Day 31: Newton, KS to Stafford, KS Vicinity; Off Route, Going Rogue!

June 5, 2015

Newton, KS (Bike Shop Hostel) to Stafford, KS (Pine Haven RV Park)

(Note to readers regarding the elevation profiles; the profile is calculated from Point "A" on the map to Point "B" on the map. Since I am traveling east to west on the first half of this transcontinental journey, my route of travel is usually shown on the map as being from right to left. However, the elevation profile is shown from left to right, so it must be "reversed" in your head to understand it.)

Climbing Today; 776 ft -- Total So Far; 81,234 ft

Notice on the elevation profile that I will be climbing all day, but it is a very gentle grade. I only went uphill 776 feet in 80 miles of riding! This will be the story for days yet as I approach the Rockies.

I awoke this morning to an intense rain falling outside the bike shop;

It's Raining Cats and Dogs! I'm Happy to be Inside the Newton Bike Shop Hostel

Glad I was inside! I've been lucky on this trip so far to have been inside when it rained overnight. I went back to sleep and the rain quit before I got up about 5:30 am. I had decided to go rogue today along with James and Daniel; we were going to deviate from the ACA map! The good folks at the Newton Bike Shop have ridden both the ACA route and an alternate route to Pueblo, and they prefer the alternate route. The alternate route and the ACA route parallel each other, so the distance is about the same. The ACA route has some very lengthy dead zones coming up; 58 and 68 miles in length. The alternate route also has stretches without services, but they are generally only 30 miles or so in length. "Only" 30 miles is a long way if you run out of water. The alternate route seems to work out better for us in overnight stops along the way to Pueblo, and that's the main selling point. So in case it's necessary to notify search and rescue to find me as I have gone off-route, here's a selfie for identification;

I'm Going Rogue Today; Here's a Selfie for the Search and Rescue Team if Needed

Andy has been on the alternate route before and wants to do a different path, so he's sticking with the ACA route. I may not see him again, so here's a shot of him as he prepares to roll out;

Our alternate route is straightforward; we are riding the shoulder of US 50 to Pueblo. The shoulder is wide and in excellent condition for cycling. Brandon is a couple of days ahead of us now, and he took the alternate route and spoke well of it. So off we go. We encountered construction on 50, and this was a good thing for us as there is a full lane that motorized traffic can't use but we can. A construction tractor slowly passed us in the cordoned-off lane, and James jumped on his tail and drafted behind him at about 18 mph, leaving Daniel and I to mosey along at our usual pace.

Construction on Route 50 Temporarily Gave us Cyclists an Entire Protected Lane

Usually we ride the shoulder. The shoulder is well designed and includes a rumble strip to alert drivers if they stray. Unlike parts of Kentucky, there is a lot of room left on the shoulder even with the rumble strip. This is a good design for cyclists.

Uhh, Yeah - Don't Drive on the Shoulder When I'm Cycling There

Daniel and I were riding together today, and the heat was intense. We needed a bit of rest in a shade, and we found a wee spot. The bugs were rather intense in the shade, so we quickly moved on. But even this brief respite helped.

Desperately Seeking Shade for a Respite, We Finally Found a Smidgen

James was ahead of us and he arrived at Pine Haven RV Park first. No one was there, and he almost left thinking the place was deserted. But finally a lady showed up and seemed surprised that anyone wanted to camp there. It's very hot today, and James charmed her into allowing us to sleep inside the RV Park's community room. Yay, we had planned to camp outside but we are inside for the night! James texted the info, and that encouraged Daniel and I to push on through the heat. Tonight we are inside, we have a microwave, hot showers, AC and ceiling fans. Life is very good indeed!

Pine Haven RV Park - We Got to Sleep Inside, and We Really are Happy Campers!

Because of several days' experience dealing with the intense Kansas heat and winds, we elected a 4:00am wake-up tomorrow morn and early departure. Good night folks...

Today's ride: 80 miles (129 km)
Total: 1,889 miles (3,040 km)

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