Hutchinson, KS to Herman, MO (503 Miles)

My dad tooled around the town of Hutchinson, Kansas, for about 10 miles taking care of various things like his front panniers, which were sliding back and rubbing against the fork, so he put some clamps on them to prevent them from sliding, and talked to someone at a cycle shop who determined his foot problem does not have to do with his bike, but his shoes. He plans to eventually find a cobbler to stretch his shoes wider. He savored some pit bbq that was similar to Carolina bbq at both lunch and dinner. At the church he was staying at, he noticed that one of the stain glass windows was donated by Paulina Wolf. When my dad was born, he was named William Paul Wolf. He wondered if there was any family connection, but there wasn't anybody to ask to find out.
On August 24th, my dad had a slow day with headwinds from a storm the night before and interesting wind patterns pushing him around as big trucks passed by him. He rode 51 miles to Harvey County East Campground, which is 7 miles east of Newton. It was a beautiful campground with swollen rivers from the big thunderstorm the previous night. The campsites were hard to find and he spent about 3 of those 51 miles trying to find a place for his tent. He went to the bait shop, but it was closed even though he visited during working hours, so he talked to some campers and finally found a place to sleep for the night.

A Moderate Headwind

The beautiful campsite.

He left the Transamerica Trail on Wednesday, August 25th, and started heading toward the Katy Trail. He met a bunch of people along the 74 miles to Eureka, Kansas. Many people said that doing the Katy Trail was a good idea because it avoided the Ozark Mountains, which consists of steep slopes and drivers who don't necessarily care for cyclists. He met 5 cyclists going to San Francisco: 3 young men, 2 of them rode the Katy Trail and had a map and recommendations to give to my dad, and a couple, who gave him a business card for a hostel in Kentucky, which is 10 miles off-route, but they pick cyclists up and provide both dinner and breakfast. Most of the day was spent going up and down the slopes of Flint Hills. Along the way, he saw several deer, prairie chicken, several vultures, and about 50 quail, which kept startling him with their sudden fluttering, crying, and flurry of activity right on the side of the rode as he passed through the usually quiet roads.

Just because he wanted to, my dad decided to ride 91 miles the next day. He went all the way to Fort Scott, Kansas. He met a lot of people this day too. He met a Canadian cycling to Pueblo, Colorado, and then back home to Canada. There was also a guy in a truck who was running support for people on the Katy Trail. He had rode across France twice and just seemed like he wanted to chat with someone while waiting for his group. There was an unemployed man riding from town to town looking for work, as well as a family moving to Arizona. My dad thought it was a little odd that the family didn't have any stuff with them, they weren't on touring bikes, and the wife and son didn't say much. He would expect a kid to be excited about taking such an adventure. My dad assumed that maybe they were down on their luck and were moving because they had to. My dad also chatted with a highway patrol officer who was setting up speed traps; my dad saw him catch two speeders. At the store where my dad met the family, the clerk asked my dad to sign the guest book and she gave him a rubber lizard, which he is now carrying around with him.

Friday, August 27th, Bill spent a few hours touring Fort Scott before riding 54 miles to Butler, Missouri. Part of the way was along U.S. 71. It usually had a really wide shoulder, but it often disappeared and he found himself having to take the lane in 70 miles/hour traffic. He met a guy named Tim who was from Vallejo, the neighboring city to where my parents live. He worked at Fort Scott with the National Parks Services, but used to work at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. The National Park Services might take over this shipyard, in which case Tim would like to return to Vallejo.

He's not in Kansas anymore.

On Saturday, after having to backtrack 2 miles to retrieve his water bottles he left chilling in the motel room fridge, Bill rode a total of 51 miles to Clinton, Missouri, which is the western most trailhead of the Katy Trail. He stopped at Clinton Lawnmower and Saw, which was on the map as a cycling shop. Dad got information about the Katy Trail, camping, and wanted to borrow a pump to fix a slow leak. The guy working there took charge and fixed most of the leaking problem on his own. My dad usually likes to support cooperative and helpful people and wanted to purchase something as a way to thank the guy, but he didn't have anything he could sell him being a lawnmower and saw shop. He appreciated his kindness and spent the night camping behind a community center as recommended.

He started his ride along the Katy Trail on Sunday, August 29th. Pilot Grove, Missouri, on the Katy Trail was where he stopped for the night after spending the day feeling like he was doing a lot of climbing because he was riding on crushed limestone, which makes for a harder ride being a soft surface. So far the trail has been in a woodsy setting. He met two cyclists, Jim, retired and 68 years old, and Dean, retired and 70 years old, coming out of a supermarket after they had finished their lunch. They told my dad that the Pilot Grove campgrounds didn't have a shower and that they were heading to a B&B. My dad decided to stay at the same B&B after a 65-mile day, and ended up riding with Jim and Dean for the next few days.

Notice the turtle road hazard, which blends in with the leaves and shadows.

I asked my dad to send me a current picture of himself.

The start of the Katy Trail in Clinton, MO.

They rode to Hartsburg, Missouri, on Monday. It was a pleasant day with no hills or winds because they were surrounded by trees. Dean is on a recumbent tricycle which cruises at about 10 - 12 miles/hour, so my dad would ride ahead to historical markers and read the signs while Dean and Jim caught up and passed him. They rode like this for 50 miles until they arrived at a nice B&B that Dean had reserved and fit them all nicely.

Jim and Dean on the Katy Trail.

On the 31st, it was 57 miles to Herman, Missouri, with Jim and Dean. This time they had more of an adventure in finding accommodations because they didn't have a place lined up and they are off the Adventure Cycling maps, which provide those kinds of details. They went to the Chamber of Commerce, which wasn't much help, so my dad recommended they stop at a bike shop to ask for recommendations. They eventually found a decent place to stay in this German town made up of a lot of touristy spots that had little activity because it wasn't yet October when they have huge Oktoberfest celebrations.

Jim and Dean left the following morning while my dad stayed behind for a rest day. He rode a couple miles as he did his laundry and went to the post office. The goal now is to get to St. Charles, the end of the Katy Trail by Thursday, Sept. 2nd.