Today’s Date: June 25, 2024

Today’s Start Point: Eads, Colorado

Today’s End Point: Leoti, Kansas

Today’s Miles: 78.92 Miles

Cumulative Miles: 2,280.17 Miles

In many ways today was like yesterday, except about 20 miles longer. The route was 80 miles due east, with the Kansas border at about the 40 mile mark. The road would be rolling and incrementally rising for the first 30 miles, and then will descend about 1,000 feet over the last 50 miles.

I awoke at 4:00 am due to the predicted high of 105 degrees. The breeze was light and coming from the southwest. I set out a little before sunrise to go as far as I could before either the wind changed or the heat got too bad.

On my Garmin, it tells me when my next turn will be. This morning it informed me that my next turn would be in 175 miles-one long straight push across Kansas.

Again, while riding through eastern Colorado, there was nothing for miles, no green, no trees, a scattering of houses. Once I reached Kansas I started to actually see corn growing in the fields. The truck traffic was heavy but the drivers were respectful and the shoulder was bike width, which works for me. The temperature stayed livable until about 9:00 am-9:30 am, by which time I had already ridden 55-60 miles.

The biggest problem was trying to stop to take a picture or to eat a snack. The second, and I mean second, that I stop the flies are upon me. I haven’t seen anything like it. When I stop, I can look down and five or six flies are on each leg. As long as I am traveling over 10 mph, they can’t seem to land on me, but slower or at a stop they are on me, AND they bite.

When I finished the ride I asked a local as to how they stand it or is there a secret they use to avoid the flies. The answer was nope, as insect spray does not appear to stop them. Nor any other magic elixir. I did notice that even in 100 degree heat, everyone wore long jeans and long sleeve shirts. That’s a heck of a price to avoid flies.

As I said, I made good time and arrived at the only hotel for miles at noon. I forgot that I was going to lose an hour once I crossed into Kansas, since Kansas (except for four counties) is on Central time (I have finally arrived in my own time zone).

I checked in and the proprietor was nice, although I am sad to say the hotel is not (probably the worst lodging so far on this trip). However, it has air conditioning and saves me from sitting out in 100+ heat. I will be staying inside and hope to venture out for dinner at a Mexican restaurant not far from me (only restaurant in town open after 6:00 pm.)

Hopefully the heat will break because I might not have any indoor options over the next few days.