You're not in Kansas anymore Dorothy!

You’re Not In Kansas Anymore Dorothy!  Welcome to Missouri! Day 1, 87 Miles

 

Before I begin this entry, I have a confession to make. Technically I did bike through Kansas. However, because Topeka is so close to the Missouri border, I only spent about 60 miles there before crossing over. I didn’t have much choice because that is where I met the group, but in the spirit of full disclosure, I wanted to put it to print. 

Okay… with that out of the way… I am now in the great state of Missouri. What’s Missouri all about you ask? Well, if you were a settler a couple hundred years ago, you would have gathered your wagon train in Missouri before pushing westward. This is why the state is called the ‘Gateway to The West’. It is also the place where President Truman was born, and where Anheuser-Busch has its headquarters. Missouri was acquired from France as a throw in during the negotiations of the Louisiana Purchase.

I started my day with the typical first days jitters. I was up at 4am for no good reason and couldn’t fall back to sleep. I got out of bed a bit before five to check my gear again and make sure all was in order. I was downstairs by 6 for breakfast. I had a couple hard-boiled eggs, a bowl of fresh fruit, a banana and some Greek yogurt. I am doing my best to stay away from simple carbs like pancakes and syrup and instead am trying to focus on fruits, very whole grains and proteins. Simple carbs break down fast in the body and can cause a roller coaster effect as your pancreas works overtime supplying insulin, which triggers the feeling of hunger too soon, giving you signals to start the process over. Yes, you’ll get the glucose you need with simple carbs, but amateurs like me don’t need to eat like we’re riding the Tour de France. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains break down more slowly and release carbs at a healthier pace. Of course, when I feel myself beginning to crash (meaning I forgot to eat), grabbing some quickie carbs like a power bar, gives me the jump-start I need. The main point is that I think that I can get everything I need without convincing myself that a big ride requires me to eat half a pizza, a giant milk shake and a banana split every night as part of my ‘recovery’. Don’t get me wrong, I love these things. The problem with me is that I am a bit compulsive (just a smidgen, lol), and if I am given license to chow down on this type of food, I pull up to the trough and eat until I can’t move. It’s a learning process, but it worked nicely today.

After breakfast, I checked my two duffle bags with the SAG truck (Support and Gear) and signed out. It’s important to follow the protocol and sign out as you leave and sign into various SAG stops along the way. The distances are great and there is nothing out here but fields, fields and more fields. It’s quite common to spread yourself out where you might not see another biker for hours. So if I had an accident out here and didn’t check in, there is a possibility that they wouldn’t be able to find me, at least not easily. 

I started out in the medium pack and cruised at a very slow speed (ave 12-14) for about 20 miles. I wanted to stay in the pack to see how it all worked. Except for one trip with my brother in law (Shout out to Duffy!), I have never rode with anyone so this was a great learning experience.  I quickly learned rider etiquette, signaling and basic pacing.

I wouldn’t call myself a fast rider, but 12-14 mph is basically drifting as far I’m concerned. I was wondering if there was some secret that these people knew that I didn’t. Was it that they not only needed to conserve for the day, but also for the next day and so they go slow? I kept thinking that they would kick in and pick up their clip. Some started to speed up, but not much. I was torn… riding like this; even with hills, is like a nice recliner chair. However, you have to stay in the chair all day and you don’t get much of a work out. On the other hand, if you gun it, then you might be the guy everyone passes at the end knowing that you have nothing left in the tank. Thankfully, two riders began to break away at about 15 mph. It was faster, but still I felt like we were crawling. At the first SAG stop (mile 32), I freshened up and then decided to go it alone for a bit. 

The weather was beautiful and sunny with big white puffy clouds in the sky, and temperatures holding at about 75 degrees. As I got in my own groove, moving along at between 18-20mph, I was smiling from ear to ear feeling the wind in my face and listening to the tires spinning. It was like seeing an old friend that you haven’t seen in many years (one that you’re happy to see!). Metaphorically speaking, I’m not sure if the ‘old friend’ was Kansas itself with its beautiful uncorrupted landscapes, or the feeling of being absolutely free and completely dependent on only myself. Probably it was both. As I approached the Kansas/Missouri border, my smile stretched to its physical limits. I began to process what was about to occur… after 23 years of being mentally stuck in Kansas purgatory, I was finally given a pass to leave. That felt pretty damn good.

In the distance, I spotted two fast moving bikers from our group that I hadn’t seen before. They were about a half-mile away and obviously drafting (a technique where the first rider will cut the wind, so the drivers following within inches behind don’t have to work so hard… up to 30% less hard!). With only 20 miles to the border, and feeling pretty charged, I decided to step it up and catch them. It took couple/few miles but before I knew it, I was behind Darryl and Becky. Darryl (56) is a neurologist from Tennessee and Becky (early 20s) is a librarian from Oxford, England. Darryl is a strong biker and was doing all of the pulling. I had never drafted prior to that, but I can tell you that it’s great stuff. As he cut the winds that were beginning to pick up, my pedaling at times became so easy that I felt like I was riding in the back of a taxi. I attempted to move to the front to do the ‘pulling’, but got too excited and went too fast and lost them. I had been told that this is considered a very un-cool thing to do and I felt genuinely bad that I was not doing my part. I quickly cut my speed and let them catch up. At the next stop, Darryl called me a ‘Draft Whore’ in a joking way. I knew exactly what he meant and I deserved it. I told him that I had never done it before and asked for some quick pointers. The next 20 miles went great. I did my part, and we cruised at 19-22 mph for much of the ride. We lost Becky to a Dairy Queen in a small town and Darryl and I rode on alone to finish the day. We came in to St. Joseph, Missouri together, holding the 2^nd and 3^rd spots for finishers for the day.

I finished strong and had a lot of gas left in the tank. I think the major change up to how I was hydrating and eating was an important part of that. I’m not sure if I went too hard on my first day, but my body will let me know tomorrow for sure when we ride from St. Joseph to Chillicothe, Missouri for a very hilly ride totaling 86 miles.

Thanks for all the support. Keep the emails and texts coming. They mean a lot.

Some pictures of me with no hair and one of the kids and JoAnn taken on the day I left... ! Without their support, this would not be possible.

And some pictures of the day.