Unlike in Europe where church spires mark the next town, the rural American skyline is dominated by water towers. This old one is at the town of Toronto where we had coffee after riding through rain for a couple hours. It was sunny from here to our overnight destination of Eureka. The Kansas winds were favourable today and blew at our backs...sweet.
It's no problem if you miss a turn in Kansas. The Kansas maps look like a city grid, so it's really easy to get back on route. Today was the first day I didn't use 1st gear!
I don't think Kansas wants us here, the headwind tried to blow us back to Missouri. We were meant to be camping but with a severe storm warning out I'm glad we were booked into a motel.
Halfway through today's 69 mile ride the landscape changed. The Missouri roller coaster ended and the flat corn fields started. It feels like being home riding through the Free State, but with Durban's humidity.
Cooky's Cafe in Golden City (actually a klein dorpie) has been renowned for their pie since the 1940's. They all looked so yummy it wasn't easy deciding. I eventually chose the Dutch blueberry pie and ice cream, mmmm.
The last few afternoons have followed the same pattern: after the midday heat and humidity the storm clouds start gathering. The final 10 miles or so each day invariably turn into a race to the finish to beat the looming thunderstorms. I feel like a cyclist on the Tour who is in a lone breakaway with an angry peleton in persuit.
Saw this on a car window outside a convenience store at an intersection in the back of beyond Missouri farmland. Looks a bit like the number of hits that fighter pilots mark on their jets.
The gentle rollers made for pleasant riding this morning. The afternoon's road looked more like the Big Dipper!
Another pretty city park for us to camp in. No sooner had our tents dried out after we pitched, and the afternoon thunderstorm arrived. New York Bob and I were on cooking duty tonight. But after an exhausting 64 mile ride, dinner was a simple throw in the pot and heat up meatballs with canned sloppy joe sauce and rice. We didn't slum it totally, we also had salad and dessert.
The lookout tower at Flatrock. Yes, I climbed to the top. It was swaying in the breeze. After looking down from up there I know why I never fancied trying bungi jumping. The panoramic view was great though.
$80 000 will buy you one of these with luxury accomodation up front and two stables at the back. And this was not the biggest one! They hitch onto the load bed of the big American 4x4's.
Our campsite for two nights on the Jack's Fork river.
The laundromat is the only place in town with wifi, so guess where the transamers were hanging out.
You can get almost anything at a country has station. There goes the beer truck with our after ride refreshments.
Ingo making frikadels (yes, they also call them that in Germany) while Bill learns how and Adam and Chris working through their novels.
Now that we've crossed the Mississippi we are truly heading out west. The big roller coaster continues into Missouri. The route notes correctly described the ups and downs as unrelenting. You fly down one side at up to 40 mph and crawl up the next one at 4 mph. To add to the fun we got thoroughly drenched by heavy rain. Today's roads were in much better condition than what we rode on in Illinois.
Our police escourt waiting to take us across the narrow bridge.
E. C. Segar, creator of Popeye, was from Chester.
