Day 56-Sunday, July 20th
Mood:  hungry
Now Playing: Are we there yet?

Super 8 Motels have a breakfast of sorts, but is wasn't much:  cereal, juice and coffee. 

This being Sunday, I started down the road with the thought that the Lord would bring me to the church of His choice.  Today it was the Church of the Nazarene in Harrisonville.  I parked my bike out front and walked inside.  Two men were fiddling with a laptop computer, and I asked if it were okay to worship there today, dressed in my bright bicycle shirt and shorts?  Of course, they said.  The one young man was the pastor of the church.  As we compared notes, I mentioned that I was from Everett, Washington.  He was born and raised in Marysvile, Washington, a town a few miles north of Everett.  He had moved to Harrisonville five years ago.  Small world.

In every church I have visited, the congregation has been friendly and welcoming.  This group, however, raised the bar, and were the most engaging group that I have encountered during my travels.  The service was nice, and by 10:45 AM I was on the road.  I needed to eat.  A Burrito restaurant fit the bill.

For some reason, I just didn't have the energy today.  Maybe it was a carryover from the long day yesterday.  Maybe I hadn't eaten right.  Maybe it was the late start.  Probably it was all three.  But today's bicycling was work.  Of course, it was 96 degrees again, but I lacked stamina for some reason.  Nevertheless, I did arrive in Clinton.  I felt like there was a little child sitting on my shoulder saying over and over "Are we there yet?"

The road from Harrisonville to Clinton had an eight foot shoulder.  Some difference from Kansas.

It is funny how a shower makes all the difference in the world.  I was ready to conquer the world again.  I had to settle for conquering the Country Kitchen Restaurant.

Tomorrow would be the start of the Katy Trail.  On the fourth day, Thursday, I will meet Diana Oleskevich at the eastern trailhead, and follow her to their home in St. Louis.  Karen and I met Jim and Diana Oleskevich at a charity auction in Seattle two years ago.  They are avid bicyclers, so they were interested in my plans for this cross country trip.  They said that if I go through on the Katy Trail, they would like meet me on the Trial and escort me to their home.  So that is what will be happening.

Will McMahan

meet me in St. Louis?
  Hi Wil - hope to be able to connect with you in MO and ride a bit on your journey...your dates and ours don't look good to intersect if you plan to be in Clinton at start of KATY trail on the 22nd, that would put you in to STL on the 25th and that's the date we would be leaving...just have fun and relax and enjoy the trip - what happens will be just fine!  We biked this morning in light showers then plenty of humidity but not too much sunshine - whew!!  Diana and Jim

Day 55-Saturday, July 19th
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Oh no! Not again!

I awoke at 6 AM this morning.  The drug dealers had not stolen my bike, as the boys had feared yesterday.  The sky was cloudy with some blue showing, and this looked to be a good day if I could get everything packed and loaded.  Several people had recommended a restaurant east of town called Marilyn's, so at 7:30 AM I started through town.

My objective for today was to get to Louisburg, KS, about 68 miles east, and 4 miles from the state line with Missouri.  It is a decent sized town, and is located right where two major highways intersect.  Shouldn't be a problem finding a room.

Passing a barbershop, I noticed it was open.  Anyone open at 7:30 in the morning deserves some business.  Karen had given me my last haircut before I left, and even though she cut it very short (except for a few spots), it was due for another trim.  The barber, a young man, quickly understood that I was in a hurry to get going, so he called Marilyn's Restaurant and placed an order for me, then started clipping.  He had said that I would be there in 10 minutes.  He finished cutting my hair in 10 minutes.  I still had to get there, and I'm pretty slow.

Yet, somehow, the breakfast was perfectly done when brought to my table.  It was a large breakfast, and I ate quickly.  When paying my tab, I asked the cashier what the weather forecast was.   She said "Rain."  She was right.

At first it rained lightly.  I put rain covers over my panniers, and had my rain jacket and pants ready.  After awhile the intensity of the rain increased, and I donned the jacket, but visibility was not obscured, an important safety concern.

A couple of hours later I saw a little cafe beside the road and thought this might be a good opportunity to eat again.  The rain had stopped and the sky was clearing but I looked like a drowned rat when I walked into the cafe.  Nevertheless several people asked about my trip.  One fellow cautioned that the rain would increase the humidity, which combined with temperatures in the mid-90's would make it uncomfortable riding.  (He ended up being absolutely right)

A woman, who was accompanied by two men, started a dialogue about my journey, and I chatted with all three of them until me meal came.  She asked me if I miss everyone back home.  I replied (probably a little too fervantly) "I miss my wife!"  Then I explained that we talk once or twice day.  At any rate, as the threesome was leaving, one of the men said "It was nice meeting you.  We picked up your tab."   I couldn't believe it.

The rest of the ride to Louisburg was uneventful.  The terrain started with hills then low areas then hills again.  At some point the hills lessened, and I hoped that maybe the ground would remain relatively flat for awhile.  Hills just slow me down, are tiring, and make for a long day.  The hills recommenced about 15 miles out of Louisburg. 

I thought I was looking at a mirage.  On the left ahead was an authentic cider mill, and they were selling iced cold fresh apple cider.  I gulped down several large glasses.  Boy did that hit the spot.!  Oh, this would be a good time to get the skinny on motels in Louisburg.......there weren't any.  You would think that I would have learned from my previous lessons and checked first.  I was so sure....   Well my options were limited, but the best one seemed to be continuing east into Missouri and stopping at a major town called Harrisonville.  Just to be safe, using my cell phone, I googled the town and there were plenty of motel options.

First things first.  I had to eat.  The only viable option at the moment was McDonalds, so McDonalds it was for my third meal of the day.

it is interesting that in Kansas the amount of shoulders on the roads that I was traveling vary from county to county.  By far the predominate shoulder width through most of eastern Kansas was 2-4 inches.  That meant that I had to ride on the left side of the white line, and cars and trucks would have to be accommodative.  Fortunately, they all were.

Harrisonville, MO is a sizable town with a population around 8,000, I think.  I was in dire need of a shower. I'm not sure that the town would have tolerated my presence if I didn't take one, so Super 8 motel fit the bill.  Actually, the real problem with me not showering, to me at least, isn't the smell, it is the salt accumulation for all of the perspiration, and after a day, the skin starts to chafe against the clothing and create sores.  After showering, I went across the street to Applebys and had another meal, this time a shrimp salad with a chocolate shake and dessert.  Unfortunately, I discovered, at the end of the next day that I left my American Express card at Applebys.  Bye bye AMEX

This ended up being a long day covering over 90 miles again, in pretty undesirable bicycling weather, but at least I would have a much shorter ride tomorrow.  And with tomorrow being Sunday, I would have time to attend a service in town, and have a later start than normal.

Tomorrow's destination is Clinton, MO, and Clinton is the western terminus for the Katy Trail. 

Will McMahan

Day 54-Friday, July 18th
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Who brought the rain?

I'm leaving Manhattan this morning.  It has been wonderful renewing friendships with my cousins, but I must start eastward again.  The weather reports last night forecast a 30% chance of rain, but further north they were projecting 5-6".   What will today bring?

I woke up several times during the night,and each time it was raining prety good.  So when I got up at 6 AM, I took my time.  I don't mind riding in rain.  I just hate to start when it is raining.

When I left at 8 AM, the rain had stopped.  The skies were completely overcast, looking for all the world like it was going to start dumping water at any minute.  Manhattan is fairly big, and it took a while to get through town.  Soon I was heading south towards Council Grove, about 38 miles south of town.

The countryside was beautiful--all pasture, some of it the original tall grass from before the white man's arrival.  The cloud cover was exceedingly low, with wisps flowing over the pasture.  With all of the green hues, it suddenly struck me what this scenery looked like:  Ireland.  It was a fun, but slow ride.  No rain yet.

Lunch was had at the Hayes House in Council Grove.  This is a very old hotel that was restored in 1974.

My objective for today is Osage City.  It has several thousand citizens.  Towns that size almost always have motels.  Osage City, however, did not.  I thought I would double check once I got there.

It was another 40 miles to Osage City.  The shoulder of the road varies from county to county.  For the most part, there is no shoulder.   As usual, the drivers were courteous.  On the way to Osage City, I crossed paths with my cousin, Garalyn Tout.  It was her house that I was staying in in Manhattan.  It was nice to rest and chat with her and her husband R.C.  I hated to leave them.  I told them I was tempted to take their cat with me.  R.C. and Garalyn had ridden through the rain, but I must have had the proper karma, because it did not rain all day.

Entering town, I noticed a police car behind me.  I flagged it over.  I asked if there were any motels.  He said no, but I could camp, for free, in the city park if I wished.  That is what I decided to do.  There were no showers but it did have restrooms.

Three boys, between 10-12, were fascinated by my bicycle and the whole adventure.  When I mentioned that I was going to walk up several blocks to the BP Convenience Store for some beverages, the boys begged for me to ride instead.  They wanted to see the bike in action (apparently the rider didn't count for much), and they wanted to ride their bikes too.   But first they had to get home for supper, so I promised not to go to the BP until they returned.  It didn't take long.  It reminded me of what it was like to be that age, in the hot days of summer.  The boys were really fun and nice.  Their parents let them have the run of the town.  There are still places that are safe, I guess.  However, they were concerned about some older boys that they said were drug dealers.  They were also in the park.  The younger boys were not concerned about the drugs.  They were concerned about my bike getting stolen.

Tomorrow I head to Louisburg, KS,which is 4 miles from the Missouri state line.  It is about 70 miles away.  It will take me a while to break camp but I would like to on the road by 7:30 AM.

Will McMahan

thinking of you
hope all continues to go well...kansas folks are really nice ...we have been to manhattan many times.  keep on keeping on.  love from your boulder buddies....

Day 51-Tuesday, July 15th
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: How can I get lost? Let me count the ways.

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

Day 50-Monday, July 14th
Mood:  energetic
Now Playing: There's no room at the Inn (Where have I heard that before?)

I had such a pleasant time in the Little River area, and enjoyed visiting with my cousins so much, that I hated to leave, but early Monday, at 7 AM it was time to get moving.  I was to end up on Tuesday in Mahatten, Kansas, and the trip would be divided into two parts:  78 miles on Monday, culminating in Herington, KS, and the balance of 44 miles on Tuesday.  78 miles is a bit much, but I had had two days of rest, and the last 20 miles would have a direct tailwind.

I stopped by Kendall Hodgson's farm on the way out to the main highway, and from there, he and his two sons, Tanner and Logan joined me.  They were going to ride for four miles then peel off and head back.  One of their dogs wanted to join us and didn't seem to understand that her company wasn't wanted.  This is the same dog that Logan put through the paces at the 4-H Fair dog obedience session.  It appparently wasn't too obedient then either.  The end result is that 4-5 miles into my morning it was only 8 o'clock, but it was fun riding with Kendall and the kids.

As part of my plan to increase my caloric intake, I had breakfast with Ed before leaving, then stopped and ate breakfast again in McPherson, KS, about 20-22 miles down the road.  Still heading east, I had lunch at Marian, about 35 miles further.  Then I headed north to Herington, with a mild tailwind helping push me along.

Around 4 PM, I arrived at Herington.  The first motel was closed due to remodelling (it looked like it needed it).  There was a bunch of street improvement projects downtown, and lots of detours, but I finally got to another inn, and it was full.  So was the third motel.  Nuts.  There was a camground back five miles, or I could continue north to Junction City, 24  miles away.  It would make this a monster day of 102 miles, but it would be a short jaunt tomorrow.  After loading up with carbs at Pizza Hut, I headed north. 

The terrain was changing again.  I was entering the Flint Hill section of Kansas.  As the name implies, it was hilly.  However, the tailwind, although not particularly strong, was direct enough to help me the entire way.  I did the entire 24 miles in 1 3/4 hours, pretty fast for me, considering the terrain.  After eating four times that day, I was not particularly hungry when I checked in to the motel, but I was very thirsty, and the fact that an A&W Root Beer Stand was next to my motel was the icing on the cake.

Tomorrow's trip to Manhatten was going to be short, but somewhat  experimental.  There was no direct way between Junction City (whoever came up with that name was definitely lacking in creativity) and Manhatten unless one got on I-70.  Bicycles were not allowed on I-70.  So I would have to figure out a way around.

At least I could sleep in.  A more accurate statement is that I would have the ability on Tuesday to sleep late if my body would allow it.  I somehow doubted that it would cooperate.

Will McMahan

Day 47-Friday, July 11th
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Combine operator for hire! What? The harvest season is over?

Today, I will be traveling to Little River, Kansas, the birth place of my mother.  Every year, my family vacation would consist of traveling from Indiana to Kansas, and one of the annual stops would be at Riverview Farm, near Little River.  My grandfather has long since passed away, but my cousin, Ed Hodgson, still lives in the original house where my mother was raised.

The ride today would be easy, only 42-44 miles, so there is no reason to get too early of a start.  My plan was to stop in Lyons, Kansas, for a bite to eat, then call another cousin, Kendall Hodgson, once I got ready to depart Lyons for Little River.  The possibility existed that he and one or two of his kids might meet me a couple of miles from the farm, and ride with me for a while.

The weather was going to be hot, in the mid-90's, and very windy, with the wind coming from the south.  As I loaded up the bike, even though it was only a little after 7 AM, the wind was already blowing over 10 miles per hour.  I started pedalling.

The wind was such that I rarely went over 12 mph, and normally went 10-11.  The countryside was really pretty.  There are lots and lots of trees now.  Not forests, but one could look around in a full circle and would see the horizon as treed.

Lyons, KS, has fond memories for me.  It had a quaintness about it in the past.  It had a city block in the middle of town surrounded by shops.  The center block held some municipal buildings.  it was still charming.  I asked a local where I could find a cafe.  They directed me to Subway, Sonic Drive In, and Wendy's.  I said that I was looking to eat inside, so they directed me to Dairy Queen.  Sigh.  I guess all the normal cafes were gone.  Welcome to Dairy Queen.

As i was eating, I heard a voice say "Hey, Will!".  It was my cousin, Kendall.  His schedule got turned around and he found himself, along with his son Tanner, in Lyons.  They started looking at the restaurants for my bike.  It is hard to miss. We chatted for a while, then I got on the road again.   I decided to stop in the town of Little River and get another bite to eat.

Little River is a mile off the main highway.  The main street still has laid brick.  It was much better and more vibrant than I remembered.  The electronic readerboard was touting the fact that Cheri's Restairant was now open on Fridays from 6:30 AM to 11 AM.  Apparently Cheri had suffered from a stroke but was starting to recover.   

Leaving Little River was an uphill climb into a 20+ mph headwind, but soon I was on the main road again.  Two miles east then turning south.  Finally there was Riverview Farm!  It was just as I remembered it.  It was a living postcard, absolutely beautiful.  With Ed still working in the fields, I wandered throughout the house, then the outbuildings and grounds. 

The big barn was built in 1901, after the old barn burned down.  This was the site of my accident which resulted in my permanent hearing loss on the left side.  I had fallen to the floor off a plank bridge that connected the haylofts.   The barn though large, was mostly unused.  Farming has changed and the barn is now unnecessary.

When Ed got home, he still had work to do, so he sent me out to ride in the combine with Randall Olander, the husband of my cousin Alice Ann.  He was harvesting the last of his wheat.  There was a little jump seat next to his, and it was fascinating to experience this overgrown lawn mower do its job.  Of course, it doesn't just cut the wheat.  Internally, it separates the wheat from the chaff, dispelling the chaff, and retaining the wheat grain.  When the wheat bin is near full, then a buzzer goes off indicating that the bin needs to be emptied.  Randall operated the machine as if it were a part of his body, which comes from harvesting 1,000 acres year after year.  When I learned that the jump seat's official title is trainee's seat, then I decided to put myself out for hire.  Alas, the harvest season is over.

A recent interesting farming philosophy is "no till" farming.  These farmers do not cultivate the soil, and have special implements to plant the seeds into the uncultivated soil.  As I understand it, the philosophy is that each handful of soil is a complex group of microbes, some of which are lost or killed when the soil is turned.  Left on it's own, untilled, the soil is more robust, less likely to loose it's topsoil, and will, over time produce better yields.  One doesn't need to spend money on a cultivator, doesn't need to wear down the tractor cultivating, or spend the time or fuel in tilling.  As I looked over at an area that had already been cut, a baby oppossum climbed out of a hole and started ambling across the field.  I commented that the animals must like the "no till" theory also.   The flip side is that many very good farmers still till, and do a great job, producing good yields.  So the jury is still out in the farming community, but it was interesting to listen to the theory.

The next two days will be spent in Little River before continuing my journey east.  I'll be leaving early Monday morning.  Tuesday afternoon i should arrive in Manhatten, KS. 

Will McMahan

Day 46-Thursday, July 10th
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: 96 miles! Holy Cow!

Before going to sleep last night, I studied the maps for today's journey.  I wanted to make motel reservations in Rush Center.  It was going to be a long ride, 75-80 miles, on Friday, so I didn't want to have to waste time breaking camp.  I just wanted to go.

Unfortunately, as I read the map (this is the map put out by the American Cycling Association, which lists motels and camping facilities available in a particular town.) I noticed for the first time that there were no motels in Rush Center, my destination for the night.  Purusing further, there was camping but no bathrooms were available.  Hmm, that won't work.  But there is a town 4.5 miles north of Rush Center that has motels.  Of course this means the 64 mile ride becomes a 68.5 mile ride, and Friday's long ride gets extended by 4.5 miles.  Oh well, I thought as I nodded off, I guess that is what I'll have to do.

I woke sharply at 4 AM, and an idea had been planted in my head:  what was available past Rush Center.  So I turned on the lamp, opened the map, and studied the possibilities.  They were slim--but wait!  If I got an early start, and had the help of a little tailwind, I might be able to get to Great Bend.  It was 32 miles further, but, of course, that would shorten the next day's ride by 32 miles. 

Let's try it!  After devotions, I packed hurriedly, had something of a homemade breakfast, and was on the road before 5:30 AM.  It was dark.  My eyes adjusted well to the darkness, and I turned on both rear flashing lights to warn approaching motorists.  Only 2 passed me before sunrise.

It was surprisingly breezy for that time of the morning, but the wind was coming from the southwest.  Since I was headed east, that meant that the breeze would push me a bit.  How long would that last?

The land is beautiful.  It is very flat with long rolling hills, but not steep or high ones.   You can see the next town 5-8 miles off by its grain elevators.  The dark green of the corn and milo contrast sharply with the tawny wheat stubble left by the recent harvest.  Trees in the distance indicate a farm somewhere back off the road, or it could be a stream.  Two deer, startled by my presence, bound off through the fields.

The first town that would have food was 32 miles away.  A little after 8 AM, I pulled into town and asked a gentleman where a person might get a good breakfast.  He pointed at a seedy looking bar called the Cactus Club.  I thanked him, then rode on, once he wasn't looking.  Not finding anything else, I returned to the Cactus Club, and sure enough they did have breakfast, and it was good.

My next plan was to stop in Alexander, 20 miles further, to get a burger and fries, then stop again in Rush Center, 12 miles past Alexander, and have another burger and fries (this is part of my trying to increase my caloric intake so that I may start gaining weight back that I had lost).  It  was a great plan, and I'm sure it would have worked if Alexander had a restaurant.  Since it didn't (it used to have one), I kept pedalling for Rush Center.

The picking were slim for eateries in Rush Center.  It, like many others, is quite small--you pass through it with the blink of an eye (even on a bicycle).  My theory is to look for a bunch of vehicles, and I found them by this bar.  That's where I had this huge lunch.   When I left, with another coat of sunscreen 45 slapped on, it was a couple of minutes past noon. 

Okay, I was tired, but it was only another 32 miles.  Even if the wind changed, I should be able to do that with my eyes closed.  Don't think about 96 miles.  Just focus on the next 32. 

As luck would have it, the terrain changed.  Larger, longer hills began to crop up, with long slow (6-7 mph) climbs, then quick descents followed by another long slow climb.  This was starting to take its toll when suddenly the longer hills decided they had had enough of me and things flattened out nicely. 

The landscape, however, was changing.  It was hilly enough to not see so far, and there were lots of trees.  In addition to wheat, corn and milo, farmers had planted different crops.  One, which from a distance looked almost like lavender, and had a purple hue, had a heavenly scent.  The patchwork quilt of different colored crops, bordered by the wild sunflowers, was really a pretty sight.

The road to Great Bend curved slowly southward.  I knew this and suspected that it would mean that I'd lose my tailwind.  I did.  It started to slow me down, not that I needed much encouragement because of fatigue.  The last ten miles or so were at 7-8 mph.  I didn't care, because I knew that I was almost at a stopping point.  The winds were getting rambunctious, gusting in the 20-30 mph range.  It was well because the outside temperature was 96 degrees.  The wind kept me cool-but I was sensitive to keeping properly hydrated.

One sad thing about undertaking this journey across America is that I am forced to miss the McMahan Family Reunion in Tennessee.  It starts today.  Because school starts in August back there, they had to schedule it in July.  I may not be at the reunion in person, but rest assured that I am there in spirit.

Tomorrow should now be a relatively short day (I still can't believe how many miles I have had to pedal this last week!), and I will arrive in Little River.  My cousin, Kendall Hodgson, may come out with one or two of his sons to ride the last several miles with me (I think he suspects I might get lost :-).

A cool indoor swimming pool is beckoning.  Then lots of food.  I want to be on the road before 7 AM.  It lessens the risk of the uncertain wind.  Its a bit cooler too.

Will McMahan

Following Your Trek
Mood:  chatty
Now Playing: Can't Stop Reading...

Your blog address was posted in Sunday's bulletin so thought I would check it out and see how you were doing.  I couldn't stop reading...I'm exhausted reading about your trek, I cannot imagine how you are doing this.  We are really enjoying your pictures - its nice to travel vicariously wiht you.  You are incredible and we admire your discipline.  We miss you at church and talk about you and this amazing journey you are on!  We are very familiar with CO's National Park, the Visitor Center at the top, Estes Park, and Boulder so it was neat to "travel" with you on that leg.  Am wondering if we will know the places you pass/visit while in the Mid-West.  Please know you are in our hearts and prayers.  Everything is fine back here at home, well as fine as it can be without your bright shiny face!  Many hugs, Terry (& Clay)