Day 24 - ending at Coldwater, KS - Tri-points on the Tri-speed

June 6, 2013

Day 24 - ending at Coldwater, KS

Posted via email Fri Jun 7 04:48:01 2013 PDT

I should have set the alarm last night. I didn't wake up until nearly 7:00am. Made coffee using the maker in the room. Loaded bike, then walked over to the truck stop next door at 8:45am for breakfast: two eggs, bacon, and a pancake. When I got back to the room, I drank the rest of the coffee, then left at 9:44am.

It was a pleasant morning - cool, slightly overcast, wind still from the NNW. Signs and my map indicated this section of US-160 between Medicine Lodge and Coldwater as a Scenic Byway for the Gypsum Hills. That did mean hills! It was slow going, not just for the hills, but also too many opportunities for picture-taking.

At 11:20am I pulled off the road to read an information kiosk. The sign provided shade for me and a turtle. Explained here was that the gypsum was beneath the hills. The map indicated to me that the terrain would be changing (flatter, I guessed), as I approached Coldwater.

Stopped to eat cookies and a granola bar at 1:08pm. Over one last hill at 1:50pm, and I could see the road wasn't going to be as hilly. Twenty miles to go to Coldwater.

Came upon road construction signs and figured out what the "RWA" painted on the pavement means (Road Work Ahead). At 2:20pm I stopped in the line of cars waiting for the road construction flagman to let us go. The flagman was waiting, we found out, for the pilot truck to arrive from four miles up the road. When we got to go, I was told I could stay in the right lane - just go around the workers. It was awhile before I came to them. They were busy pulling up temporary center line strips. The crew's truck and I leap-frogged for a while. I stopped for a break. I like stopping at the guard rails of bridges, since the shoulder is wider there, and I can sit on the rail. While I sat there, the road crew truck came by with an ice-cold bottle of water for me!

The road got flatter and flatter, and finally I was in Coldwater at 4:53pm. Came to a burger/ice cream place called Kremee and stopped for supper: double cheese burger with bacon, potato salad, and a root beer float. The float was so good I ordered another. I saw a sign as I came in welcoming the participants of "Bike Across Kansas" to Coldwater on June 10. Got me wondering if our paths might cross. I emailed Kris to check on this. If I stay south, I'll be OK.

Left Kremee at 5:45pm. Then stopped at a Dollar General Store to stock up on food supplies and batteries.

Finally arrived at Coldwater Lake (at the southwest corner of the town) a little after 6:00pm. Found the tent camping area at 6:14pm. What I didn't find was how to pay the ten dollar camping fee. (Later I located a park employee who was able to take the money.)

Set up the tent, changed out one broken spoke, and extracted a rather long wire from the rear tire.

Enjoyed the pleasant evening as I worked on the report.

Jeff

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Spent: $10.53 plus $2.25 (breakfast) + $10.51 plus $2 (supper) + $10.56 (batteries, food) + $10 (campsite) = $45.85.

Day 24 - Medicine Lodge, KS to Coldwater, KS

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+ plus signs indicate pictures added after returning home from the trip +