Cycling Across America #40
Posted by: eolai on May 9th, 2008
Assault on Kansas City
Part 40 of the Cycle-Across-America series. (Read from the start in Boston or see the full index)

The next entry in the journal is taped, and both tape and transcript are currently in long-term storage in a Dublin industrial estate. But because I love the loyal 3 readers of this series I’m going ahead with the entry anyway - from memory 12 years later.
Expect a lack of detail so, in this first non-contemporaneous entry, but I don’t want to skip this day as it’s an important one. It is the day I intend to cycle into Kansas City, where my 1 week halfway rest, of the entire Trans-American cycle, has been planned for months.
And also because if I make it then it will become the longest single day’s cycle on the trip so far - beating the previous longest of 110 miles from New York to Philadelphia, all the way back before I was knocked down.
Elsmore is in Allen County, the first of 5 counties in Kansas I’m planning on cycling in before entering Kansas City in Missouri. 120 miles seems absurdly ambitious, and will be impossible with any kind of wind.
In somebody else’s home I move quicker to get on the road. And I start earlier. My host is cooking breakfast. Pancakes. I have 7. And 4 eggs. And more. His eyes seem to widen as he watches the speed I put food away with, and he asks if I’d like another 3 pancakes. They and the rest of the table of food are devoured.
More food is put into my bags and then it is time for goodbye.
Back over railway tracks by the old grain elevator and along Main Street. I wouldn’t call it Main St except that is its name. In a town of surely no more than 40 buildings there are a 3 or 4 buildings joined together on either side of Main St. And they appear closed down.
Then I am back out onto Highway 59 and and cycling north about 9 miles to the bigger town of Moran. Before I get there I pass a bobcat on the road. He looks perfect. Except for the being dead part.
[This is long so I’ll stick the rest of this entry below the fold]
Read: Cycling Across America #40 »


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