TenLinks Bike Across America
Daily Log

Day 12 - Seas of Wheat

I'm still suffering from some stomach illness but once again managed to complete the miles to get to the next motel. I'm in Dodge City, home of much western lore. In fact, the hotel is on Wyatt Earp Blvd. I'd go to the museum here in town but my body tells me it would be better to get some rest.

I did manage to do some sightseeing on the way into town when I stopped at the Dalton Gang Hideout in Meade, now a museum. It was home to their sister, Eva. The gang had dug a tunnel from the main house to the barn to use as their escape route and so they could come and go undetected.

The Dalton Gang Hideaway in Meade, KS, now a museum.

Kansas seems to full of endless seas of grain. Towns, often spaced 10 miles for stagecoach stops, are marked by tall grain silos. They are visible from miles away and at a distance, they look like skyscrapers. A local woman said this about wheat farmers, "Heck they only work but 2 days a year."

Never ending seas of wheat in southwestern Kansas

I'm SO hoping I feel better tomorrow. It's been very tough to ride these last two days with stomach cramps. I've gone with out a regular meal for 48 hours but have been able to nibble away at a bagel, a banana and some animal crackers. It's a far cry from the 5,000 to 6,000 calories per day that this sort of riding requires. I have been able to sip enough water to stay hydrated. For the last 2 days, I have been using body fat reserves but as fat is not converted to energy very fast, I'm riding very slow. Luckily, the last 2 days have had very good tailwinds--or I'd be in a heap of trouble!

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Roopinder Tara, CEO/President, TenLinks, Inc., Novato, CA 94947, USA

(415) 897-8800 x 221

rtara@tenlinks.com

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