FCBA Day 29- Lakin KS to Lamar CO

 

I was dreading today. For the past couple of days we’ve had strong SSW winds which helped us traveling northward, and if they had continued they would have hindered this westward leg of our journey. Instead we were blessed with relative calm over the prairie that turned to desert as we approached Lamar. I’ve taken to keeping a bandana over my face in this dry heat. The moisture as I exhale is captured and cools and moisturizes the air I inhale. Being from Florida I’m used to humidity, and I find this air extremely dry and dusty. We are also over 3000 feet above sea level and though that isn’t much, the air is also a bit thinner. That in combination with the long period between rest days has taken its toll on my stamina so this leg of 76 miles was work. The terrain is even more flat though the total for the day’s climb was just over 1000 feet. Lakin to Lamar ride stats

Being so dry it cools overnight, so starting temperatures are in the low 70’s, but climbed to over 100 as we reached day’s end. Tomorrow will be similar with mild winds but hotter and around another 1000 feet gain in elevation. Then we get a sorely needed day of rest on Tuesday in La Junta.

Today we had a FBCA miracle almost on the scale of loaves and fishes. When we arrived at the facility we were to stay in we found a massive amount of luggage belonging to another cross-country cycling group. Furthermore, though shelter, it is a gymnasium built in 1902, not particularly well ventilated for the windows have been bricked over, and the air conditioning kept it about 10 degrees cooler than the 100 degrees outside. We had no facilities to cook, and the showers were across the street. Within two hours we were hosted in this modern community center; the other group was likewise accommodated at another facility, and we were invited to have dinner with them at a local resident’s house. I don’t know what the final count was but somewhere around 40 of us had plenty to eat and great fellowship with Push Journey for Hope (Push link) a fraternal organization made up of college men that started in Seattle and is headed to Washington DC.

What I had anticipated as a less than ideal day proved otherwise; so much for my expectations. Let’s see what tomorrow brings. I’ll just expect to enjoy it.

                                           The road was pink, there is some green, and lots of
                                           shades of brown. Colorful!

                                           Hot, dry, dead bleached bones. Yup, a desert to me.

                                                                          Coolidge Kansas