Day 23-A Cruiser into a Rest Day..... 8>)

Great Bend to Abilene, Ks.
Miles: 62.4
Time: 3:34
Average: 17.4 mph
Max: 30.0 mph
Total Ascent: 966 ft
Est Calories: 4,629

We continued our heartland tour today, continuing through Kansas. It was a really good ride day today: warm, with 40 miles of down wind cruising after a 22 mile stretch with a cross wind. At the turn that picked up the tail winds, Mack, one of the staff of CrossRoads who is from England, was standing on the side of the road with a large, black trash bag held above his head, and it was standing straight out demonstrating the benefits we could expect after the turn. And, it was true, and great. Hence, the 17.4 mph average for the day through rolling country roads that were mostly downhill.

One strange event happened during the first 22 miles. We came upon a non-CrossRoads rider along the side of the road with his recumbent bike (low rider type). He was offering us donuts; yes, donuts. He asked us where we were going, and said that he was jealous, but that he wasn't in shape for such a ride anyhow. When Bob Fuller asked where he was going, he said that he was just riding around scavenging. It turned out that there had been a recent truck accident, and there was a pile of rubble on the side of the road, including sealed bags of donuts. You know, the kind you'd find in any store; the powdered kind in a sealed white bag with a clear plastic window on the front. He had about a half dozen of these bags in a small cardboard box, but I couldn't help wonder how he planned to get these home, not to mention that he actually planned to eat them. I hear tell from Mack that the rider on the incumbent was actually on the other side of the road when he saw him, and must have crossed over when he saw the pile of "stuff" on our side of the road. Oh well. Every day brings us new sights and sounds, not to mention the people along the way.

We have our 3rd rest day tomorrow, and most all riders seem to welcome it. The day after the rest day, we kick it up a notch with a 106 mile day to Topeka, Ks. Actually, we will have 2 century rides next over the next 7 days, but we're moving into the second half of the tour with twenty-two days of riding down, and 23 to go. See ya............