71 degrees to start but the humidity must be 100% or at least it feels that way to someone who is used to very little humidity....We started out with sort of overcast skies on some really nice back roads. For the life of me, it looks like Indiana only a little hillier...like southern Indiana. By the time we got to the first SAG at 35 miles huge black clouds were growing to the north of us and the staff was pushing us to get through the SAG quickly as they had been tracking the thunderstorms and thought we could get out ahead of them...today was the HALFWAY point so we took pictures at the SAG. WOW.
Then we were flying out of there to try and beat the rain...I felt like the scene in the Wizard of Oz where they were cycling along trying to beat the tornado....
However, once again the rain gods smiled upon us and we barely got a sprinkle. Apparently Topeka got hammered with heavy thunderstorms with a big bow echo embedded...supposedly round 2 tonight but clearing in the morning. Fingers crossed. The thunderstorm kind of sucked us along as it spread out in front of us but then we picked up a very stiff headwind out of the SE...that along with 4022 feet of climbing made a long afternoon. We passed through an area called the Flint Hills which is basically undisturbed tall grass prairie that wasn't farmed because of a layer of flint that made it impossible to till. Really beautiful. The other interesting thing is that apparently this is the year for the cicadas and there must be millions of them...as we passed through the areas with big trees the noise was absolutely deafening.
One very fun part of the day was stopping at a little restaurant that was like something out of Mayberry. Homemade pies, etc. So everyone had pie or ice cream..or both!
I am very encouraged by the way things are with my knee now. I feel I am almost 100%...I am finally able to stand up on the pedals for hills, etc and feel there is good power now. So happy!
Of course if one thing improves, likely something else will go...the right wrist that was broken in Jan 2014 is giving me a little trouble but I am taping, etc. I should take out stock in KT tape.
Big news of the day: Topeka has a Starbucks!!! After dinner, Peter and I went for coffee and a brownie. Civilization!! One day I am going to write down everything I eat in one day...it is really unbelievable. We all talk about this constantly....we can't quite get over it.
Today was 106 miles and as I already mentioned, 4022 feet of climbing. Tomorrow we cross into Missouri.
Injury update: Joanne had to SAG in today...now her other leg is bothering her...
I am having trouble with the Internet connection at this hotel so will try posting the pictures from today sometime tomorrow.
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