Today was an easy 64 mile Sunday morning ride through the Kansas country side, with bright skys, moderate temps, and some cross winds. I had a welcome visit with Sandra last night and got to introduce her to the group at dinner. Since the day was relatively short, we slept in an extra hour and I saw Sandra off for Garden City before breakfast.
Today we started moving out of the flat prairie and into rolling hills. We saw lots of flooded fields, overflowing streams, and bright green countryside.
Everyone agreed to make this an easy ride, because we would not be able to get into motel rooms before 1:30. I arrived early and had a welcome buffalo burger, but to the disappointment of many, no beer is sold here all day Sunday. Bumber!
All of us became painfully aware that we need to count our blessings every day...especially on easy days. In a pace line ahead of me, one of the ladies was in a pace line and bumped a wheel of a lead biker, who was moving away from the road for a rear approaching truck. Joanna lost her balance and fell out into the road just as the semi passed...on the far side of the other lane. She wound up with some road rash and bruises, but is thankful the truck driver missed her. Included is a pic of Joanna, our type-A Ironman triathlete, showing off her bruses (the huge one is on her hip).
For blessing two, a big group was riding behind me in a pace line and passing some other bikers, when one moved out into the pace line and caused a collision. Two men flipped over their handle bars. Tom landed on his helmet, and managed to do a perfect somersault, resulting in minor scratches. Ray landed flat on his back and had the wind knocked out of him. Fortunately there was a doctor in the group. He was bruised and and went to the hospital to get X-rayed. Hopefully he will rejoin us tomorrow. Safety is really paramount with everyone.
Along the way we did stop to save another turtle crossing the highway.
Tomorrow we head north to Abilene and a welcome day's rest. Unfortunately, the winds are forecast to be out of the north.
Stats: 64 miles, 17 mph avg, 400' climbing, temps 60 - 75 deg, 10 -20 mph cross winds.
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