July 1-3rd - Larned, KS to Ness City, KS to Eads, CO to Ordway, CO

Mileage: 65 miles, 160 miles, 60 miles
Terrain: Flat
Temperature: 106 degrees, 97 degrees, 96 degrees
So on July 1st, Friday, I got up at 4:20 am in order to get an early start for a long hot day. Was on the road with some others by 5:20am and it was dark. We had headlights etc. and were trying to get as many miles in before the heat of the day. We were supposed to ride 94 miles and the high was 107 degrees. The winds in the morning weren’t too bad however as the day went on we ended up with a very strong wind 20 mph or something from the south to southwest. It was really neat to see the sunrise as we rode. We got to the first water stop at 30 some miles had a quick bite to eat and refilled on water and kept on. As we rode the wind started to get stronger and stronger however, I managed to battle it out until the next town which was Ness City at 65 miles. The winds were pretty strong however, living in Ohio I have experienced winds just as bad if not worse. However, when trucks would pass you on the other side of the road it was like a wall of wind that would smack you as they went past. It sometimes would slow you down to like 6 mph. I was going about 12 mph while battling this headwind. So at the second stop which was at 65 miles we decided to stop there for the night instead of going on to finish the 94 miles. They were calling for wind from the east so tailwinds on July 2nd so we figured we could do the next 30 miles in half the time rather than having the cross/tail winds. It also worked out in our favor because the place that we camped was a park that had a swimming pool right by it that we swam at and also showers there and there were not showers or anything at the place 30 miles up the road. So in Kansas you can always pretty much count on a pool being by any park. So we were done riding for the day by 10:30 am due to the very early start so we hung out in town for a while went to the pool got showers and then got ice cream and more food and then went back to the park and set up my tent. So at the park there were lots of what they call goat thorns lying in the grass and everyone was getting flats. There were probably about 20 or so flats between all of the riders. And when I got up the next morning I had a rear flat that I had to change. I was exhausted as I had gotten up very early. I laid down in my tent at 8:00 pm and laid there for probably about 2 hours sweating it was miserably hot out. There was also a ball game going on at the park until about 11:00 pm and it was very loud along with fireworks for the fourth so it was very hard to sleep.
The next day we got up and got a late start of 7:00 am which we were planning on leaving at 6:00 am due to being very sleepy. We knew that we had 102 miles due to making up the mileage from the day before. Once we got on the road we were making really good time with a tailwind straight from the eas going 20+ mph. We were cruzin!! Went about 30 or so miles stopped for a great breakfast at some diner and kept moving on. Stopped at the second rest stop and filled up on water and moved on to make the hundred that we were doing. Found out that the route leaders had decided that we were going to do 130 miles due to the great tailwinds. Finished the first 100 miles in 5 hours and 10 minutes!! Record timing!! The route leaders however gave us the option to stay in the town at 100 miles to go swimming and finish the last 30 miles after the heat of the day to where they were to stay at a church. However, two of the older guys wanted to push on and do 160 miles and get a hotel. I was feeling good after the first hundred miles and figured that it is on my bucket list to ride 150 miles and well we already had to go 130 miles, what is 20 more. Well we couldn’t only go 20 more due to no place to stay. So two of the older guys took off for the 160. We had previously research places to stay in Eads, CO and there was only one, Travelers Lodge Motel. It was $60 a night they had told me to get them a room if we decided to come. So myself and 5 others decided to take off and go for the 160. We left after the 100 miles to do the next 60 at about 4:00 pm and at about mile 110 I started feeling nauseated. This went on for about 10 miles, I think that it was the heat as it was VERY hot at this time. We got to the Kansas/ Colorado border at mile 117 and I felt like I could throw up. At this point I was seriously considering staying back with the other half of the group and stopping at mile 130. So we got some pictures at the Colorado sign and I battled it out. As we were riding along at about mile 120 we saw that it was raining up ahead so we put everything away that couldn’t get wet such as my ipod and kept on riding. Finally, we got to it and it wasn’t raining terribly hard however, it was hailing. It kind of hurt as you rode through it. You could also hear it go ping ping on my bike and helmet. It felt great due to the temperature cooling down. I started to feel a lot better and was getting my third wind. So right before the gas station at mile 130 I slowed down and realized that I had just gotten a flat so I walked it to the gas station where I took the tire off, pulled the wire out of the tire and realized that there were quite a few pin holes in the tire. We debated about putting something inside of the tire to kind of protect the tube or to call the support van and get a new tire. Well just as we were debating the van and trailer pulled up!! How convenient!! So we quickly changed out the tire and by this time I was feeling much better so decided to go for the last 30 of 160 miles. Got on the road and well the wind had switched after the first 100 miles so we had defiantly slowed down but kept on moving. So at about mile 145 the winds really started to pick up. They were right in our face and VERY strong. There was one point in time where I thought I was going to blow away with my bike. We made a slight turn and the wind was blowing strong and whipping me and my bike all over. I contemplated laying down in the ditch however, I kept plowing along with my head down knowing that we only had about 10 miles left and the sun was starting to go down. There was no other option at this point in time but to keep on going. I put my head down and plowed into the wind. This wind slowed us down about an hour or so. Finally, after 9 hours and 30 minutes in the saddle we arrived at the motel. We were expecting a dump of a hotel however, when were got there it wasn’t as bad as what we though, not a 5 star hotel or anything near but at least the mattresses weren’t on the floor…lol. There were defiantly doubts throughout this 160 miles, just if I could really do it, was I physically fit enough, did I really have it in me. Sometimes I think that the only thing that kept me going was my mental strength. I knew that 160 miles wasn’t going to be easy and that I was going to have to work for it, but I concurred it!! This was probably one of the hardest things I have done physically ever! So we slept well in the hotel which was only the 2nd real bed that I have slept in over a month. It was wonderful!! So in order to go on without the van and trailer we had to pack clothes to wear in our handlebar bags. I packed a shirt and shorts and a comb, toothbrush and conditioner. One of the guys brought toothpaste and one of the girls brought deodorant and the other brought shampoo so we were set!!
This morning, July 3rd we slept in until 7:00 am which was actually 8:00 am as on the 2nd we had crossed over yet another time zone. We knew that we only had 60 miles to ride as we had wiped out 30 miles the day before. Got up and walked over to the only restaurant in town and got breakfast and as we were sitting there the van and trailer showed up as this was the first stop. This was very convenient as I was able to get clean cycling clothes to change into for the day. We then got everything out of the trailer and they took off. We figured that we could hang out at the motel for awhile as we only had 60 miles so we laid in bed for awhile and finally decided to leave at about 10:45am. Winds were not strong whatsoever and riding today was easy and fun!! We made it to the first town about 23 miles out which had nothing in it but we did find a spigot to fill up with water have a snack and roll on. We had thought that the trailer had moved on as we had left very late compared to normal however as we were riding along the road we saw the trailer along side of the road at about mile 32. We stopped filled up on water and had a dance party!! The trailer has speakers in it so we cranked it up and were jamming out! It was a blast and we have it on video!! So through all of Kansas we followed the same road 96 and are still on it. It is very straight and flat, one mile is the same as the next however, it’s awesome because you cannot get lost!! So we rode on to the next town at mile 55 stopped had a gatorade sat around for a little while as we were informed that we were staying at an RV park with no showers. So we rode the last few miles to the RV park and am not sitting at the gas station/restaurant typing this blog. However, we just got word that they are going to let us stay at the high school gym which we are excited because there will be showers there!! So I am off to the HS gym!!