Biking Across Kansas

A 541 Mile Journey On A Quad

By Courtney

BAK started this year with under 300 miles of training so who knew what was to be expected.  Trying to fit riding in between elementary school graduation, soccer games and practices, and just about everything else was very complicated.  Packing and getting ready for the trip took some wear and tear on everyone.  And on top of everything, our dog was coming for the first night and going back home with my mom the next day.  Not that I mind of course, I love my dog and he gives me something else to do in the van ride out to Goodland.  In my experience, I've learned that the closer the town is to an interstate, the better and thankfully the drive is only about 5 hours this year.

Friday June 4, 2010

Colorado Border to Goodland

Today was a total mad house!  We tried to get a Paketa ready, do some work on our van, get things packed and about a hundred other things.  We were on the road at about 3:30 pm.  Natalie and I listened to our iPods and did trivia questions to pass the 6 hour drive to Goodland.  We got to Goodland at about 9:45 and went to check in but found out that the reservations were closed after the meeting started.  So we drove to find the motel we were staying at.  The Motel 6 was boarded up and had weeds growing around it.  Mom called the Motel 6 company and found out that we needed to call guest relations on Monday, when it was open.  After checking at a Super 8 and finding no rooms, we went to the town's Days Inn.  They had only a couple of rooms left, so we got one.  After we were in our room, we were joking that Tom Bodette did NOT leave the light on for us.

Saturday June 5, 2010

Goodland to Colby

Today we were up at about 7:15 am.  Dad and Julie went to the high school to get their registration packets, but as everything seemed lately they weren't there.  So by the time we ate at a local McDonalds and got to the border, it was 10:00.  We rode with a crosswind into Goodland and stopped at a Dollar General to get a quick snack and a soda.  The rest of the day was very hard and the crosswinds didn't add up to anything that would help us.  We stopped quite a bit just so we could keep moving without killing ourselves.  We got in at 3:00 and packed our bags and went to the Motel 6 we were staying at.  When we tried to check in, we found out that our reservations were for January 9 not June 5.  We ate dinner at El Dos de Orros and went to get registration packets and sell bike pins.

Sunday June 6, 2010

Colby to Hill City

Today we went to eat breakfast at Burger King across the way from our motel.  We looked out the window and found that it had started to rain.  The rain stopped as we took our luggage to the truck, but as soon as it was on the truck, it started to rain.  After staying inside the school for a little while, we were on the road*.  We stopped at the designated lunch town, Hoxie, and got packaged sub sandwiches, chocolate bars, a cookie and drinks.  I ended up getting a Nestle-Quick chocolate milk that most certainly did not taste like chocolate milk or any other kind of milk for that matter.  After checking into our motel, we went to the local pool.  Next, after taking showers, we went to Pizza Hut for dinner.

*While we were riding we saw 2 llamas!!!!! One baby and one mama!!!!!

Monday June 7, 2010

Hill City to Osborne:

Tuesday June 8, 2010

Osborne to Minneapolis

Wednesday June 9, 2010

Minneapolis to Herington

Thursday June 10, 2010

Herington to Osage City

Friday June 11, 2010

Osage City to Eudora

Saturday June 12, 2010

Eudora to Leavenworth

5 New Things I Like After My Journey