Manhattan, KS to Beloit, KS

Sunday was another easy ride since it was mostly flat with a few small inclines and we also had a tail wind to help push us along. We were scheduled to ride 93 miles but since it was really easy and we got to the host early my friend and I pushed distance to a century long ride. I again didn't take many pictures since it was mostly farmland but we did stop once by some sunflowers. 

I noticed during the ride and in Beloit that all of the places we rode through seem like ghost towns. I guess stores are never open on Sundays, which makes everything seem abandoned. 

Beloit, KS to Red Cloud, NE

On Monday I had a great ride with some interesting stops and great terrain. There were lots of gradual hills so it felt good to not have such repetitive flat roads. The scenery was also really pretty with rolling hills and empty fields that go on for miles. The first stop we had was at a really pretty lake that we went swimming in. 

Lake that we jumped in. 

Skipping rocks. 

After riding a few more miles we made another stop at the world's largest twine ball. A lady was there with a roll of twine who said she didn't hear that we were biking through but she saw a few riders go by and decided to get her roll of twine so we could add to it. We each got a chance to walk around the twine ball and add some to the ball. 

Hugging the world famous ball. 

Adding some love. 

Then we continued the ride to lunch. After lunch we made another stop at the exact center longitudinally and latitudinally of the continental United States. 

There was also a tiny chapel to get married. 

Our last stop before getting to the host was at the border of Kansas and Nebraska. 

Our host for the night fed us dinner but were unable to give us a place to stay. We went swimming at a park, took showers there and camped out for the night. It is our first camping experience but it was the perfect night to sleep outside. 

Picture from the ride. 

Fields we rode by. 

Lawrence, KS to Manhattan, KS

Saturday was an 80 mile day but it was very easy since there were no hills, there was a tail wind and we all had fresh legs from our 2 days off. I only took a few pictures though since we mostly rode by more farms.  

Bathroom break in a cornfield. 

Same cornfield. 

Our hosts for the night were a catholic junior high school. They treated us to Olive Garden for dinner and took us on a trolley ride to get there. After dinner they gave us a short tour of the town. One of the places we passed by was the oldest running Pizza Hut. Kansas university is also close by but we did not pass by it on the tour. 

Getting onto the trolley. 

Riding the trolley. 

That night we also had a family meeting. I said that my high for the week was Lawrence since we stayed in a hotel, had a great build site, and explored a nice city. My low for the week was the hot windy ride to Richmond and I gave kudos to my friend Roge for riding with me that day even though I was going really slow. 

Lawrence, KS build days

Thursday and Friday were both build days in Lawrence. It was our first time being at the same site 2 days in a row and I really liked that we were able to get a lot of work done. The habitat for humanity people were really well organized and knew exactly what to get done. We also worked with the woman moving into the house as well. Both dad I worked on siding and cutting the shingles that were to be nailed to the front wall. I mostly worked with a power saw or power cutters and also did a little painting on the last day. 

House when we first arrived with the woman moving in. 

My work station for cutting. 

Almost finished front wall. 

Inside which we did not work on. 

Backside of house. 

There were a bunch of different groups working on the house. Some of the jobs that they did included roofing, painting, and building a shed. Almost all of the jobs set for us were completed and everyone felt very productive at the site. 

In the afternoon of both days we had some free time. I did some exploring and saw parts of the Kansas university campus, walked down Massachusetts street where all the shops and restaurants were, and also hit up an outdoor pool. 

KU campus. 

Massachusetts street. 

Cool British store. 

Outdoor pool. 

Also took an ice bath at one point.  

Staying in Lawrence felt more like a vacation with the hotel and great city to explore and everyone was reluctant to leave. It was definitely one of the top stops on the trip, even though we say that after almost all of our host sites. 

 

Richmond, MO to Lawrence, KS

On Wednesday I was a little worried starting my ride that it would end up being as hot and windy as the previous day. Thankfully though the ride was much easier since it wasn't as hot and we had the wind to our backs. For lunch we ate in Kansas City and had a nice ride along the river before we arrived. 

Kansas City in the background. 

Ride to the city. 

Ride along the river. 

View from a deck. 

We rode 82 miles today and even though it was easier, I was still pretty tired after the ride. We weren't told where we were sleeping in Lawrence because it was meant to be a surprise. When we arrived we discovered it was a Marriott hotel. It was organized by the habitat for humanity who also decorated our rooms and gave us some visitors information packets. 

Before dinner I walked down Massachusetts street, which had a bunch of cool shops and restaurants. I still have more exploring to do on the street but I had time to go into a few nice stores. 

Candle store. 

Moberly, MO to Richmond, MO

Tuesday was one of the most difficult rides of the trips. Not because of the terrain or pace but because of the heat and wind. We started early, waking up at 5 am to start the day. I didn't take many pictures since the route wasn't very scenic. The roads we were on were also pretty dangerous and many people said there were some close calls with cars and trucks getting too close. At the second lunch thankfully there was pool, since it was extremely hot. That was probably the highlight of my ride, since most of it I wanted to be over. The wind was also very strong, sometimes strong enough to make me swerve on my bike. When we got to the host one of the ladies said the heat index reached 107 F, which seemed accurate. It was one the best feelings to arrive at the church and recover from the hard ride. 

Only picture of the day. 

Hannibal, MO to Moberly, MO

Monday was a pretty flat ride with a few rolling hills. The morning was cloudy but towards the end of the day it was sunny. The route wasn't too scenic but I did take a few shots during the day. After lunch we came across the Mark Twain lake and jumped in for a few minutes. 

Fields in Missouri. 

Mark Twain lake. 

Confused road sign. 

At night we did some presentations on our hometown affordable housing organizations. I presented mine on my sweat equity hours I did in Ithaca and Binghamton and also discussed my interviews with the Poughkeepsie habitat for humanity.