Author Archives: Mike Evans

56 miles (90 km) – Total so far: 1,897 miles (3,053 km) After a restful and complete night of sleep, I woke up energetic looking to log 75 miles, putting yesterday’s rainy mess physically and figuratively behind me. I left earlier than I had been recently, but not crazy early. The first indication that myContinue reading “Day 36: Elated: Ness City, KS to Scott City, KS”

65 miles (105 km) – Total so far: 1,841 miles (2,963 km) Wind. Not the playful zephyr that zipped us along yesterday. Not the strong breeze that has me set short sails on a close tack with a certain dangerously gleeful look. No, this was a driving, relentless monster to wrestle for five hours. AtContinue reading “Day 35: Daunting, Driving, and Drenching: Larned, KS to Ness City, KS”

121 miles (195 km) – Total so far: 1,776 miles (2,858 km) Wichita is a charming little town or a thriving metropolis depending on your perspective. To me, having been riding through small towns for five weeks, it was a huge mass of humanity: smashed in together with cars and lights and all the attendantContinue reading “Day 34: Crazy Miles: Wichita, KS to Larned, KS”

48 miles (77 km) – Total so far: 1,655 miles (2,663 km) The bed at the Beaumont hotel must have been stuffed with angel feathers. I slept a full 10 hours last night, and a good hour past dawn, which is an anomaly on this trip. I don’t set an alarm clock, but my bodyContinue reading “Day 32: Big City and a Bike Shop: Beaumont, KS to Wichita, KS”

65 miles (105 km) – Total so far: 1,607 miles (2,586 km) Last night getting into Chanute, I suggested to Jess and Tuan that we opt for a motel rather than a campsite on account of some impending thunderstorms overnight. Sure, our tents *probably* could have handled them, but I had figured we’d be moreContinue reading “Day 31: Amateur Meteorologist: Chanute, KS to Beaumont, KS”

57 miles (92 km) – Total so far: 1,542 miles (2,482 km) Back on the trail and chilling out of the campsite proved to be the reintroduction to biking culture I had been hoping to get. The venue for last night’s bonding was a free campsite for cyclists provided by the town of Pittsburg, Ks.Continue reading “Day 30: Zephyrs in Kansas: Pittsburg, KS to Chanute, KS”

Kansas Day 29- Pittsburg, KS Day 30- Chanute, KS Day 31- Beaumont, KS Day 32- Wichita, KS Day 34- Larned, KS Day 35- Ness City, KS Day 36- Scott City, KS Day 29: Yes! Yes! Yes! to Strawberry Pie.: Everton, MO to Pittsburg, KS 65 miles (105 km) – Total so far: 1,485 miles (2,390Continue reading “Day 29: Yes! Yes! Yes! to Strawberry Pie: Everton, MO to Pittsburg, KS”

55 miles (89 km) – Total so far: 1,420 miles (2,285 km) Today marked an end of an era as just a short 20 mile ride we’d make it to Springfield where Bill would hop in a rental car and drive back home. Having Bill along for the last week, especially in the challenging Ozarks,Continue reading “Day 28: Xenodochium: Marshfield, MO to Everton, MO”

65 miles (105 km) – Total so far: 1,365 miles (2,197 km) Motels are great because they are easy to get out of quickly. Everything is right there in your room. There is no B&B host to chat to you while they make breakfast. No tent to roll up. Bill and I got on theContinue reading “Day 27: Vistas and Wildflowers: Houston, MO to Marshfield, MO”