May 31, 2023
Day 26: Emporia to Topeka
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Breakfast wasn’t served until 6.30 in this hotel, so everyone was pushed for their 7 and 7.30 starts. I’d been hoping, in vain, for a more restful night with the resolution of the bike catastrophe, but woke early and struggled to get going.
There’d also been some kerfuffle about the route out of Emporia that had discomfited some people, although a new route had been posted by 7pm the night before.
We rode through Emporia, eventually to join a straight road heading due north. At first there was no hard shoulder and with the occasional cattle truck we needed to ride in single file, tucked right into the edge. The traffic dwindled and with the appearance of a hard shoulder it was a pleasant, slightly wind-assisted cruise through the same lush landscape. The straightness of the road sometimes gave you a view of the next three undulations. On the map the latter part of the ride looks as though it travels north-eastwards. It turned out to be one of those roads that goes round every field, so route was always northerly or eastwards.
The pace was comfortable with Todd, David and Simon for the first 12 miles. I let them go ahead whilst I took a comfort break. After that I needed to inspect a tree every 5-10 miles. In consequence everyone passed me and I was last for the SAG in Eskridge. By the time I’d used the facilities in the shop nearly everyone had gone and I was left to continue my sporadic progress.
Eskridge had looked nice on the way into town, with large farmhouses on arable farms gradually turning into the suburbs. The right turn immediately after the SAG revealed a street entirely composed of boarded-up shops. That lead to small, temporary looking houses and eventually, more fields. Whilst arable farming is very profitable, technology has dispensed with the need for many of the labourers, hence the destitution in the town.
A second stop was planned for the pie shop in Dover, which the crew had hyped up. My strawberry and rhubarb pie completely met expectations. Still needing to stop, I was last to the hotel, but it was still only lunchtime. After a brief rest I found a place for a second breakfast and then fell asleep in the hotel.
Against all sensible judgement I’d agreed to have dinner with Spencer and Chad, and Barbara met us at the worst French restaurant in the world. Topeka is state capital of Kansas, so we were hoping for sophistication. Duck and double carbs! It was all in vain Monsieur Bocuse. We had a couple of bottles of wine. Spencer, Chad and I went for a shake and then turned in. I had an uncomfortable night, visiting the bathroom every couple of hours.
Today's ride: 67 miles (108 km)
Total: 1,749 miles (2,815 km)
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