A Line Through the Lonely American Heartland

Photo courtesy of Newton Bike Shop

Outside of Pueblo, CO I got my best nights sleep outside. The warm air was rejuvenated me to a 3 AM start. I would pass Tom in the early morning hours. I was feeling inspired and ready, then I hit those roads I feared would come. Those roads I faced two years back in South Dakota. Those roads that point straight and flat, only disappearing where earth meets horizon. Those roads that test your mental will. Then the winds came. At first they'd blow at my back, then my side, then worst of all my face. They would force me to a crawl. Ed Pickup near the front said that someone was going to die in that Kansas wind. I knew exactly what he meant outside of Tribune, KS.

Ed Pickup trucking through the Kansas wind. Photo courtesy of Inspired to Ride (go sign up for their list!)

I arrived in Tribune after battling a fierce headwind. I posted up at the gas station for some sustenance and watched the wind dance. At first it slowed, the flags went limp. It wasn't long before it returned with a vengeance, kicking up sand and dust. Scott City was 60 miles away and my goal for the day, with a touch of daylight and the confidence of riding these straight flat warm roads at night I pushed off eastbound. The wind was fierce, blowing southbound. A gust came and knocked my front wheel toward the double yellow. I fought back and mapped my wheel to the solid white. I felt the next one coming and tried to lean into it, only for it to let go too soon and now I was heading for the ditch. It was futile. I parked in a nearby picnic area and called it a night.

Photo courtesy of Jonathan

Jonathan and myself pointing our respective directions of travel.

Trans Am cockpit (yes that is an American Flag handkerchief, an epic replacement for my black one that flew off while riding out of Dillon, MT)

I survived the windy night, thankfully with zero tornadoes. Tom would push on through that terrifying storm on to Scott City. I was now in eleventh and felt that catching David and Tom was impossible. I was now content on just riding my own ride. My friend Jonathan would give me a morale boost along to Larned. From there I would ride incredibly overnight to Nickerson, lightning in the ever expansive Kansas sky would entertain me across the grasslands. It was a quick turnaround in the morning out of Nickerson and I was right back on David and Tom's heels. In Newton the great folks at Newton Bike Shop gave me some relaxation, a tuneup, and thankfully a shoe repair (if that happened anywhere else it could have been a catastrophe). One more night sleeping under the Kansas skies before I made Pittsburgh, KS. It seemed that the part I was dreading the most passed in an instance.

Post by Newton Bike Shop.

Newton Bike Shop

Caffeination + cool drink = GOLD Photo courtesy of Newton Bike Shop

High mile days and I was through it, and all on my lonesome as well. I noticed the dots on trackleaders all seemed to be riding in pairs to some extent; Paulo and Giorgio, Adam and Juliana, Tom and Dave. Me? I was on my own. The last racer I saw was Nathan on day two and now on day 15 I was pushing those miles by myself and my mind was able to stay focused. I had defeated the mental part, but would my legs be ready for what was next?

What did you eat?
Being vegan on this bike ride was no easy task. Leaving the liberal mountainous West, where veganism is mildly accommodated with Clif Bars and well stocked grocers, and entering the American heartland, where vegan was hardly in the dictionary, meant my options became quickly limited. Kansas was tough, Missouri, Kentucky, and Illinois would be tougher. Seeing a real food market would be exciting, but when I didn't have that, this is the gas station fair I relied on.

• Keebler Vanilla Sugar Wafers
• Little Debbies Snack Pies
• Munchies Honey Roasted Peanuts (honey is arguably vegan I know)
• Munchies Peanut Butter Sandwhiches
• Nutter Butters
• Fritos Bean Dip
• Naked Fruit Smoothies
• Baked Lays Potato Chips
• Giant Bagged Pickles
• As much peanut butter as possible
• Pretzels
• Nature Valley Crunchy Peanut Butter (Dollar General carried these, of all things, these are what made me most sick)