May 2, 2025
The Pain On The Plains Was Mainly Plain
Garden City, Kansas
Before I even started ridin' today, I knew it was going to be a repeat of yesterday. (Thirty-five miles, into a cold wind, no towns or services, not many places to take a break, tired leg muscles, psychological torment, unreasonable hatred toward a perfectly natural weather phenomenon, etc.) I knew what I had to do, so I put on my hardshell cowboy hat and got down to it.
What I got down to was a battle with an even more cripplin' wind than yesterday. Yes, I always knew I'd make it to my destination, but I don't feel the sense of accomplishment I felt yesterday. This afternoon, as I write this in my motel room, all I'm feelin' is a sense of WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?
I know that feelin' is quite irrational. I've had several worse riding days than this--just as I know every Cycleblazer out there has also had likewise too as well, for sure, worse riding days. Don't worry, I'll get over it. Thanks for reading.
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I started out the day thinkin' I'd be a tough guy and ride without my gloves and wool cap. I knew the air would be warming up soon and I could endure the pain until then. Two miles into the ride, my hands couldn't take it anymore. On went the gloves. Three miles into the ride, I developed an earache in my left ear. On went the tuk. Seven miles into the ride I found a good place for my first break, and I took a picture of it.
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Maybe the slightly higher wind speed wasn't the only contributor to my bad attitude today. The landscape wasn't quite up to par. Most of the first 30 miles looked like Minnesota. It was farmland, with actual farmhouses and silos and irrigation equipment and grain bins and stuff. I could have ridden in Minnesota if I wanted to see Minnesota stuff.
But that didn't stop me from takin' pictures of the Kansas versions of Minnesota stuff.
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Oh yeah, the clouds kept my spirits up more than the landscape. Every once in a while, I'd pass something else that would pique my interest. Things like oil wells, a gigantic golf ball, and a television tower that was so tall I had to turn my phone the long way to capture the whole thing.
The oil well in particular brought out my deep philosophical side.
At about the 28-mile mark I started noticing a perceptible change. The farmland went from totally flat to having a little contour. It got even better a couple miles later when I rose in elevation and the farmland turned to semi-desert with even more contour.
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After the above picture, I decided to quit dilly dallying. I put the pedal to the metal and fiddled & diddled my way to Garden City to find a motel. In defiance against the wind, I only stopped for a short rest five times in the last four miles.
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Now that I've finished writing, I think I've reconciled my dispute with the wind. It looks like the wind is going to shift directions tomorrow. Therefore, I am going to continue in a northerly direction.
I have one more thought from the road to share. All of us bike tourists seem to agree that the world is best seen at a slower speed. In that case, I should have enjoyed seeing Kansas 50% better than I would have seen it on a less windy day. I can't honestly say I got that much enjoyment.
Today's ride: 36 miles (58 km)
Total: 205 miles (330 km)
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1 day ago