The start of today was nothing but your basic roller coaster. Up and down steep inclines steep descents for almost 5 miles. Seven 8 and 9% grades both ways. I only had a short ride but I couldn’t help but think after the first 5 miles this may take some significant work. It turned out that was it I then jumped on a local road with very easy traffic but little shoulder. They ruin a good shoulder with rumble strips and I didn’t have any choice but to ride next to them. I stopped a few times to let the traffic go by but in general it was very manageable. Because it was Sunday the traffic was light. There was no way I could have done this yesterday i’m glad I stopped where I did. At one point my GPS and my planned route took me off the road which I did a double take because it looked like it was going nowhere. But it really went everywhere. I ended up on a trail for almost eight and a half miles through a small town and through the woods. Truly the best part of the day. When I rejoined this two Lane Highway the shoulder had opened up to allow me to ride the remainder of the day sheltered. The traffic was even lighter at this point. I was glad to have a short day because tomorrow and possibly the next day could be much longer in May come with significant headwinds. I spent the day looking at different options in case of storms and headwinds. Crossing over the Missouri River and into Kansas i’ve now traveled through seven different states. The trails and the services will be very minimal for the next 700 plus miles. I will have to look at my route every morning and make adjustments. I have shorter days planned just to make sure I don’t get caught out in the plains if a storm pops up out of nowhere. When I went out to eat I met a young lady Terry who wanted a picture. She was a bicyclist and never met anyone going across the country. I talked to a few other people in the restaurant as we watched some baseball and enjoyed some food. Heading back to my hotel I ran across the Fox Theater which reminded me of home. The emotions that come with each day are pretty wide. Being alone is good, But being alone isn’t so good. I love the quiet roads but definitely get tense when the cars are speeding by. Not all roads and shoulders are made the same. I thoroughly enjoyed the trails but because of the rain they were very slow going. Sometimes you just wanna get to the end but for the most part you have to enjoy every part of the day. I missed my family and friends. I think mostly today the emotion was knowing I was heading out into a very desolate two states. Definitely some low level anxiety knowing that planning is critical. Safety along the roads and safety from the weather are at the forefront of my thoughts. As I’ve seen throughout the trip, God has moved the weather and always provided places to stop rest. So as I move on, I have to remember the miles before and the provision provided. I also know in general, these next several days will be lonely. The section of the Transamerica Route is considered the dreaded third. There’s nothing you can do but move forward. Stopping won’t get me through where I need to go. As I move across the plains I’m sure I will see God’s hand in this. All I can hope for is low winds, low humidity, low heat, and for the longer days a really big tailwind.
