Well, we are in Hutchinson, Kansas, which, for all of you with a map, is a sizable city not too far from Wichita. It is devilishly hot in Kansas in late June. It is the kind of sticky hot that creeps down your neck and settles in the pit of your stomach. However, a miracle has happened, a victory for red heads everywhere. I have not burned like a lobster. I am TAN!!!! (I'm probably the first tan red head ever to walk the face of the earth.)
Anyway, we have, since my last post, made it to the middle of Kansas. (Alexander was our middle point.) We traveled for a couple days with some other bikers, a couple of cousins raising money for Alzheimers, one of whom was from England. (They were fun to travel with) and three brothers, two of which were on a tandem bike. In Rush Center, we had the best burgers literally ever made on the surface of this earth at Effie's. Effie is 87 years old, and has been cooking burgers for most of her life. Hopefully we can post some of the pictures on Facebook. Very cultural experience! However, that afternoon was killer. We were biking through the hottest part of the day uphill, on a narrow little road where livestock trucks were barreling past as if there was no tomorrow. (And if you have ever passed a livestock truck with your windows rolled down, you will know it is not pleasant.) After a LONG day (about 12 hours) of biking, we made it to the lovely little town of Larned, which is probably best known for its sizable juvenile detention center. We enjoyed dinner at Sonic, which, after biking, was something akin to heaven, and then slept in the city park, something my mother has decided that she is too old for. The next day, we rode through the blinding heat. My mom got two flat tires, and we both had a breakdown. We were saved by a very nice woman who let us use her swimming hole. There is nothing like jumping into cool water on a hot day. We both enjoyed it VERY much. For the rest of the day, we traveled with a friend we had met earlier in our travels, Bill. It was his positive attitude that kept us going all the way to Nickerson, the next town, before dark. Bill left us, and my mom and I enjoyed a carton of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, sitting outside of the gas station feeling somewhat sorry for ourselves. We both agreed that we couldn't take another night in a tent, and so we stayed at Hedrick's Inn and Exotic Animal Farm. Very cool place. We saw ostriches, llamas, giraffes, camels, kangaroos, tortoises, parrots, Shetland ponies (not my favorite of animals, due to a bad childhood experience), and probably a bunch more that I'm not remembering. We stayed in a llama themed room, which was, to say the least, quite interesting. The next day, we hung around in our llama room and watched Austin Powers. The perfect antidote to heat and exhaustion. Today, we went a little off route in order to get our tires looked at. (we have to stop getting so many flats.) We hope to be back on the road tomorrow! Our goal this week is Girard. We love you all! I LOVED reading all of your comments on my earlier post. Your love and support is what motivates us. Thank you!!!!!
Anyway, we have, since my last post, made it to the middle of Kansas. (Alexander was our middle point.) We traveled for a couple days with some other bikers, a couple of cousins raising money for Alzheimers, one of whom was from England. (They were fun to travel with) and three brothers, two of which were on a tandem bike. In Rush Center, we had the best burgers literally ever made on the surface of this earth at Effie's. Effie is 87 years old, and has been cooking burgers for most of her life. Hopefully we can post some of the pictures on Facebook. Very cultural experience! However, that afternoon was killer. We were biking through the hottest part of the day uphill, on a narrow little road where livestock trucks were barreling past as if there was no tomorrow. (And if you have ever passed a livestock truck with your windows rolled down, you will know it is not pleasant.) After a LONG day (about 12 hours) of biking, we made it to the lovely little town of Larned, which is probably best known for its sizable juvenile detention center. We enjoyed dinner at Sonic, which, after biking, was something akin to heaven, and then slept in the city park, something my mother has decided that she is too old for. The next day, we rode through the blinding heat. My mom got two flat tires, and we both had a breakdown. We were saved by a very nice woman who let us use her swimming hole. There is nothing like jumping into cool water on a hot day. We both enjoyed it VERY much. For the rest of the day, we traveled with a friend we had met earlier in our travels, Bill. It was his positive attitude that kept us going all the way to Nickerson, the next town, before dark. Bill left us, and my mom and I enjoyed a carton of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, sitting outside of the gas station feeling somewhat sorry for ourselves. We both agreed that we couldn't take another night in a tent, and so we stayed at Hedrick's Inn and Exotic Animal Farm. Very cool place. We saw ostriches, llamas, giraffes, camels, kangaroos, tortoises, parrots, Shetland ponies (not my favorite of animals, due to a bad childhood experience), and probably a bunch more that I'm not remembering. We stayed in a llama themed room, which was, to say the least, quite interesting. The next day, we hung around in our llama room and watched Austin Powers. The perfect antidote to heat and exhaustion. Today, we went a little off route in order to get our tires looked at. (we have to stop getting so many flats.) We hope to be back on the road tomorrow! Our goal this week is Girard. We love you all! I LOVED reading all of your comments on my earlier post. Your love and support is what motivates us. Thank you!!!!!
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