rideforworldhealth.org

The wind kindly welcomed us into Kansas today…not.  First, Borat seems to be the movie of the trip, hence the “not.”  Second, the wind was anything but kind.  After 42 miles of 30+ mph cross/head-winds, the ride was called for safety reasons. 

Let me back up.  The day began in Eads, Colorodo.  The place we stayed was vaguely referred to as an “Indian burial ground,” “shack,” or “warehouse.”  Luckilly it turned out to be a much nicer clubhouse of sorts.  It was a building next to a horse track, and it had a kitchen.  One thing that is appreciated on this trip is a kitchen and hot shower facilities.  The hot shower (yep, only one stall for 23 people) happened to be at a truckstop across the street which was surprisingly clean with excellent water pressure.  Nice.

The ride was definitely character building.  Katie and I played Frogger with the many tumbleweeds flying across the road.  I don’t think anyone got a flat tire due to a tumbleweed today.  For those of you that don’t know, tumbleweeds have lots of thorns that are more than capable of deflating the most impenetrable tire.  As if avoiding tumbleweeds wasn’t enough, we practically rode leaning into the crosswind.  Wish I had some pictures.  It’s amazing how forward momentum can keep one moving forward even if the bike is tilted almost 45 degrees. 

At lunch somewhere near tribune, the bikes were loaded and we headed to Leoti, KS.  It was nice to have the decision made for us because biking in winds that flatten the grass and early crops is definitely not safe…however, there was talk of at least trying it out to see how it goes.  The decision seemed even better once a mix of rain and snow fell at some point on the drive. 

  “Wind Stirs up Chaos across Town”  (Thanks for the pics, Jen)

Once in Leoti, a visit to the Museum of the Great Plains (http://skyways.lib.ks.us/towns/Leoti/museums.html) was highly enlightening.  The woman running the museum knew an incredible amount of local history.  Buffalo Bill and a few other notables lived in or near Leoti.  Another crazy find was the rules for teachers in 1915, which is less than 100 years ago.  Some of the rules included:  No fraternizing with men other than your father or brother; no getting married while under contract during the school term; no loitering at the local icecream parlor; and no going out between 8pm to 6am unless there is a school function.  Those are only some of the 15 ludicrous rules. 

   Rules for Teachers

Let me reiterate that those were printed less than 100 years ago.  Since this ride is about world health, I’ll just suggest that everyone keep an open mind when it comes to some other countries and their treatment of women and minorities.  We have come a long way and still have a long way to go.  It was not that long ago that blatant discrimination ran rampant in the US.  There are still inequalities throughout American society today.  That does not mean we shouldn’t try to help people who are treated poorly in other countries.  Just keep in mind that the US and other countries are more similar than is perceived today, and that barriers in both the US and the world need to be addressed before change can occur.  Okay, off my soapbox.

The team went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner.  The food was quite good, especially the salty chips with salsa.  Dairy King (yep, it’s “King” instead of “Queen”) satiated our cravings for dessert.  Even when 30 degrees outside, a hot fudge sundae hits the spot. 

The Wichita High School is providing us with lodging tonight.  It has a home-ec kitchen and warm showers!  After playing Taboo and writing this blog, it’s time for bed.  I’m on support with Corey, Kel, and Stephanie…Team Melrose, named for all the drama that happens on our support days :)  Never dull.

So…there are two notable milemarkers for today:  crossing into a new state and moving into central time.  Now I’m only an hour behind my home state of Virginia.  Calling home will be much more convenient since friends and family won’t be sleeping when I finally get a free moment. 

Tomorrow we go to Ness City, KS.  80 miles pretty much downhill.  The wind should be better, too.  Welcome to Kansas R4WH.

Utah is beautiful! I have been enjoying the scenery so much at times I forget I’m on my bike. I feel very lucky to have this opportunity to see different parts of the country, and all at just the right pace!

Here are some pictures from Utah:

Hot Springs in Panaca, NV

After a great meal cooked by Marianne we went for dessert at a restaurant called the Windmill Ridge. It was fun and relaxing, and because we are all so good at sharing (I love that!) we all got to try most of the desserts on their menu. My personal favorite was the peanut butter brownie. After that a group of us went to the hot springs nearby for a quick dip. This picture is Ashley, Stephanie, and I underwater acting out hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.

Cedar City to Tropic

I was on support the day these two pictures were taken. The first is the view after the long climb out of Cedar City, Utah. It was a great climb and everyone did awesome! The second picture is from Bryce Canyon the same day! I was driving the support vehicle and kept stopping to take pictures because I couldn’t get enough. When we got to the high school we made the riders tomato soup and grilled cheese which went over really well.

 Lunch Stop

Jamie and I taking a rest during lunch. Our lunch stop was at a great lookout over the canyons.

Natural Bridges Monument

 We camped out at the Natural Bridges Monument after a 100 mile day. A group of us went on a short hike when we got to the camp site to walk under one of the bridges. This picture is of Seth, Van, Cory, Anuj, Nate, Josh, Jamie, and I.

Karaoke in Monticello

In Monticello, Utah we sang Karaoke! There was a restuarant across the street from the Church where we were staying and the Karaoke DJ made a special trip for us! The first picture is us singing Summer Nights (Anuj, Nate, and Van for the men, and Steph, Marianne, and I representing the ladies). The second picture is when all of the guys serenaded Marianne singing “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling.” Maybe we should start singing for World Health. Just a thought

Tropic to Boulder, Petrified Forest

On our way to Boulder, Utah we had a lunch stop at a petrified forest. This is a picture of some of us hiking along the trail to see the petrified wood.

Riding into Telluride

Snow! Riding into Telluride we had a huge climb in the mountains and were surrounded by lots of snow! Dave, Bobby, and I stopped for a picture during the descent.