The huge flat expanses of green pasture and farm land are giving way to golden wheat fields. The cooperative silos are in ever nowhere town and with the winter wheat harvest underway, the trucks laden with wheat are everywhere.
As I am bicycling along on the shoulder of the road, these trucks and other vehicles always move over to the on coming lane, giving me plenty of room.
In other states, this consideration was more often the exception than the rule.
Bicycling along on these endlessly straight roads is hard to describe. Music playing, legs cranking, eyes scanning both the road in front of me and the expansive landscape around me. I am one with my rearview mirror looking for any vehicles coming up on me. Minutes turn into hours, the odometer
logs in the miles and I am in the zone. I dodge small tortoises, eye an occasional snake sunning itself in the center of the road and watch for any other hazards along the way.
Upon my arrive in Tribune, the first order of business was to find a convenience store to buy a Gatorade type drink and sit back to figure out the layout of the town. As requested, I stopped off at the sheriff's office to notify them that I am camping in the part. The clerk gave me directions to the town pool, (which was mobbed due to the ninety-five degree heat), and gave me the lowdown on the evenings fireworks next to my campsite. I am generally toast by 9:30 but that is when the festivities begin. I'm thrilled.
I will check for sprinklers when I set my tent up to avoid the peppering of my tent by a sprinkler as happened to me around three in the morning last night. I stayed dry but the sound jarred me out of deep sleep.
In two days I will be heading north to connect with the Katy trail which begins in Missouri. The trail is a network of rail to trail paths which supposedly are excellent for cycling. I will download the necessary maps at the library at my next stop.
Onward!
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