Blazing Saddles...Day 16...Abilene to Topeka, Mon 09/05/11

Yeah, here we go again on the road for 7.02am and already it was warm...and that was only gonna go one way...up.

Well if that's your attitude, we will leave town!

Leaving Abilene, early-doors.

Tough drag through here.

What's up, horses? Why the long face?

Such a change in the landscape from only two days ago...and it was crazy-warm out there: my Garmin read a high of 104F. I drank in the region of 10 litres of water over the day...ridiculous.

After the day's cycling is done there is a window of opportunity to get your bike attended to if you have a problem...this is where Jim's area of expertise lies...

Steve (Sir Clive) is so organised that even his wardrobe is coordinated with his degreasing foam. Takes all sorts, I suppose...

...and the ineffably cool Daryl gets his bike fettled by our technical guru Jim. Lord help him. Top-notch millinery though, Sir!

More nonsense at the same time tomorrow. Turn the heating down a touch, will you?

Stats...stats...stats...More numbers an' that...

Lazy Sunday Afternoon...Day 15...Great Bend to Abilene...Sunday 08/05/11

We headed out of Great Bend as per this morning and faced another 3/4 headwind which meant a lot of us hanging back together trying to find a bit of shelter and conserve energy for the 129 miles to our next home in Abilene.
Eventually Drill Sergeant Manny had us organised into a paceline as best he could, but there were just too many of us to make it work effectively despite Manny's best efforts/barking out orders!

At the first stop of the day at 31 miles in the town of Lyon with a local and vocal mog. Not impressed by my suggested dietary enhancement...

Probably means something else...

I was having a so-so morning with no real drive in the engine room, and frankly could've climbed-off after 45 miles or so...the thought of another 80 wasn't filling me with delight.
It's a bit rubbish when you are giving it your best, concerted effort and yet you are down to barely 10mph: all of us will go through these bad patches, and yet I rallied  before lunch at 70 miles. I know pretty much everyone thought that that was a tough sector.

We had another 6 miles of struggle after the food-stop before a left turn meant that we were sailing along with the wind. More like it.
Somebody in Canton has a sense of humour...

We eventually ran out of road...

...which meant a little bit of cyclo-cross...

               (courtesy Mike Munk)

The rest of the stage was a slog-fest in ever increasing temperatures: my Garmin read a maximum of 101F.
Rarely have I been so glad to see a water-tower!

Tomorrow? A mere 109 miles to Topeka. Winds- please do one!

Here we go with the numbers...Hot stats!

Buffalo Soldier...Day 14...Dodge City to Great Bend...Sat 07/05/11

Sorry for the delay in getting this load of nonsense out there but the hotel's wi-fi was a bit steam-driven and prone to er, not working. Nevermind...

First of many photo-ops today (well, yesterday now) on the way outta Dodge...

At our first stop in Kinsley, although I should add that it's not this trip's midway point...my arse and I both hope that that point is reached sooner rather than...

Buster Keaton lives on...

Into a paceline to battle the 3/4 headwinds. Tedious.

Second detour: Fort Larned...

Where Bob got his 'Buffalo Soldier' idea from...

A car on a pair of step-ladders? Why not.

Another detour to Pawnee Rock look-out. No, no films were made...

The view from the rock...

Where Ohio Bob is believed to have purchased his Cannondale...

It was doing all of 10 mph. Not unlike us, then.

We finished in Great Bend's famous ice cream parlour 'Braums'...recommended!

Almost forgot...THE NUMBERS!

Vanishing Point...Day 13...Liberal to Dodge City...Fri 06/05/11

Right then, I'll not even try and tell you that today's stage was this-or-that...it was as close to a formality as cycling 85 miles could be thanks to a little bit of a kind wind and flat terrain.

Still think my Bruce Forsyth needs work...

Our only stop today was at 38 miles and we had a look at the Dalton Gang Museum which was run by a lady from near Cork. Obviously. She told me that she arrived in New York on December 2nd, 1957. So now you folks know too.

We steamed into Dodge...

...and I spied this mint '70 Challenger.

Beef this, beef that...

At the Boot Hill Museum we felt it prudent to tie-up our horses...

Our kinda museum as it goes, with beer served...

...and a bartender who plays a mean tune.

Tonight we stay right on the city limits- almost as if Mike (doing well for 203) wishes us out of harm's way...

Another short stage tomorrow but this will be one featuring confused winds. We'll see!

Stats...get them here...Three from the top...

Blowin' In The Wind...Day 12...Dalhart to Liberal, KS...Thurs 05/05/11

Well, we were told that the winds would blowing from the N.N.E., and that our track would be N.E., so you can work the rest out...

We were away just at sunrise...a tad fresh into the wind...

As we worked our way out of Texas and into Oklahoma there were plenty of these grain silos to feed the cattle...

Fastest in the West meets the slowest...in Conlen.

It was good to see that a few of us formed groups (pacelines as The Colonials have it, ahem) to share the workload and take turns at the front.
From the left...Lasse, Craig, Anthony and me.

And no, there wasn't any ropey attempts at singing like Howard Keel, mercifully.

From the left...Ed, Anthony, Craig, Lasse and me. Second state of the day!

That lasted in various guises until lunch at 70 miles when the fast guys did their own thing i.e. we couldn't stick their pace anymore.

From then on I was solo until the end. Joy. I couldn't honestly say that I enjoyed today but there was a sense of some satisfaction in having done it, and in a reasonable time, all things considered.

Lonnie's big hit...

Mile 91 brings through the town of...you can do your own gags.

And finally into our third state. Still blowing a hooley.

Post-ride steaks (yeah, the ambivalence lasted a whole day) all round.
From the left...Mark, me, Lasse, Anthony, Jay, Clay, Chris and Steve. Shock and horror when we ordered beers and the waitress said that they didn't have a licence. Food was top-notch though!

Being Kansas they go a bundle on 'The Wizard Of Oz'. Oh dear, and goodbye...

Our daily numbers...Stats...stats...stats...