Yellowstone (Wyoming part two)

Being a nerd about all things volcanic; I was very excited about getting to Yellowstone. I was not disappointed, the days riding around the Tetons and up through Yellowstones were the most beautiful days of the trip so far.

The traffic was an issue in some sections of the park with some close calls with passing RV's, but that never took away from the glorious views that bombarded me. 

Milege wise the days were short in Yellowstone, which allowed me plenty of time to explore. Since Lander I have been traveling with a group of ten which changed the pace and mood of the trip. Yellowstone was a holiday within a holiday. 

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Wyoming (part one)

I had no preconceptions for Wyoming. It's a big state with a small population, so small there is only one area code for the entire state. The first couple of days in Wyoming was stormy and windy. I found the wind in Wyoming more challanging than the wind in Kansas. The hills and rock formations channeled the wind and I seemed to be constantly cycling into a head wind.

All that said, the landscape was beautiful, with a wide variety of shapes and colours. The towns between the wide alien like landscapes offered up some of the warmest people I have met so far on the trip. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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