LOBAA30 - Toronto State Park, Toronto, KS
Sally bike mileage/time 92.75 / 6:48:02
Sally Total 2007.0
Bill bike mileage/time 26.6 / 1:44:59
Bill Total 707.8
Jim mileage 93.9
Jim total 6370.9
Sally:
I really must be living in the moment because it's incredibly hard to
think back even one day to write about it! We didn't write last night
as we got into camp on the late side and then met a fellow, Jon, who
is riding across country self-contained. He has been riding alone for
quite awhile and is rather lonely. He had several tales of other
riders he has hooked up with at various times. Funny how there is a
little network of riders out on the trail. Anyway Sunday we went
through Chanute, KS where my Grandmother grew up. We spent over two
hours looking around town, the cemetery and the little museum. Called
Mom and she remembered the address of Albert and Bertha King, 204 E
9th St. Sure enough there it was the old house. It was so neat for me
to see it. I have my Great-Grandmothers silver, tablecloths, small
dresser and assorted odds and ends. I don't remember Bertha, but do
have a faint memory of Albert. We weren't able to find their graves,
the cemetery was huge and no where to find a directory. Also saw the
train depot where Mom and Uncle Lewis would have gotten off the train
when coming out from Oregon with my Grandmother for a visit to their
Grandparents. The old part of Chanute was neat, but it's spread out in
all directions and has a population of 9000 or so now. We had a good
campsite at Toronto state park and the breeze blew in and cooled
things down for us. That felt great. Then somewhere along in the night
we started hearing thunder again. I rode out in the rain this morning
(Monday) and am now holed up in Cramalot in Rosalia about 40 miles
into today's ride while thunder and lightening is crashing around. I
was completely drenched from the rain, but not cold so it must be
quite warm out. Was hoping to ride to Robin's home, but not sure I'll
be able to now. If the storm lifts I'll try, otherwise we may load up
and drive. We are spending the night there thankfully as we need a
place to dry out! Then we will just drive back down and rejoin the
route tomorrow.
Bill:
Not really much to add except pop was also born in Chanute. He would
have been 90 last week were he still with us. In Chanute a nice old
fellow opened up the small museum while we were there and we got to
see one of a dozen or so replica's of an old fabric glider that the
French inventor Octave Chanute built. Chanute was a mentor to the
Wright Brothers and influenced the design of the Wright flyer and of
course the town was named after him. One more thing about Jon, the guy
we met in camp. He had been riding with one of the contestants on the
TV show America's Greatest Loser's (or something like that). It is a
show about folks who lose a lot of weight. He said the guy lost too
much weight and got kicked off the show (does that sound right?).
Anyway, he had never done any long distance riding at all but Jon
somehow hooked up with him. When I saw Jon he was by himself as the
Loser Guy had left the ride for some speaking engagements. Jon said he
was quite a character. Oh, I see Sally did not mention a milestone
that she reached today so I get to steal her thunder - today she hit
the 2000 mile mark on her trek across the country . Amazing, huh?
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