Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Colorado (part two)


After Pueblo the climb into the Rockies began. It was a slight shock to the system after weeks of cycling along the plains. The grades were nowhere near as steep as the Appalachians though. Each climb and bend revealed to a better view than the last. The landscape constantly changed as I moved north, each day was something new.


I was looking forward to meeting people living "off the grid"as I climbed into the less populated area of the Rockies. Although most of the people I met were welcoming, I learned that some people who choose to live in isolation wish to keep it that way.







People are extremely active in Colorado, I rarely saw a car that didn't have a bike or some sort of canoe attached to it. I could easliy spend more time here and explore but I'm starting to feel the squeeze of my time constraints.





View Colorado (part two) in a larger map

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Colorado (part one)



Cycling through eastern Colorado was like cycling through an old western movie. The area has suffered from a drought for a long time now and the landscape is extremely arid with dried out creeks and canals. This lack of arrogation has forced farmers from the area; turning what were once booming towns into ghost towns.


I really enjoyed cycling through the wide open plains, it gave me time to clear out my head but with enough traffic to keep my awake. A few miles out east of Sugar City I could see the tops of The Rockies. Suddenly a new goal was right in front of me and I was filled with joy and a sense of accomplishment.











View Colorado (part one) in a larger map

Monday, July 15, 2013

Kansas (part two)



After Salina I began to experience the Kansas I was told to expect. I was concerned about the heat and long stretches with little to no services. Between Salina and Buhler was one of those stretches with a strong head wind and temperatures of 105•F (40•C).




People warned me about the boredom I would experience in Kansas, but I enjoyed the solitude the wide open landscape had to offer. There were times when I was cycling in sunshine, with visible rain storms a few miles along side me. When the winds were good to me I managed to cover a lot of mileage with ease. I enjoyed spending more time in the small towns dotted every 30 or so miles and getting to know the locals. Some towns seems friendlier than others, I would like to give the others the benefit of the doubt and put it down to the time of day I was passing through.





If I didn't have Colorado ahead I would have gladly spent a few more days in Kansas.






View Kansas (part two) in a larger map

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Kansas (part one)



My first week in Kansas was nothing like what the warning had geared me up for. I was concerned about being stuck in the middle of nowhere for 4th July. Luckily enough I just happened to arrive in Lawrence for the most widely known American holiday. It was exactly what I was looking for; a fun night with some loud people.





I was told that the surrounding area is extremely fertile and there are quite a few people practicing a self sustainable lifestyle.


I'm looking forward to spending more than a week in one state, it have been a while since I have done so. I hope to get to know Kansas more than I did Missouri and Illinois.





View Kansas (part one) in a larger map

Friday, July 5, 2013

Missouri





Since Kentucy I have been traveling with 5 other cyclists. A couple from New York, a set of twins from Phoenix and a guy from Tennessee. We all went our own pace during the day and would meet at a decided location in the evening. It was nice knowing there was going to be someone to spend the night with after a long hot day. On the advice of the New Yorkers we all took a detour up to St Louis, I was happy to get to cross the Mississippi at the Gateway to the West.






From St Louis we took the Katy trail (an old rail line) west, avoiding the Ozarks. It was a change not dealing with traffic but it got pretty monotonous and at times I felt a little gerbil trapped in a wheel. It was a small price to pay for the great people I met along the way. Jefferson City and Columbia were particularly good experiences, and two places I found it hard to leave.






I'm a little ahead of schedule and I sometimes fear that I might be missing out on some places.





View Missouri in a larger map