Mood:  a-ok

Try as I could, I just couldn't sleep late--at least not a deep or restful sleep.  Knowing I had all the time in the world, I puttered around and finally left around 9 AM.  Junction City was a fair-sized city and it would have a restaurant serving breakfast, that was not a fast food chain.  I was sure of it.  Of course my being sure was no guarantee.  The worst case is, I would eat in Manhattan.

I was almost out of Junction City, at the last few commercial buildings, before coming to a restaurant.  It was a wonderful breakfast.

Yesterday, the temperature was in the low 90's, and I would be at my destination long before it got that hot again, but it seemed hotter.  maybe it was the humidity, but I was soaked with sweat early on. 

One of my three Kansas maps showed a potential way to Manhattan.  This normally wouldn't be so difficult except that there is a military base between the two cities.  So, despite the fact that Manhattan was east of Junction City, I headed south out of town, climbing  and climbing, and experiencing some pretty country.  I was hoping for a highway sign indicating where to turn.  There was a small country road leading off in the right direction, but it seemed pretty nondescript for being a connecting road.  I stopped at a house for directions.  No one was home.  Four more homes later with the same result, I just decided to keep on the road and see if it was the right one.  (As a side point, every house that I stopped had had 1-3 dogs to protect it.  They did a good job until I started talking to then, then they would come over to be petted.  Some watchdogs.)  Finally, I flagged down a pickup and asked the driver.  Sure enough, this was the road.

By the time, I got into Manhattan and neared the house of my cousin, Garalyn Tout, I stopped to eat at a Wendy's.  This would not have normally been newsworthy, but it was surprising how tired and soaked I was, considering the short distance.  The humidity was higher than it had been the previous week.  It took a while to eat.

Garalyn and her family are out of town (darn it) but I found the house okay and made myself comfortable.  Garalyn and her husband R.C. have the neediest and most talkative cat I have ever seen.  The moment I opened the door, it started a cacophony of noises for attention. 

Tonight would be dinner with several of my cousins.  Tomorrow and Thursday would be seeing Manhattan and visiting with more cousins. 

It is likely that I will resume my trip on Friday morning, but the possibility exists that I may wait until Saturday.  Then it is three days of riding to the beginning of the Katy Trail.  The route that I will be taking is still undetermined.  If experience has shown me anything, it is that some routes will make the journey go a little easier.  There is a likelihood of strong winds from the South ( the direction I will be heading into) and thunderstorms are being forecast as a possibility.

When I leave here, I will be less than a month from seeing my mother in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

Will McMahan