Fireflies and Snow
Friday, November 09, 2012
Leaving Blogger
Blogger's Android app is moronic, so I am moving to WordPress. This will stay as an archive, but my new posts about my trip to South America will reside at becomemore.net/firefliesandsnow/.
Moving to a new site
Blogger's android app is useless so I'm moving to a new site as soon as possible. I will post the new link here when I get it set up.
A fine day - Marion Lake to Wichita
Somehow this captures Kansas scenery |
100 km/62 mi
The last couple of days I had woken up to screaming winds, and I expected to again. This time I was looking forward to it: before those screaming winds would be crosswinds, but today they would be a glorious tailwind! But when I woke up, all was silent... Ah well, at least I didn't have a headwind, right?
I knew I didn't have to fuss with finding lodging because I'd be staying at my dad's, so I took my sweet time getting ready. I didn't leave until 10! That was pushing it a bit. On my way out, I discovered a working water spigot—wonder of wonders! Most of them are shut off at these campsites because of the chance of freezing, so I was a happy fellow: I could load up for the day without having to go miles out of my way.
I headed to Peabody in search of a late breakfast (muesli just ain't enough I've found). It was a nice little town. I headed to Pop's Diner. Not a warm reception when I came in, but my hair must have been pointing in all directions and I am pretty garish in my blue coat.
I had biscuits and gravy (yum) and then left. A group of people piling out of a minivan asked me about my trip and sounded impressed. They wished me luck, but warned me about the coming storm.
There's a name I haven't seen in a while. Thankfully... |
Now here I am in Wichita. I thought I'd be able to rest, but I have so much to do before I leave again on Monday!
I made a good decision for once! - Council Grove Lake to Marion Lake
107 km/66mi
I started the day thinking I might just stay in Council Grove. It was a free site, I wasn't in that big a hurry. And the wind was just as miserable as the day before.
I contemplated for about an hour. I hated the idea of dealing with the powerful wind that dominated the day before. But every time I thought about it, I thought "I want to ride". Not because I was in a hurry, not because I'd feel like a wimp. I just really like the feeling of sitting on the monstrous thing, moving along through headwind and through tailwind.
So I finally gave in to these cruel urges and decided to keep moving.
I'd planned to head to McPherson Lake, east of McPherson. This meant more jockeying with gravel, so I really wanted a different option.
When I got to Herrington after miles of fighting the exact same crosswind from the day before, I had to make a choice. I could go east or south. East was more slogging, but possibly less gravel when I went south later. Going south now meant a beautiful, beautiful tailwind that could push my wide load even up hills! But that would mean suffering through gravel as well as crosswind if I turned east to McPherson park.
I say "if" because I had begun to think of continuing south to a city. I didn't know the conditions on the road to the park, and I was just plain sick of the wind. Why not use the wind to my advantage and head south to a city? It might mean shelling out for a motel, that's why not! But I began to really entertain the idea, and when I got to the turnoff for the park and realized I had another 30 miles to go, I decided to go south.
The most likely candidate was Marion, a fair-size city with a lake, so flew along with the wind that way.
Just at the turnoff for Marion, I caught sight of a couple of fellow travelers. Their kit was very different from mine, and I felt a bit overdressed. They were walking their bikes into the wind, one with barely any equipment on her bike, the guy I first spoke to with a trailer and a pet carrier. They looked pretty rough and, while not unfriendly didn't offer much information about themselves. The guy told me the girl had had a lot of difficulties at a homeless center in Wichita; they were headed from Wichita to Massachusetts by the most direct route. In the pet carrier were a couple of kittens, they said. Their names were Storm (the guy) and Raven (the girl). I didn't ask.
I showed them my map and then wished them luck.
Marion had a nice big city park so I asked about camping there at the city office, but found a brochure for the lake, and now here I am, camping in my third free site! Best, it looks like tomorrow will not only have a tailwind most of the way, but my trip will be considerably shorter.
I started the day thinking I might just stay in Council Grove. It was a free site, I wasn't in that big a hurry. And the wind was just as miserable as the day before.
I contemplated for about an hour. I hated the idea of dealing with the powerful wind that dominated the day before. But every time I thought about it, I thought "I want to ride". Not because I was in a hurry, not because I'd feel like a wimp. I just really like the feeling of sitting on the monstrous thing, moving along through headwind and through tailwind.
So I finally gave in to these cruel urges and decided to keep moving.
I'd planned to head to McPherson Lake, east of McPherson. This meant more jockeying with gravel, so I really wanted a different option.
When I got to Herrington after miles of fighting the exact same crosswind from the day before, I had to make a choice. I could go east or south. East was more slogging, but possibly less gravel when I went south later. Going south now meant a beautiful, beautiful tailwind that could push my wide load even up hills! But that would mean suffering through gravel as well as crosswind if I turned east to McPherson park.
I say "if" because I had begun to think of continuing south to a city. I didn't know the conditions on the road to the park, and I was just plain sick of the wind. Why not use the wind to my advantage and head south to a city? It might mean shelling out for a motel, that's why not! But I began to really entertain the idea, and when I got to the turnoff for the park and realized I had another 30 miles to go, I decided to go south.
The most likely candidate was Marion, a fair-size city with a lake, so flew along with the wind that way.
Just at the turnoff for Marion, I caught sight of a couple of fellow travelers. Their kit was very different from mine, and I felt a bit overdressed. They were walking their bikes into the wind, one with barely any equipment on her bike, the guy I first spoke to with a trailer and a pet carrier. They looked pretty rough and, while not unfriendly didn't offer much information about themselves. The guy told me the girl had had a lot of difficulties at a homeless center in Wichita; they were headed from Wichita to Massachusetts by the most direct route. In the pet carrier were a couple of kittens, they said. Their names were Storm (the guy) and Raven (the girl). I didn't ask.
I showed them my map and then wished them luck.
Marion had a nice big city park so I asked about camping there at the city office, but found a brochure for the lake, and now here I am, camping in my third free site! Best, it looks like tomorrow will not only have a tailwind most of the way, but my trip will be considerably shorter.
Marion Lake fall foliage |
Thursday, November 08, 2012
Tough day - Pomona Lake to Council Grove Lake
Donkeys know how to hide |
119 km/ 74 mi Today started out well enough. It was cold and cloudy, but I felt more confident on the bike because I'd moved some items around in the front panniers and it seemed easier to keep control of the bike.
Maybe I got cocky.
I felt good on the gravel roads outside of Pamona lake park. Slow, but comfortable. I slogged my way nearly to pavement, when suddenly the gravel got very squirrelly: just a big pile of rocks, very little hard land. Unfortunately I was going downhill.
Whoa! WHAM! My head slammed against the ground (in a helmet, thankfully). I got up and checked the bike, then myself. A holder for one of my rear panniers had snapped—not the end of the world, I have a couple more. I ripped a nice hole in my new Gore tex rain jacket near the elbow. Bummer, I'll patch it up when I get to Wichita. I had a few scrapes but nothing serious, and I did a few of those tests they go through when someone hits their head on TV and I seemed ok. But I found out later I'd lost my tiger eye glass bracelet from Kamakura. I had a feeling it was too fragile for this trip, but it was a shame to lose it.
Gravel battle scars |
The rest of the day was a long and very hard slog. I finally reached pavement and vowed never to let Open Street Map lead me through gravel again (though I had to ride on gravel to get to the campsite). But the going was rough all day because of a crosswind that was almost as bad as a headwind. It took 8 hours to go 60 miles.
Dinner after a long day |
Goodbye! - Lawrence to Pomona
Well's Overlook |
Last goodbye for a while |
I felt good but sluggish, but the day was pretty good. I didn't think about much; now that I'm on the road it's a little easier to let go of all the "duties": for now I can't do much more than ride!
I spent a fair portion of the day on gravel. It wasn't too bad. But I was definitely slow: I'd ridden my bike with most of my stuff before, but I've added a large bag with food and odds and ends, and I think that bag itself weighs as much as all my other bags combined. I might have to reconsider some of the odds and ends when I get to Wichita.
Pamona's 110 mile park is nice enough. No one's here: it's Sunday and getting COLD! The sun's just gone down and the temperature's dropping. I'm lake-side, which may make things cooler. It'll be good practice for later, on the high plateaus of Arizona. It's just now 6, and even with the time change it's a bit early, but I may curl up in my sleeping bag here in a bit.
In 110 Mile Park |
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Official announcement and map
So, most people know I'm leaving November 4th, headed from here to California and then on my way south as far as I can go. For those who don't, well, now you know.
Here's a map of my plan.
Here's a map of my plan.
The route (very roughly). Probably won't head to SF, but it's still an option. |
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