I got up pretty early again, despite a less-than-perfect night of sleep (the cancer benefit featured loud music throughout the night, ending at 7:00 am). I headed into downtown Chanute, where I checked out the Martin and Osa Johnson Safari museum. The Johnsons were Kansas natives that traveled extensively throughout the South Seas and Africa. They brought back some of the very first films of the areas they visited. The couple would tour throughout the US, visiting movie theaters and telling of their travels.
I also checked in at the Chanute library, where I hooked into the net and got an email from my Dutch friends, who are trailing me by one day. I also heard from Tracy and Ross, the AT hikers that made the change to the TransAm.
I got out on the bike and enjoyed a nice afternoon of riding, though my tailwind from the previous two days disappeared. Still, with weather like this, it's hard not to enjoy being outdoors. I pedaled past lots of farmland, filled to capacity with winter wheat.
I also ran into some west-to-east loaded tourers -- the first that I've met. I stopped and talked with Karen and John, who have toured extensively over the last two decades. This summer they rode south from their Oregon home, then picked up the Western Express leg of the TransAm. We swapped stories of what to expect over the next few days. These characters complained about a slight headwind that was slowing them down, but damn -- I'm going west (into the prevailing winds), so I was less than sympathetic.
I really enjoyed talking with them, and after chatting for a while we again hit the road.
Only a few hours later, I ran into a second group of riders. Gina and Jason are riding from Santa Barbara, CA to Vermont. Equipped only with Triple-A maps, they have ridden over 2000 miles so far, including a harrowing escape from a series of tornadoes in southwestern Kansas. I made them promise to send me email updates of their biking travels, since they'll be biking through New York during their trip.
I dig on these guys because they carry as much gear -- if not more -- than I do. Most of the people I run into are super-streamlined. Screw that, I need my luxuries on the road.
No other pictures of Kansas today, because... well, because you saw what Kansas looks like already. I ended the day with an easy climb into the Flint Hills, where I stayed at Eureka's city park. I had brief, but splendid illusions of a night on the town, but the bowling alley was closed, and Eureka Downs horsetrack was finished with races that day. Okay, maybe Kansas has a few shortcomings, but hey -- it's flat. I love it.