After last night's huge steak, hoisting myself onto the bike took some work. But it was worth all 18 ounces because it was the best I have ever eaten. After all the cattle we saw, I knew this was the time to indulge!
Across route 70, we again veered off onto old route 40 and spent the better part of the day cruising through small towns, each identified by their water tower! Grain elevators dominated the skyline and cattle the fields. Ironically, we saw oil rigs working vigorously in a huge farm of windmills that were silent. Apparently, oil is still king.
Eastern Kansas presented a new face as we pulled away from the rain starved eastern shadow of the Rockies. Now the corn was tall, the soil was rich and the streams ran full. Trees shaded the road and homes along it. As we rode into the Flint Hills, grassy prairie mounds formed a new landscape. We actually found a lake for our picnic.
Route 40 ran out again, so we hopped back on 70. We stopped in Topeka at the Harley Davidson store - an amazing two story complex with a museum.
Crossing the Missouri River at Kansas City, we were confronted by rush hour. Heavy traffic and harried drivers weaving in and out of it are far more dangerous than any crumbling road we have climbed. Jules, a serious defensive driver, played his hand well and we broke through to Missouri.
If I had ruby slippers instead of boots, I just might have clicked my heels together and flown. But the two of us have learned, there's a new adventure around each corner and we still have over 1,000 miles to explore.
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