Scavenger Hunt

Today's a van day for me; thus, despite the fast-approaching 9-o'clock hour, I sit in front of a computer at a McDonald's in Garden City, KS. After our usual 5 am wake up, I ran a few errands and am now using internet, a much rarer commodity these days. Although, Garden City is a much larger town than I would've expected.

Today, we head into a new state, taking rest at a church in Lamar, Colorado. Looking at a map, I cannot believe how far we've gotten, nor can I comprehend of how much time has passed. We've completed 5 weeks and I have no idea where the time's gone.

Since I don't have an iphone and do not update nearly as much as my friends, here are a few highlights:

Yesterday's 57-mile day that took 8+ hours due to a lengthy (and incredibly amazing) scavenger hunt -- I had a golf "date" with two gentleman at a golf course in Dodge City KS, involving multiple misses with a club and a golf ball and finally hitting (onto the fairway, I might add). I also might have gotten two kisses on the cheek scoring 10 points; don't tell Adam. :) However, this cannot compare to the Sloan Ranger's near makeout session with a lady in a cafe, garnering his team 20 points. We also made the most amazing human pyramid in front of a windmill with a self-timed camera, which came out pleasantly crooked and with tall grasses in the foreground (to be posted later). Reenacting the classing painting 'American Gothic' made up one of many spectacular Wal-Mart moments, along with honking a trucker's horn and taking a picture of us "getting the hell outta Dodge." We tried to cook an egg on the radiator of the van, but this failed due to the fact that everyone got to lunch (@ mile 35) well past 11, leaving the engine quite cool. One final highlight was finding a "cowboy" and dressing up in his boots, hat and belt. Danielle and I were definitely swallowed up in those boots, but they were amazing with their spurs. Greg got on the 11 o'clock news last night, here in Garden City, by the way. His (& Dylan's) PR skills are truly something special.


A few days prior, I rode with Steve and Nhan on their sweep day into Coldwater, KS. The views were phenomenal. Kansas is not nearly as flat as I had predicted, and although it poured down rain, at least we were not riding into 30 mph headwinds.


Thursday, we will be in Colorado Springs, CO, and I can't wait. After a build day and a day off there, we will ascend several thousand feet of elevation, to top out around 12,000. Then, a fiesta of riding will begin, with only 3 build days remaining (one in Durango, CO and two in Prescott, AZ) and no other days off. San Diego here we come!