tuesday, August17th, he made his way to Ordway, Colorado, 52 miles from Pueblo, Colorado. It was an easy day and he could have gone farther, but the next campground was 40 miles away, and he didn't want to push it. On the Adventure Cycling map, it says to ask for Gillian when you get to Ordway. So, my dad went to the bank and asked for Gillian. He was sort of surprised, when the teller knew exactly where she lived and gave directions to her place. She had a free hostel for cyclist, which consists of a trailer that Gillian called the bunk house and mattresses for the cyclists to use. Laundry was free and there were a bunch of animals on her lot too. This section of the trail is called Prairie Horizons Trail. It's 140 miles long and the towns along it have decided to make it cyclist-friendly. People wave going by, there are logos on storefront windows showing their support of cyclists, and the towns have tried to make resources easily available.

Bill's neighbor for the night.

Notice the sign welcoming cyclists.

My dad faced the same situation he did on his way to Ordway, where the next place to stay was far away (58 miles this time), so he decided to stop in Eads, Colorado, on Wednesday, August 18th. The temperature passed 95 degrees. He could have stayed the night at the city park, but it was hot and the restrooms were across a railroad track and through some weeds, so he stayed in a motel instead.

These empty car carriers went on for more than 12 miles.

It was 80 miles to Leoti, Kansas, on the 19th. Bill went 22 miles farther than he planned because he had such a nice tailwind that allowed him to go 25 miles/hour easily (even 30 miles/hour a couple times), and it was cloudy and cool. After lunch, he spent the afternoon running away from thunderstorms, but he got rained on anyway. He didn't bother to put on any of his raingear though because he enjoyed the cool rain after dealing with the heat for the past few days. That night he stayed in a motel as severe thunderstorms were forecasted and delivered as predicted.

Is this the south of France?  No, it's Southwest Colorado.

Entering Kansas.

Bill continued to have supporting winds along the 93 miles to Bazine, Kansas. On his way, my dad met a guy from Quebec who sold all his possessions and was in the first 3 months of an 8-year round-the-world cycling trek with his dog who came along in a Bob trailer. The dog had to get out and walk when the guy went up hills though. That night, my dad slept in a screened-in porch at Elaine's Bicycle Oasis Bed & Breakfast, which was a neat, old house built in the 1800s. He spent his evening at a Bible study there with mostly local motorcycle riders and the message was avoiding worldly distractions. Dinner was a meal called "The Haystack," which consisted of Fritos and brown beans covered with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream.

Saturday was hot. It was 104 degrees when he pulled into Larned, Kansas. My dad checked out Fort Larned, which was 6 miles outside of town. It is an authentic fort built to protect U.S. interests on the Santa Fe Trail and run by the National Park Services. The Santa Fe Trail is a historic trail that connected Missouri to present-day Santa Fe, New Mexico. My dad ended his 54-mile day at a crummy Best Western to avoid the heat. It had a hot shower and nice coffee maker, but they were in the process of refurbishing the hotel, and he must have gotten one of the rooms that still needed work.

On Sunday, August 22, my dad completed 72 miles to Hutchinson, Kansas. The morning ride was nice, but he didn't have any services along its 58 miles. It was hot, so he took 3 full water bottles when he started the day and had what he needed to manage the rural area. The afternoon ride was tough because it included crosswinds and headwinds. He saw many turkeys along the way, which made him think of Thanksgiving. He also rode by an exotic animal farm and saw a camel, ostrich, and a herd of zebras. He is now off the Transamerica Trail route and was staying on a stage in a basement of the Zion Lutheran Evangelical Church, which was recommended by Elaine's husband, Don, when I talked to him. There were 2 double beds on the stage that was separated by a curtain.

A good place for lunch.  Temperature is in the 90s.

He had to take a picture of a cornfield.

My dad said he was going to take the next day to rest. In addition to doing the laundry and weekly bike maintenance, my dad was going to study the maps to determine the best way to ride the Katy Trail, which is part of the Rails-To-Trails program, where unused railroad lines are converted into hiking/biking trails. It's common for cyclists to divert from the Transamerica Trail and use some portion of the 225 miles of trails that connect Clinton, Missouri to St. Charles, where my dad plans to get back on the Transamerica Trail. Bill was also going to stop by a bike shop to find out why both his feet were hurting again. He was fine in the mountains, but now that he is in the plains, he is having difficulty again.