Day 21 (6/12/09)

Today marks three weeks on the road. We were a bit apprehensive about starting today after two hotel parking lot mishaps. First, last evening we heard this crash and smashing glass. We opened our doors to see across the parking lot, somebody ran their car over the curb and into the side of the hotel restaurant wall. Then, this morning a man & his wife started off on their touring Harley Davidson, but unfortunately forgot to disengage the front wheel lock. The bike came to an abrupt stop, tipping over on the woman. Knowing bad luck comes in threes and because it was pouring rain, we turned off the alarm and went back to sleep until the storms passed. We monitored the storms on the weather channel and the computer and after the coast was clear we left at our latest start time yet; 11:30. Fortunately, that put the kibosh to Tim's mission planning for a 136 mile day. Instead, we did a mere 72 miles and are bivouacking in Eureka, Ks. The accommodations are the worst to date. Also, for the first time the group is split between two different hotels. Dinner was also the worst to date. We ate at a Chinese-American Buffet attached to the local bowling alley (which looked like it hadn't seen a gutter ball in years, andthe food was cooked in the alley). Eureka completed the bad luck trilogy. The dirge of eating establishments has left us no place to eat breakfast in the morning. So, we bought some Pop Tarts at a convenience store for our breakfast and commanded the support team not to let us out on the road too long without proper sustenance. While looking for some place to eat, we found the local park. It was dotted with tents. We discovered the group of about 20 riders heading west bound that we heard about a couple of days ago. For the first time I think I'd rather be camping and eating over a Coleman.

I spoke too soon yesterday when I said the countryside looked like Adams County. Today, the landscape opened back up and people and towns were far and few between. If Australia is where England put all their criminals, Eureka is where Kansas put all their miscreants; I will never complain again about my brothers and sisters at the Jefferson Fireman's Carnival.



We are happy to say that every cyclist we now encounter heading west has further to go than we do. We have completed 2,133 miles and are 56% complete. Our average speed is 17.2 mph and our average miles/ day is 101 miles. We are on the eastern edge of Tornado Alley and tomorrow's weather looks good for an early start and rain free day. Saturday's destination is 121 miles to Pittsburgh, Ks., a tad shy of the Missouri border. Jere is clicking his heels three times and repeating, "There's no place like home". Tim and I agree.