Topeka

Todays route began with a hard left at the giant coke can  

Yes, dad.  Its a silo, not a coke can.

Emporia is evidently in charge of the nations strategic stockpile of coke.  Which should come in handy when 4000 gravel riders descend on the town.   We saw a bunch on the road today testing out the routes.

 The day after a rest day can go one of two ways.  Either your legs are a bit heavy and creaky.  Or you feel fresh and frisky. 

Today the peloton was feeling frisky, hammering up and down the rollers formed by the Flint Hills.  This pic shows a lot of down, but there  was an equal amount of up …


I rode for much of the day with the Columbus ladies who are tough tough cyclists!  They really hammer the hills  

Tanny, John, Me in the Dia de los Muertos jersey, Barb,
Carol, Jim, Maggie, Jens, Olaf

 I got a little ambitious early on but I’m slowing down tomorrow. Plenty of rollers to enjoy.  A highlight today apart from the view and some buffalo and natural stone buildings...


(Photo credit Steve Harvey)


...was a pie stop at the Dover General Store


Look at those cool bar stools!



MMMM... peach crumble

i had the peach crumble.  If you find yourself on the back road to Topeka I’d highly recommend a stop. We cleared them out, leaving no pie for the locals.  So get there early.

(I was actually worried that they wouldn’t have enough pie… So I attacked the Peloton 8 miles out in order to get up the road in a solo breakaway. But they coordinated and reeled me in and I wound up spit out the back and last in the pie line.)

I jammed to some Zevon and Cage the Elephant and REO today.  Queuing up the rest of the recs for tomorrow’s ride.  Thanks everyone!

Today we passed halfway. 


  Or if you prefer the electronic version


There’s a lot of country to our left…and I think, some more familiar and forgiving roads to our right.









Comments

  1. Peter HMay 29, 2024 at 3:16 PM

    Love the jersey! Hope good weather — and pie availability — continue. Ride on!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jay AMay 30, 2024 at 6:57 AM

    Think I might start riding for a slice of that pie! Halfway across the US…hard to believe from the sidelines…

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMay 30, 2024 at 2:02 PM

    Caught up on the last 7 days posts, as I was too distracted by life last week. Really enjoyed the pictures and commentary. Laughed at failing being carded for a senior discount. Oh my!! Sorry I didn’t see your request in time for playlist suggestions, but guessing my 70’s & 80’s tunes wouldn’t have made your list!

    ReplyDelete

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