Newton, KS to Eureka, KS
77 miles
We hit the road at 5:50am, leaving our comfortable abode in Newton. The rising sun colored the sky but clouds obscured the direct sunlight. This had the effect of protecting us from the searing 105 degree heat until10:30am. We were able to make incredible progress, arriving in Eureka by 12:30p.
Taking the 6:30AM break. The guys are joking that they will get to sleep in when they go back to the school schedule!
We also had a very fun time riding. We created many "formations" on the empty roads-- the power formation (2-2-2-2-1); the delta formation (1-2-3-2-1), and the cluster or eighteen wheeler formation (just about any formation with the nine bicycles that had not yet been assigned a name). The music was playing, the banter was lively, and the jokes were very funny. A number of crew members thought it was the best ride of the trip.
Max, airborne. I don't think this move is Olympic qualified.
In Eureka we checked out the city pool for the afternoon, dined at Pizza Hut and Sonic, and were hosted by the very generous Lutheran church where we slept in their wonderfully cool basement.
Seeking shade while in "The Sauna".
A couple of people have asked me, "What is it like to bike 90 miles in 105 degree heat on the bike trip?" Here is my suggestion to simulate the experience. Take your spin cycle and put it in the sauna. Bring in two gallons of Gatorade, two gallons of water, a box of pop tarts, and seven bags of Scoobies. Get on the bike and spin for 50 minutes. Take a break for 10 minutes. During the break, drink a quart of water and a quart of Gatorade, eat a pop tart, consume a bag of Scoobies. Repeat seven times. Never leave the sauna. When finished, go to your church and ask to sleep on the floor of their basement. If they say no, go back home and pitch a tent in the sauna where you will spend the night. Shower every three days.
Profile of the day...
David Margolies
David probably burns the most calories cycling. He maintains an incredibly high spin rate even on the flats, meaning that while his legs are working hard, he still has excess lung capacity. And this is a good thing for the Crew because David is the Crew comedian. His funny stories, whacky ideas, and humorous jokes are a continuous source of entertainment for the Crew while riding. He is certainly the Scoobie king, eating bags of this stuff, and even going so far as to call General Foods if the package he is consuming does not contain enough blue Scoobie-Doos.
His academic interest is in business and his parents will be pleased to know that he is receiving a "Finance 101" lecture from me while riding. David's main quirk: his love of the local Chinese buffet, no matter how bad it is.
Tomorrow, Brian.....