| EDT Location Time Elapsed 19:42 Colwich, KS 5 days 04:21 22:24 El Dorado, KS 5 days 07:03 04:57 Yates Center, KS 5 days 13:36 10:15 Ft Scott, KS 5 days 18:54 14:45 Collins, MO 5 days 23:24 1800.6 miles
Pratt, KS to Colwich, KS In this section at mile 1,506 Mark is half way!!!!
We continued east through rolling country along US54E. The RAAM route guide has several pages of straight black line for directions along US 54E. Just a long straight road, but interesting because of the green and gold landscape. Lots of alfalfa in Kansas. We saw Franz Priels with his broken collar bone bravely cycling on well east of Pratt (what courage and determination!) and Scott McIntosh, a chum from the Elite doing very well. To circumnavigate Wichita, KS we had to be careful as the route winds north and east and north and east to avoid Wichita traffic. Colwich is a small town to the north west of Wichita. Here we met Ms. Christiansen's crew again and wished each other well. Mark had cycled 1,577 miles on leaving Colwich Time Station 26 and the elevation had gone from 1,800ft to 1,400ft.
Luckily the winds are dying down and becoming more favourable. The anticipated rains following the amazingly beautiful (though potentially rather dangerous) front did not materialize. Sitting in the field to the east of Plains was rather hair raising as the RV was buffeted with the angry winds. The storm swung further south into Oklahoma and caused some damage there.
Colwich, KS to El Dorado, KS We continued north across the top of Wichita and along through quiet countryside. We swung onto the SR254 freeway for a short bit, however this was a very low-key freeway with the side roads all entering directly to the carriage ways, and these were lined on either side by green fields and waving grasses cheering Mark along. The RV did a supply drop in Towanda, and here again, as in so many of the small towns we have gone through, is evidence of the pull of nearby, larger cities. There are many closed, shuttered and empty storefronts and wide empty streets. Even in Pratt, the city centre has moved from a red brick-pavemented main street lined with historic buildings (vintage early 1900's), to the east of town with motels, fast food and a Wal-Mart.
Short stop for resupply in Towanda, KS
Just outside El Dorado with night falling, we have wonderful directions as we approach a large industrial complex lit up like a Christmas tree! "Left of SW Boyer Rd, miss this turn and road ends at the plant gate". At least you can't go too far wrong.
At the El Dorado Time Station 27, we had a chat with the RAAM officials and they also said the weather this year is unusual. May had 15 inches of rain rather than the usual 5 inches, and there are continual strong winds.
Mark completed 1,615 miles here and the elevation declined slightly from 1,400ft to 1,360ft.
El Dorado, KS to Yates Center, KS. Here we rejoined US54E which will take us to Jefferson City, MO.
Leaving El Dorado going up the hill we passed the County Jail and the Prison. As it is night now, we are leapfrogging Mark with the RV so as to be ready if he needs sleep. About 30 miles out we stopped in a dead end road (keeping to the rules of well off the highway and not impeding traffic). It's a coolish night but damp. Nearly a half moon, all the stars, crickets and frogs humming away and little flashes of light with the fireflies. Idyllic. Mark passed with a steady pace in near windless conditions.
There were brief patches of fog.
Stopped in Rosalia and chatted with the Janet Christiansen's crew. All from California. They had had the first run in with the Bobcat Boozers in New Mexico.
One of the RV crew fell quite profoundly asleep from Rosalia through Yates Center and 5 miles beyond, sleeping even through the traffic and music at the Yates Center Time Station. Luckily the driver was wide awake to provide news coverage.
On entering the Toronto Wildlife Area - about 15 miles from the Yates Center TS, Mark took his first sleep of the evening. The wayside rest area was a perfect spot to tend to bike maintenance and use the facilities. Mark, having ridden well all day, chowed down on a pepperoni pizza, checked his blackberry, and enjoyed Jon's marvelous skills before quickly falling asleep for 1 1/2 hours.
Multitasking where every second counts
Richard Waugh - our tallest member of the crew!
The intersection of US75 and US54 in Yates Center is the 10th busiest intersection in Kansas as it is the main crossroads for the Tulsa/Topeka and Wichita/St Louis runs. Lotsa motels and gas stations. It is also a very popular Rest Stop for RAAM participants - both rider and crew. Shortly after Mark departed Female RAAM rider Christianson arrived and was wisked off to a motel across the street.
After Yates Centre, KS, Mark had completed 1,679 miles and elevation dipped overall from 1,300ft to 1,100ft.
Yates Centre, KS to Fort Scott, KS There are no turns here for 58 miles making navigating easy for everyone.
A short time after Mark left Yates Center, the RV received a call from the follow vehicle reporting that Mark was very drowsy and needed additional downtime. And there we were in the middle of a field in Kansas, shrouded in fog. This evening Mark had decided to try a new sleep strategy. Rather than a three hour off the bike routine of undress-shower-massage-sleep-dress-eat-go, he tried one stop of 1.5 hours with the whole routine, and another of 1 hour without the shower/massage portion. This did not work out too well as he couldn't settle fast enough to get sufficient rest after the first sleep break. Back to the original routine.
Chief Mechanic - Ken Runyan - on the job
On the road again just after Yates Center
The daily shift change of crew, and restocking of the follow vehicle occurred in the same field just before light.
Mark is having a little case of raw bum, meaning that the friction has worn off a little patch of skin, making things a little tender for sitting. We are using disinfectant and then a gauze cover under a second-skin like bandage to keep the area away from the shorts. Mark is also now wearing two pairs of shorts as the friction then occurs short-to-short rather than short-to-skin. Other than that, bum holding out well, lips not too chapped, and sun screen allowing for an even golden tan. He's back to the rugged model look at the moment whisker-wise. His helmet is slightly askew, giving him a rather rakish look.
The RV stopped in Iola to do a little WiFiping at a Best Western with no luck, but did enjoy a roadside picnic breakfast at the local McDonald's waiting for Mark to go by. We had been highly impressed by the McDonald's in Pratt who so generously is sponsoring RAAM participants' meals and displaying all the RAAM shirts in their premises. Have also noted that most of the motels along the way are generally full each night with travelers from everywhere so finding a room can be problematic.
Mark and Follow vehicle passing through Iola, KS (Day crew had overnighted here)
Day is heating up and Mark stopped a bit to take of the night gear and prepare for another warm day. Bum patch seems to be working so far.
At Time Station 29 in Fort Scott, we met the organizer of the Heart of the South 500 mile Alabama race that Mark competed in the spring for training. He had driven up to cheer Mark on. The crew at the Time Station was very welcoming and we chatted comfortably about cycling trips for 20 mins or so waiting for Mark. They advised the weather should be great for the rest of the weekend - hooray! It is bright, blue, clear and warm even now. We left before Mark arrived.
Heart of the South T-Shirt
RV Driver & Webman - Franz Neuert - and Heart of the South Organizer
At this point, Mark will complete 1,737 miles with elevation descending again from 1,100ft to 800ft.
Fort Scott, KS to Collins, MO We went through the town of Fort Scott, home of the Fort Scott Monument. The town boasts some elegant architecture, again early 1900's, but with ornate mouldings and recent re-painting highlighting their detail. As Mark passed through Fort Scott the crew fed him a burrito. He is on fire - Jon reported! He is riding strongly, standing on 50 to 100 foot rollers and has gotten over his sleepy period of the morning. He was also interviewed again by the roaming RAAM Media vehicle.
We are now in Missouri and the Ozark Mountains and home to some great drumlin like territory - relentless roller coaster rollers - farmland and interesting things to see. The rollers and scenery remind us of the Ontario Toronto-Ottawa route through Bewdley, Campbellford up to Westport and Perth and in England, the Dunstable Downs around Tring, Markyate, and the Zoo - but both areas MAGNIFIED a whole lot. There will be some increasingly tough riding through to Camdenton and beyond, with great descents, but often not much momentum to take Mark up the hills.
As it is Saturday, traffic is heavy and moving fast. Temperature is probably low 80's.
We are also trying to find WiFi.
By the time he reached Collins, Time Station 30, Mark had cycled 1,800 miles and was at about 800ft elevation. (And if you read the references to elevation as Susan did, then Mark is looking like ET on his bike flying and soaring through the sky heading home... rather a great picture!)
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