Larned, KS to Hutchinson, KS

Today, Don and I got an early start after the thunderstorms cooled everything down during the night.   We were on the bikes just a little past sunrise and rode directly East on county road 96 forever...We knew our final goal for the day was going to be Hutchinson, KS becuase there was a full service bike shop called Harleys who was going to look at our wheels and see if they could fix Don's broken spoke. 

Bob, the owner of Harley's, was great in helping get Don back on the road.  Bob did not have the specific spoke in stock but called a buddy of his in Wichita and they did.  Bob got somebody to drive the spoke over to his store and replaced it for Don.  Bob also took the time to look at my front wheel and take care of some creaking noises that I did not care for...and no, the creaking noises were not from my knees!

So here is a shout-out to HARLEY'S Bicycles in Hutchinson, KS:   www.harleysbicycles.com   YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!

Once the wheels were in for repair, we got a hotel, cleaned up and took a trip down memory lane with Don.  He went to college out here in Sterling, KS; at Sterling  C0llege.  It is a small college where he was a big man on campus being active on the school paper as a sports writer and playing on the baseball team.  It was cool to see him relieve some fond memories, at least the ones he could remember since next year it will be 50 years since he graduated from Sterling. 

After the trip down memory lane and getting our wheels back we ate a hearty dinner and are turning in early.  We have some mileage to make up the next few days since we needed to take care of business today. 

Thank you for all the comments.  It is enjoyable reading what you all think about the ride and the pictures we are taking.  Keep the comments coming.

Scott City, KS to Larned, KS

The sun was rising out of the East at 6:30am and we were on our bikes and ready to do another 100 miles today.  The sky looked great with the blues, reds, and orange colors of the morning sun reflecting off the semi-trailers whizzing by us at 65 miles an hour.   That is when the day went south!

Don and I had planned on getting out early today to beat the heat and get in as many miles as we could before the temperture spiked to the 101 degreees the forecasters were predicting for the day.  We rode out of the hotel parking lot to the goodbye waves of our only two fans (Rod and Sal) and set forth on the lone deserted highway. It was already 80 degrees at 6:30am.   About 15 miles into the ride we got a call from Rod saying the van would not start.  We offered some suggestions but kept riding in the hopes that the van was just being tempermental and they would soon be on thier way to save us from the heat and wind.  In the multiple phone calls that followed, we found out that the security feature (pass-theft) would not allow the van to start.  Why, we still do not know....but 23 miles into the ride, Don and I stopped in the small town of Dighton, KS.  Since the van was still not starting we were worried that we may have to turn around and go back to Scott City while the van was being fixed.  

Our stay in Dighton (3hrs) was an interesting observation of a cattle culture.  To us, it seemed like Dighton was the crossroads of Kansas, since so many cattle semi's came through the town.   Many stopped at the kwikshop gas station we chose as our home for the next three hours.  We saw a father/daughter pair that had cowboy boots AND spurs walk into the store and others that looked like they had already put in a full days work in the cattle yard by the look of their clothes. 
I, myself, decided to take a nap and fell asleep on the sidewalk about 25 feet from the main intersection.  Don laughed at me but the sidewalk felt good, and I was out cold for about a 1/2 hr.  Semi's and trucks are going by and I did not hear any of them:)  It was a tough wait, becuase right across the street was the bank with the electronic sign telling us the time and temperature.  As the hours ticked by, the temperature continued to rise.  After three hours, Don and I decided it was time to ride back to the hotel and see what was going on--we would just deal with the ride later...but just then, the van comes roaring into town to save us the ride back.  We found out the problem was with the keyfob and it talking with the security system.  After disconnecting the battery for 15 minutes, the system reset itself and the van started with no problems.

It is now 11:30am and we decide to ride on...and the temperature has risen 10 degrees..its now 90 degrees and rising as we had out of town with our support van.  We ride another 50 miles and call it quits becuase of the heat. 
It did not help that we had the pleasure of riding on newly laid asphalt which is black and radiated the heat like a dry sauna right back at you.

Eads, CO to Scott City, Kansas

KANSAS: After driving back to Eads from Lamar, CO  becuase of the hotel room situation, we were on the road and planned on taking it easy today.  Since we had pushed it yesterday in 100 degree temps and I was not sure how my back was going to react to the bike,  the plan was to ride an easy 100 miles.  Well, that did not happen.  I felt good and promised myself that I was not going to use my aero bars becuase that is what caused the back pain, but I was still doing 23-24mph with a slight tailwind.  At 50 miles, I was on pace to be under 5 hrs for the day and decided to go for it.  I completed the 100 miles in 4hrs and 59 minutes (20.1 mph) for the whole ride which is not real good, but it was a saving grace since I was not able to do that yesterday!

The view was grasslands or stockyards full of cattle.  The smell from these places were like smelling salts--it hits you all at once and it is not pleasant! 

During the ride we came upon 8 other adults who were doing the TransAmerica route from East to West.  I stopped briefly to talk to them and give them some pointers about the sandstorms (wear surgical masks)  and wished them all good luck.  Don cuaght up to me at this point and I ducked in behind him and rode his wheel for awhile.  It was then that I noticed his back wheel was wobbling and after investigating, we found that a spoke had broken off and caused his wheel to 'go out of true.'  We quickly put on the spare back wheel and kept the ride going.  We hope to get his wheel fixed someplace in Kansas, but the bike stores are not real plentiful around here.

Pueblo, CO to Lamar, Co

Today was the day we  hope for good weather and a tailwind as we left Pueblo, CO and headed to the Kansas border.  We got the nice weather but a crosswind to go with it. 
We were on track to do a real good 100 mile ride:  50 miles is 2hrs 14minutes, 65 miles in 3hrs and then my luck ran out;  my lower back muscles started cramping and the crosswinds started.  It was a tough 35 miles but did complete it.  Don finished in 5hrs and 7 minutes and I was 5hrs and 13 minutes.  NOT my best 100 miler but conditions have to better to get under 5 hrs!

Not really an exciting day for scenery...it was just grasslands and railroad cars the whole 100 miles.  This is what  I fear it will be like in Kansas--corn, corn, corn, cows, corn.


Here is a description of the TransAmerica Route from Pueblo, CO to Yorktown, VA:
Pueblo offers bike shops and great places to eat; it also serves as the halfway point of the TransAm Trail (time to celebrate!). It's a good place to stock up -- it's the largest city you'll pass through until Carbondale, Illinois.

Things start to dry out as you get into the eastern part of Colorado and cross into western Kansas. Carrying extra water is a good idea here -- this is hot, barren country. Right around Haswell, Colorado, you'll see your last hazy glimpse of the Rocky Mountains. Overnights at city parks in Kansas are usually accompanied by cool dips in the city swimming pools. You might have to do some early morning and early evening riding to escape the midday heat. Don't miss the pies at Cookie's in Golden City, Missouri! The flat-as-a-pool-table terrain of the Great Plains will change quickly into the roller-coaster riding of Missouri. You'll find Missouri offers Civil War history, terrific canoeing (at Eminence), and an excellent swimming hole (Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park).

The route crosses the Mississippi River at Chester, Illinois, and heads into Carbondale, another fun college town. A ferry takes you across the Ohio River into Kentucky, where you'll enjoy the evening fireflies at your campsites. Kentucky offers rolling white-fenced farms and woodlands until reaching Berea, the gateway to the Appalachian Mountains. A loop south of the route will take you to see Mammoth Caves National Park, the longest cave system in the world. Past Berea, you'll spend some time ascending and descending the mountains of the Appalachians, and riding part of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. The mountains turn to rolling hills and then flat riding through lush plantations and farmlands. The last stretch of the route is rich in the history of the American Revolution, with Colonial Williamsburg as the highlight. Yorktown, situated on the Chesapeake Bay, is the route's end.

Terrain
Some stretches of the western portion of the route follow large river valleys and can be generally flat, but expect some climbing almost every day between Astoria, Oregon, and Pueblo, Colorado. The passes throughout the Rocky Mountains are generally long but not terribly steep. The descents from these passes are, of course, a blast. Most of Kansas is beautifully flat. Missouri through the Ozarks and eastern Kentucky through the Appalachians offers short, steep climbs. The Virginia portion of the route, surprisingly, has more total elevation gain than any other state.

Logistics
Camping choices will vary across the country between small private campgrounds, city parks, state and national parks, national forests, and the occasional back yard. The northern Oregon coast is a heavily traveled tourist route and is flush with camping and service opportunities. From Oregon eastward through Kansas, you'll find services limited mainly to the towns along the route. Carrying extra water in the West is a good plan. Camping options improve once you're in the Rockies, but you should still expect some long stretches between accommodations and services. Options will increase near tourist areas such as Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Kansas is legendary for its hospitality. Camping in city parks is the norm through Kansas and Missouri. Food, water, and overnight accommodations are abundant from Missouri to Virginia.

Colorado Springs, CO

Today was a scheduled day off as we let our legs recupperate from the mountains of the "Western Express" part of the ride.   This section was much harder than we expected becuase we were trying to do 100 miles  a day and that is just not feasable in these mountains.  If we were not on a time schedule, we could have easily done each and every mile of this section but in shorter amounts (40 miles per day average).  Still doing 1200 miles in the 17 days was very rewarding and the plus was we got to see many more sites than expected.

Today, we  spent the day in Colorado Springs at the Air Force Academy, Olympic Training Center, Garden of the Gods and the Broadmoor Hotel.  All interesting and vastly different tourist sites.  Pictures to follow in the next few days.

I have a college friend who lives out here and was hoping to see him but it did not pan out due to his work and family schedule.   Pretty disappointed about that becuase it is not to often we get to see one another, but I will be back here next year with the kids..so we will catch up then.

Tomorrow, if the weather gods work with us, we plan on trying for a quick 100 miles.  They say the easterly winds and slow decline in elevation into Kansas can make for a fun ride.  Hopefully we will get that chance tomorrow.

Coalpile, CO to Pueblo, CO  (1589 miles completed)

Today was an easy ride. We rode mostly downhill from Coalpile to the Royal Gorge; took time out to play tourist and then road from Canon City to the outskirts of Pueblo.  We would have ridden further but a nasty little storm showed up and we had to dive into the van to escape the rain. 

Tomorrow is a day off and we will be in Colorado Springs seeing the sites and visiting with one my college friends; then on Monday, we are heading for Kansas.

Gunnison, CO to Coalpile, CO

Today was the day that Don and I have been preparing for...the climb up Monarch Pass which is just outside of Gunnison Colorado.  The pass is only 11,300 ft but we are always nervous having a 10 mile climb to get to that height. 
What I thought would be a tough climb was actually not that tough.  It is becuase of the 15 previous days of riding in the mountains and high winds that have trained our legs to just keep grinding away on these hills.   What Don and I have learned is that we have very different cadence's when climing the mountains.  I have a faster pace than Don, so I always end up getting to the top in front of Don.  This really doesnt matter because its not a race and I end up getting cold becuase I wait for him at the top (for pictures).  What legs I have for the mountains, Don has for the straight aways, and it will be interesting to see how we measure up in Kansas:)

We rode 82 miles today and could have gone longer, but we realized that the only hotels/motels were back in Salida, CO (20 miles back), so it did not make sense to keep going when we were going to have to backtrack for the night.   Dinner was different.  We ate at Quincy's (a local small place) and all they serve is Prime Rib on the weekend.  Your only choice is the amount of P.R. and what you want for dessert.  I ordered the 20 ounce P.R thinking there would be a lot of fat  and I was wrong.  This slab of meat was huge and really good down to teh last bite:)  Included was a dinner salad with ranch, baked potatoe, fruit, and drink.  All for $16.95--that is not a mistake--it was that cheap.  A very good dinner that is making me sleepy. 

Tomorrow, we get to Peublo and will make a side visit to the Royal Gorge.

Ridgeway, Co to Gunnison, CO

Got an early start this morning, with the easy ride from Ridgeway to Montrose before we started the climb over two peaks on our way to Gunnison.  We were able to make the two peaks but on the way down the second peak, the skies once again, opened up and the rain and lightening started....I don't do lightening.  So in the van we went and rode in style to Gunnison.  This evening, we took it easy, by cleaning our bikes and taking care of any little issues we had so that we are ready for tomorrow.  The biggest mountain we will climb on this whole trip happens tomorrow with us scaling the 11,300 foot Monarch Pass.  After that it is a few days riding into Pueblo, CO and our day off for sightseeing in Colorado Springs. 

Delores,  CO to Ouray, CO

Started the day off early and got on the bikes at 6:45am to make the climb up and over Lizard Head Pass and down through Telluride, Co, Ridgeway, CO to Ouray, CO.

As we neared the top of Lizard Head Pass the dark clouds came in, thunder rolled around the mountain tops and we picked up our pace to get over the pass and down into Telluride.  We almost made it before the skies opened up and the weather turned bad.   It became quite cold and our downhill wet ride incorporated very cold temps and freezing hands.  Not good when you are doing 40mph downhill on skinny tires:)

Telluride is a nice ski town with a lot of rich people.   The main street is set up nice with many little niche stores but what really stands out in this town are the beautiful houses on the mountainside.  I fell in love with a few houses but the lowest started at 1.2 million dollars.  A little too much for my salary. 

The weather never let up and we decided to ride in the van the rest of the way down to Ridgeway, CO.  Thankfully it was the right choice as we saw a few vehicles having a hard time navigating their way down the mountain in the rain.  Tourists, mountain roads, rain and rubbernecking are not good combinations.  Once in Ridgeway, we had the choice of heading to Montrose for lodging or showing off Ouray, CO to Sal and Rod.  Don and I had been through this little town two years ago on our training rides and fell in love with the little town. It is like Telluride but without the big money walking around.   Once in town, we stayed at the Antler's Motel where we met a the owner/operator, who is a teacher in Florida, during the school year, but comes up here with the family during the summer month's. 

I must tell you that I had the best BBQ Ribs EVER at the Billy Goat Bistro next to the hotel.  When you are as hungry as we are after a day of riding; most food is pretty good but this was three steps above the rest and I said as much on TripAdvisor.

Tomorrow, we start week three of our trip and we have ridden 1,00o miles so far in the 12 days of riding.  Pretty good for a couple of old farts:)

Blanding, Utah to Delores, CO

We took today off and went siteseeing.  We visited Monument Valley (Utah/Arizona) where many films including Forrest Gump, Back to the Future III and many John Wayne movies have been filmed.  Next we went to the Four Corners Monument (Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico all meet.  We were suprised, as were many others who showed up to see this monument that it was closed for reconstruction.  We could not even get close enough to have an idea of what it looked like becuase of the construction fencing.  Last, we drove up to Cortez, CO to the Mesa Verda National Park, to see the cliff dwellings made by the Pueblo indians.  It was an intersting lesson in how these indians came to the area and found relief in the caves/overhangs of the mountains and what they did to survive. 

Tomorrow, we start our trek through Colorado and towards the biggest climb of the Trip (Monarch Pass) just outside of Crested Butte, CO.   We ride mostly uphill tomorrow past Telluride, Ridgeway and Ouray, CO; on our way to Montrose.  We may stay in Ouray, CO  tomorrow night since Don knows some previous students who live out there and it is a beautiful little town.