On the way home.
We had to say bye to Colorado early this morning. It’s inevitable that we have to return eventually to grown-up land. Things to do, grands to chase. (Sigh)
Truthfully, we are ready to head home, get some rest and pickup with life.
Connie set off to the airport to fly home and get her rest by chasing some grands. I’m riding home over the course of the next seven days and plan to arrive on the 4th. There’s a fairly strong heat wave covering the Plains and Mid-West so my rides will start early to beat the worst of the heat. I covered 310 miles today to reach Norton, KS. It didn’t quite reach 100F until the last 50 miles. I’m luxuriating in the cool as I write this.
There’s not a lot to tell about the ride today. Coming down from 7,500 feet to around 2,300 means increased heat and humidity. There are some huge farms that are busy with planting and tending their fields. Because there has been less rain than hoped, the dust level is often dramatically high. Farmers don’t get days off when there are miles of fields to be worked.
I have a couple of pictures that give some idea of the vastness of the area. Farm buildings are often miles apart and a trip to the store is a big deal. So is going to the doctor, dentist or the hardware store. I’m reminded of how little I know about the rigors of raising a family while raising crops or livestock.
When I got to town I stopped in the local grocery store to buy supper fixings and a couple of sundries. I felt like a curiosity in my riding gear – which thing doesn’t belong? But when I moved into someone’s personal space, I was met with civility and good manners. Conversations weren’t really the thing, you know. But I was treated as a guest and accorded politeness. It was not off-putting, but gives me pause considering another culture within our broader national life.
About two hours into the ride, I pulled over along side the road in a rare stretch of shade. Below was a dry creek bed that had enough moisture to support a grove of Aspens. While I drank some water and took in the surrounding countryside, not one vehicle passed in 20 minutes. Dozens of birds flew about looking for whatever they eat chattering away in the shade. Three miles of empty road stretched away in both directions on CO 94. It felt both magical and a little disorienting because I can’t imagine such a scene in the East.
At another stop, after turning from US 40 to US 83 North, at Oakley, KS, was the Buffalo Bill Cultural Center that features huge statues of a mounted Buffalo Bill about to shoot a bison. Bill Cody was born in Oakley and is celebrated for his famous prowess at horsemanship and shooting. Being Sunday, the center was closed so there wasn’t a conversation to be had. It was also hotter than a pistol just then. There was a brick walk with dozens of sponsors who helped finance the memorial. Even the local Masons lodge was a proud sponsor.
I have to admit I have mixed feelings about this. Whole herds of bison were slaughtered for the sport of it. Local native tribes saw their source of sustenance and way of life decimated to nothing more than the joy of the kill. At the same time this community of settlers have found a source of pride before the world. Personally, one of my forebears was a servant in Wild Bill Cody’s Wild West Show before starting a family. Makes me wonder. It seems one’s heritage is a convoluted thing.
Well, enough for tonight. I’m planning to get on the road early again.
Please take care.
Wandering Retirees 