June 27,
2001. Chanute to Eureka, Kansas. (64 mi.) Mile 1769
Eureka!
It is found!
We
finally reconnected with our camping gear today upon arriving in Eureka, KS.
The post office guy said we were lucky it didn't go to Eureka, CA, or
Eureka, MT, or any of the other Eurekas he says their mail sometimes goes
to. However, it was with mixed feelings we picked up the 17 lb. box. We have
been riding with that much less weight and had to use motels to the point
where we are now so spoiled, we got another motel for the night.
Today took us through the
Bluestem pasture area of the southern Flint Hills, considered one of the
world's great beef feeding regions and home to over a million head of cattle
each summer. We read that this region compromises one of the last large
segments of true prairie that once stretched across the Great Plains. Though
this area is very beautiful, I doubt that this grassland appears the same
today as it did when the pioneers first looked upon it. The impact of
grazing is apparent everywhere. By the end of the day, I was motivated to
have steak for dinner.
Flint Hills
If we could only
string together all the first 20 miles of every day we ride, we would never
want to quit. When we started out this
morning, it was almost cool as the
sun came up over the horizon, bright pink through the humidity, and the
birds, locusts, cicadas, and crickets were still making their early morning
racket.
Our objective each day in Kansas is to keep our shadows ahead of us
as long as possible. About 10-11:00 am, the heat hits, sometimes with the
wind. I cannot begin to count the number of small markets at intersections
that we have used to find refreshment since this trip began.
1)
2) 
3) 
1) The muddy
Verdigris River nourishes the Flint Hills prairie land.
2) Seeking a little
shade at convenience store stop #5478723: the Lizard Lips Grill and Deli
3) Small town Toronto, Kansas: "Rednecks and Longnecks"
People who live
along this route are very used to TransAmerica cyclists. The clerk at
our motel, seeing that we were on bicycles, automatically gave us directions
to the Laundromat, the library, and the nearest all-you-can-eat buffet
without our asking. At dinner, a local noticed our bicycles
outside, picked us out of the crowd, and asked, "Which way are you
going?". When we said "West", he proceeded to volunteer
helpful, detailed information about our whole route the next day, adding
that we were "crazy".
Sometimes facing a
long, hard day of pedaling may seem tough, but I feel lucky to be able to
revisit a level of fitness that I have not experienced since a teenager.
Both of us now have hardened muscles and dark tans in funny patterns. It
looks like tomorrow will be much like today, only with an added 17 lbs.
Though we are in Kansas, the middle of the country, we
won't reach our halfway point until Pueblo, Colorado.
