Today was set up for sleep, tune-ups, and relaxation. With our huge pull of mileage yesterday today was supposed to be a short ride, but as with everything on this trip plans changed.
Let me start again. Reed talked to the hotel workers and they said we could camp next door at the bike shop. The bike shop was actually a new remodeled church with the old bike shop sign still up. As Ian and I were setting up the tent a police officer stopped, waited, drove closer, waited, and then left. It was like we were middle schoolers sneaking out of the house and thinking ever car was a cop (this time it was). Thinking we were in the clear we resumed construction.
Literally two minutes after the officer left a car pulled in and a guy got out I the car. He stood up looking around, dropped a can, and proceeded to design the parking lot with fluid. His friends honked and flashed lights at us and then sped off. After that we decided we'll just go inside and sleep on a floor. South Wichita is interesting.
Today started off with me waking up to John and Ian taking our bikes out and heading to the bike shop. They gave me the green light to stay and sleep, so there you go. If I do one thing really well, it's sleep. I think I'm a closet narcoleptic.
Any who, they came back from the shop sans bikes- they need more work and would be a few hours. We decided to take a trip to a Wichita staple that holds the prestigious 1989 USA Top Ten Best Burger Joint mantle, The Oasis.
It was a cool dive bar. Great burgers and homemade fries. You know the fries that are cut by the archaic looking machine that could be confused with the guillotine from Braveheart? Yep, those kind. The also add secret seasoning and onion! Bon appetite.
From there we hit back up the bike shop and each paid our passage (total price over $200, "bikin' ain't cheap"). Bikes newly tuned and repaired they were ready for travel...by car. We had to hitch a ride today or we would never make it in time to Emerson before Ragbrai.
Luckily, Geri, Reed, and John's niece Gina were around to help us move our gear and bikes a few miles up the road to our next stop. Pro: Gina gave us a ride. Con: Gina's car's ac works at about a "C" grade level.
It worked out well because the road were going to travel on wasn't that great and had a unsatisfactory shoulder.
Gina drove the three of us, while Geri and Reed followed with the gear. After several dozen miles of country and top 40 hits, Gina let Ian and I DJ. Needless to say, we polluted the car with Dylan, Zeppelin, Phoenix, Wolfmother, Lumonieers, Ghostland Observatory, and Kings of Leon. It was a good string of times if I may say so.
"They moved us on up the road,"(Oklahoma accent please). John got a hotel while Ian and I searched for campgrounds. Naturally, Manhattan, kS is a tent camping hot bed, so there were no parks with vacancies. Plan B was camp outside the hotel again, Plan C was ask Ian's Tracey for help with a different room. She was a saint and came through with a place.
Geri and Reed let us take their car to our hotel room a few miles away. We stopped over unloaded our stuff an headed back. On the way back to their hotel Ian called his wife (while driving- bad). All of the sudden the boys in blue rolled up on us with cherries spinning.
The officer came to the window wanting license and insurance. License, check. Insurance, trouble. We couldn't find it. We looked everywhere. Here we are two mangy, road worn guys, one wearing Jesus sandals, and the other with an Austin-beard. Couple that with Ian's Texas license, the Colorado car, long haired passenger, and no insurance and things weren't looking so hot.
Que the heavily choir, the insurance was found. We delightfully handed the card to the officer. He checked, checked again and asked if we had one more recent. This one was the 2008 version. Buzz kill.
Luckily the officer checked Ian's license, let the no insurance thing go, and explained to us that in Manhattan you cannot be on a phone unless it's hands free. Manhattan, KS has to be making a gold mine off of this. Think of all the Gaga listening sorority girls and Wiz Khalifa rockin' bros that they could ticket. Genius. Pure genius.
After the ticket scare we dropped the car off, grabbed some dinner, and came back to the hotel.
Due to the request of readers Jared Babbitt and Mckenzie Fergesen-Lueders, we will be heading out to the prestigious Aggieville. The outcome of this adventure will be recounted in tomorrows blog. I'm sure it will be interesting.
Ian Fredrick Hembry's Travel Trip of the Day:
"Cars are much faster than bikes."
Quote from Yesterday (that I forgot):
Cowboy: "What's up with your shoes?"
Ian: "There's a cleat on my shoe that clips into my pedal."
Cowboy: "Aw wowa, that's jest like a stirrup fer a horse." (western voice)
Quote of the Day:
"It's amazing anything gets accomplished with you guys." -Reed, talking to us while we were looking through our bags for laundry.
John Cernohous Daily Dose of Wisdom:
John said nothing funny today.
Nate Herrig's Just Tell me About the Food Section: The Oasis in Wichita. Perfectly cooked cheeseburger with the fixin's, great fries, and a cool bar. Don't get the double, you won't finish.
Five Things I Learned Today:
1) There are 85.93% less cemeteries here in KS than OK. Apparently, people don't die in mass quantity in KS as in OK. (Note to self: move to KS)
2) It costs $30 plus tax to tent camp at a park and $50 for a less-than-desirable-but-better-than-nothing cockroach motel in Manhattan, KS. Apparently, the Wildcats hate nature.
3) Manhattan has a Dillons, Walmart, and Hyvee within a one block radius. Corporate America lives here.
4) Riding in a non-AC car is still slightly better than riding in 104 degree heat on black top covered roads. Cars 1 Bikes 0
5) The transition from OK to KS in degenerates (mouth-breathers) has transformed from inbreds to creepy, old man photographers and girls wearing short, tight skirts with fishnet stockings (yes, it was a Super 8). **this is not calling all citizens of these fine states as members of those categories, rather a reference to a specific group of folks.
Tomorrow is Sunday Funday. We'll finally be back on the road tomorrow and looking to hit 80+. The destination is Seneca, KS. If they don't have camping I will file a civil grievance.
The roads get nothing but hillier from here on out and Ian is looking for the polka dot jersey. They should be interesting with all the gear.
Hope you had a great weekend and stayed cool. We are almost to Iowa and Ragbrai!
Shared some pics of the bar, menu, bike shop, and Ian's written warning. Enjoy.
Until tomorrow,
KRS
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