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"Home! And this is my room - and you are all here! And I'm not going to leave here ever again, because I love you all! And --- Oh, Auntie Em ----- There's no place like home" September 25, 2008Leave a comment ;)
Dorothy and Toto may have gotten here quickly with three clicks of her shoes, but it's taken me just a bit longer and I am still not home! Maybe if I had a pair of ruby slippers with bike cleats I would have been here earlier, but I would have had a lot of explaining to do in Montana and Wyoming! I still think they should have ridden a bike... I ate a small meal at the Best Western and rolled the bike out the door around 7:30. In the parking lot I was met by some farmers from Mexico who were here to buy some used farm equipment. Only one of them spoke some limited English so we had a chat (limited chat) and took some pictures. Very cordial and genuinely interested in my ride. The wind was minimal as I started off toward Lamar. One of the pleasures of Hwy 50 is that the shoulder is very wide and smooth. Very few rocks litter the road and there is a set of rumble strips that give me a warning if someone is wandering into my part of the road. As I rolled along at a pretty fast clip (18 mph), a fuzzy little critter caught my eye. I whipped the bike around and snapped a picture of a tarantula. Too bad it was dead. I wasn't sure until I gave him a nudge and he didn't budge. Either dead or really sleepy! I rolled into Hasty, CO and purchased my daily ritual of chocolate milk. No guilt chocolate milk. So much fun when you ride a bike, not worrying about my caloric intake (well, maybe a little, but chocolate milk is the exception). The Valley Grocery is 100 years old, according to Colleen, the woman running the store. A few farmers were sitting the store and everyone knows everyone. Nice place to stop for a rest. You see a lot of interesting things on and beside the road. The duck head (not real) caught my attention. I usually pass something by and then realize it would make for a fun picture. Trying to put it into perspective with the road adds to the sense of the abnormality of it's place in the world. I should make a montage of the weird things I have photographed. The duck head and kid's Superman costume come to mind. I came across an old stone school that the community is trying to keep alive. Not sure how many donations they pull together with their sign, but it is nice to see them putting in the effort. I happen to be traveling through an area that is smack in the middle of harvest season. Lots of melons, onions, corn and wheat. I saw a couple of school buses rolling through a field, which I thought might be carrying folks that were doing the picking, but on closer inspection, I realized they were used for carrying the melons that were picked. No windows, just padding along the window sills and full of pumpkins. Innovative way to use an old school bus! Just shy of Granada, CO, I came across the Amache Japanese-American Relocation Camp. I have traveled this road numerous times in my truck, but haven't never stopped. I thought I would today, but there is a long dirt road to the camp and I didn't think it was be good for my tires. I am sure there is a lot of history and I plan on returning and spending some time here. As I traveled the highway, I began to notice that whoever was doing some of the tar work on the cracks in the road, was a bit creative. I have seen big swirls, hearts, and today I came across a Smiley face! I couldn't pass up a picture of it. When I crossed the border into Kansas, I stopped to take my obligatory state line photo. At the same time, my very good friend Joe Oswald called so I made sure to take the photo with the phone in my hand. Joe was the most senior Aviation Ordnanceman Master Chief in the Navy when he recently retired. I was honored when he asked for me to speak at his retirement ceremony at the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, FL. The shoulder of the road changed dramatically when I crossed the border. Different texture and a bit more debris. Unfortunately, the color of the rock makes it harder to discern whether there is broken glass in my path. On more than one occasion, I rolled right through a pile of glass, cringing if and when I would puncture my tire. So far, so good, but I am sure I just jinxed myself. The wind really picked up from about Holly, CO all the way to Syracuse, KS. I was hoping to make Lakin, KS, but the wind just beat me back and brought my speed down from 16 mph to around 8 mph. I found only one hotel in Syracuse and decided this was the place to stay. I don't have an option of camping, given that I took all of my camping gear off the bike and shipped it home from the Lamar post office. With all of the items I shed, I lost about 18 pounds on the bike. So, now I have to be a bit more cautious about having a place to stay and better judge my distance between stops. It's no fun keeping my fingers crossed hoping the next town has an open hotel. Before I hit the hotel, I downed a great pizza at the Syracuse Pizzeria courtesy of Brenda and Kathy. Another bonus from burning so many calories everyday. I wonder how much weight I have lost... When I left Las Animas this morning I realized that I had forgotten to place a math problem on the day in the blog. It was also brought to my attention but some of my astute blog followers. Didn't I say I was forgetful? I don't remember... anyway, here's what you and I missed: When I purchased the charger in La Junta, I needed to make sure that the voltage and current were compatible with my computer. On the bottom of my computer it states that the current for the unit should be about 4000 milli amps (4000 mA). How many amps (A) would that be? Also, the voltage from the charger can be adjusted down to a minimum of 15 volts. Using Ohm's Law (V=IR), what would be the resistance if the voltage is 15 and the current is 4 amps? More Images: ;)
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3 Comments
Sep 26, 2008 2:43 pm - Betty Smith wrote : Had to laugh at your daily ritual chocolate milk stop. It is my only vice; and, I go into withdrawal without it! You will be in Braum's territory soon! If you get the chance, visit St. Jacob's Well near Hwy's 160 and 283. When the Cheyenne escaped from Darlington in 1876, they sought refuge at this very well hidden site. Betty
Sep 26, 2008 12:40 pm - 6th hour Geometry wrote : Hello, we have been checking in on your travels and have noticed you are getting close to Oklahoma. We would really like you to come visit us in Ada, Oklahoma!! We are very interested in hearing about your experiences. We also would like to know what made you decide to take this trip and how you prepared? What model of Trek bike do you have and why did you choose that certain bike? Sincerly, Ada High School 6th hour Geometry Add a comment: |
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Love the Happy Face on the street...but I'm kinda weirded out by the decapitated duck head, guess some hunter lost a decoy! :^ Glad to see you're using aero-bars! Those things are so comfy for long distance riding...just did a century in San Diego with 'em. Good luck and all the best.