Reflections from a Kansas experience.

In order to convey our full Kansas experience, I think it's necessary to begin with a general recap of our route and activities. First and foremost, a huge thanks to Katrina for reading this blog, and offering up her mother, Becky's pleasant abode in Fowler, Kansas. We were greeted with remarkable hospitality by both ladies, and their relentless care for our welfare lasted well beyond our departure after two nights of rest.

Once across the Rocky Mountains we enjoyed a steadily graded descent into the eastern Colorado plains. As the elevation flattens out, the rolling hills spread into wide open fields of grassland, corn, and the occasional variety crop. At that point east, Colorado starts to live up to the Kansas reputation of endless flatness. By the time we reached the Colorado/Kansas border, we found ourselves thinking the sign may have been relocated a hundred miles east of it's true placement. The distinguishing difference between the two states is the Arkansas River. If there's water in it, you're still in Colorado.

By the end of our second day in Kansas, we reached Becky's house in Fowler. While in Fowler for a rest day, the five of us drove north to Dodge City for a tour of the Boot Hill museum. There we learned much about the relationships and deals formed between the Native Americans and the white folk; how Dodge City was shaped by the early American cattle industry; and how entirely ruthless the hard men and women of the wild west were.

Based on sound advice from Becky, we steered south along highway 160, and eventually 166 which runs three miles north of, and parallel to the border of Oklahoma. With help, we managed to find safe camping havens in city parks from Fowler to Missouri. More often then not, these parks were situated along the banks of man made reservoirs, with opportunities for swimming. The availability of these camp sites made our sleep experience in Kansas very pleasant (most nights); without them, we would have had to resort to less comfortable measures.

Generally speaking--with the exception of the first day in Kansas--we rode against crosswinds and headwinds the entire state. The worst two days pinned us against 20+ mph gusts. When the land is as flat as it is, and the roads are as straight as they are, fighting these winds can feel worse than 10,000 feet of climbing, over the course of one day. As you grit your teeth while trying to hold a steady line, you can look ahead into the abyss of treeless horizon and realize, this will last all day. Even though the natives coined Kansas, "Kansa, land of the south wind," we experienced steady airflow from all directions; but never the west--except for the first day. We also experienced high temperatures reaching up to 111F.

From central southern Kansas east, trees and other green vegetation begin to slowly creep into the scenery. By the Missouri border, the straight highway gradually rolls along with defined tree lines and rich grassy fields. Eastern Kansas was quite a pleasant surprise.

Although those in and from Kansas seem to doubt the possibility that anything remotely interesting exists in the state; we found ourselves deep in thought about topics surrounding this region. The semi-monotonous landscape and straight roads served as a meditative background to consider the dynamics of cattle, wheat, and corn in this area, of which our diets depend on. We also found ourselves amazed by the various people we interacted with; all of which provided awe and encouragement in our adventure. Regardless of this country's troubled food system, of which blame is often wrongly placed on these people; Kansas is full of friendly, interesting, and hard working people who love this country as much as anyone else.

Go there, see the history, meet the people, smell the condensed bovine existence, tell me it's healthy.