2007 BAK

This year's Biking Across Kansas route began the same way that my first BAK began in 1999.  That year, the "B" route started in Tribune, continued to Scott City, then Ness City. 

This year's ride across the state, unlike 1999, was done on a late-eighties Santana Arriva tandem with my (still) friend Melanie as stoker. We rode this thing last year on BAK and agreed that two people powering one bike was a bit more efficient than going it alone.  Since last year, I built new wheels for it and replaced saddles and bags, and I'm hoping none of these changes are detrimental!

Friday, June 8
Tribune to Colorado border and back
31 miles

Arriving in Tribune at around 4:20 via Betty Dewitt's charter bus service, we got busy unloading bags and bikes and setting up tents at the Tribune High School.  Registration was a time for meeting and greeting old friends before heading out to the Colorado border for the requisite photo op.  It was a pleasant evening for a ride, with the temperature hanging around the low 70's.  The ride to the border let us wave and yell at our friends who had gone to the border earlier and were now heading back to Tribune.  After riding BAK for eight years, a lot of friendships happen.

 Upon returning to Tribune, we searched for food and found it at "The Trench".  They had prepared a feast of pulled pork, cole slaw, beans and potato salad.  We sat with The Guys In The Red Party Van, Mark and Jay, otherwise known as "drinkers with a biking problem".  Fun guys. 

Saturday, June 9
Tribune to Scott City
47 miles

The overnight temperature dove into the upper 40's.  I wished I had brought my wool beanie for my bald head.

I was happy to see this fixed gear bike on the route.  A young fella named John, from Lawrence, rode it across the state. 

The short mileage and easy winds helped us get into Scott City before noon.  But first, we made sure we stopped to visit the Sag Hags.  At Scott City, several food vendors setup shop on the parking lot of the high school.  My choice was the home-cooked mexican fare being served up by a family set up on the northwest corner of the lot.  Wow.  What a treat.  Enchilada, tamale, taco and three different kinds of salsa.

After pitching camp and taking showers, our group took root on a picnic table in the city park where signs were posted advertising a bluegrass show that evening.  Coincidentally, my old friend and fellow Wichitan Jim Bullard and his group, Shadow Creek, were performing.  Small world.

Sunday, June 10
Scott City to Ness City
57 miles

Great fun riding today.  The tandem is running smooth and fast.  Well, I guess it didn't hurt that we had a little push from a SSW wind and the route was pancake-flat.  We attracted a couple of "draftees".  Roy Sprunger, from Ashland, reported that his speed went up while his heart rate went down while sitting in our wake.  

We stopped in Beeler for lunch, or I guess it was really brunch, around 10am after about 40 miles.  This is where I should try to embarrass Ben Sciortino for getting lost on his way out of Beeler, but I won't.

We arrived in Ness City, home of The Skyscraper of The Plains, early enough to unload the truck today. 

Back in 1999, it seemed that there were only two or three places to eat in Ness City -- the Frigid Creme, Pizza Plus, or the motel.  This year, it seemed like there were quite a few more choices.  Our group went to the Cactus Club downtown and enjoyed their buffet of fried chicken and ground beef steaks.

Monday, June 11
Ness City to Hoisington
67 miles

This morning got off to a foggy start.  So much so that the sheriff stopped riders with instructions to wait until the fog lifted.  So we waited...and waited...the fog actually got worse before it finally burned off around 8:20.

The wind was steadily out of the southeast today, again making the tandem a popular draft horse.

The ride through post rock country was nice.  We had just begun to see a few of the hills that will occur more frequently as we march eastward. 

We enjoyed the company of the Bluffton Biking Beavers, Bill Suter and Everett Collier.

In Hoisington, the gang went to Junior's, a nice little pub on the town's main street, which is, coincidentally, named Main Street.  Curiosity got the better of me and I ordered (and enjoyed!) the Mud Bug Sandwich -- fried crawdads on a french roll with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce.  After that and three Boulevard Pale Ales, I slept well.

Tuesday, June 12
Hoisington to Lincoln
80 miles

Today's route brought us into some fun little rollers, the kind where your momentum from the previous downhill carries you very nearly over the next uphill.

Early in the day, I caught a picture of this group of bison.  Probably not so smart to stop that close to mama and baby, having only a wire fence between us.  I wondered if they would react to my red jersey like bulls respond to a matador.

Upon reaching Wilson, the Czech capital of Kansas, we stopped at Made From Scratch for a quick lunch of a homemade bierock.  Different than the beef/onion/cabbage ones I've had elsewhere, this one housed thinly sliced ham and swiss cheese.

Just a little north of the town of Wilson, and after crossing I-70, we reached Wilson Lake and the surrounding hills.  It was here that we recorded our high speed of the week, 39.5 mph.

We earned a few Bonus Miles today by going a little off-route to visit the town of Lucas and The Garden of Eden.  This collection of concrete sculptures is all at once cool, disturbing, insightful and weird.  This stair railing inside the cabin looks like an Escher print.  S.P. Dinsmoor built it as a tourist attraction that would keep people visiting long after his death.  Mission accomplished.  He lies in the concrete mausoleum he crafted for himself and his first wife.

Since visiting Lincoln on BAK in 2004, I've always looked forward to spending another evening in Biggie Bigg's Deli Pub downtown.  An excellent selection of beer is the highlight, with the backup of a good menu of sandwiches, etc...

This evening, there was a prediction of severe winds and thunderstorms.  Tenters (that's me) were encouraged to consider moving inside the High School building for the night.  After a lot of pacing, wondering, looking at the sky, and guessing, I decided to stay in my tent.

Wednesday, June 13
Lincoln to Clay Center
80 miles

Well...last night's thunderstorm prediction never came true.  All that worry for naught.   It was really an OK night for camping, maybe a little muggy.  As we hit the road in the morning, we were greeted with some showers, though only enough to keep the rain jackets on for a few miles.

We rolled along up and down the bumpity-bumps today, mostly alone and mostly quiet.  Our brunch stop was in Minneapolis at Daylight Donuts.  (Yeah...I know...I'm a health food nut.)  Later, in Oak Hill, we came upon The Pie Ladies, serving up just about any kind of pie you could imagine.  I chose raspberry rhubarb.  Wow.

One little trick worth sharing:  after accumulating so much dirty laundry, or at least more than you want to continue to carry, mail it home!  Everett (a postmaster in real life) suggested the flat rate priority mail box.  I crammed over 5 pounds of dirties into one of them. 

We heard from several local folk that the best eating place in Clay Center was Danny's, so we thought we'd check it out.  No regrets.  The BBQ Shrimp dinner was excellent.

After dinner, Jency Brown and I went on a beer-finding expedition.  We hiked south along the main drag to The Liquor Store With The Little Red Sign.  It was worth the walk.  Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout, Duvel Belgian Ale, and Fat Tire.  Nice haul.  We found a way to give it safe transport to Centralia, where we would ice it down and enjoy.  But, I get ahead of myself....

Thursday, June 14
Clay Center to Centralia
78 miles

The wind has continued to come out of the southeast.  It hasn't been as bad as last year's crushing headwinds, but it was noticeable.  However, we have had a bunch of fun with folks latching onto the tandem's draft.  We hooked up with a couple of other riders today and zoomed along the flatter sections of Highway 9.  After stopping for a nice breakfast in Blue Rapids, home of the only round town square in the state, we set out again continuing east towards Centralia.  The terrain was hilly enough that we could rip down the hills but stopped us from roaring up the other side.

Upon reaching Centralia, we found ice and started chilling the excellent beer we found last night.  After the now-routine chores of setting up tents and taking showers, the gang walked to a nearby park and enjoyed our spoils.  Ah...life's simple pleasures.

I think there's one diner in Centralia, the Panther Den.  So, it was especially nice of the townfolk to put together a hog roast for the BAKers.  Pork, baked potato, salads, baked beans, fruit.  It's just so cool to see these little towns be so welcoming to this lycra-clad bunch of cyclists.

Friday, June 15
Centralia to Troy
71 miles

We awoke to a pancake, sausage and egg breakfast provided by Chris Cakes.  The route continued to get hillier.  Except for the flat river bottom road leading into Wetmore, we had a day full of hills.

Troy was just awesome in its preparation for the riders.  The town square was surrounded with food vendors.  First stop was  the Lion's ice cream booth.  Then, it was off to a hay-bale trailer and a tour of a completely landscaped yard and several water gardens.  After that, it was back to the town square for more grazing.  I really enjoyed the Troy Baptist Church's chicken alfredo dinner.  Later, live music and our last BAK meeting, where the SAGs were recognized and the BAK Spirit Award (a free pass for a future BAK) was presented. (Go Wanda!)

Saturday, June 16
Troy to Elwood
12 miles                                                 

It was a short ride to the river this morning.  Flat, too!  

What a week:  over 500 miles of cycling fun.  This year's ride was really well-done:  Great support from the towns we visited and excellent planning by the BAK staff.  Thanks for a great tour.

The End