Day 28 From Abilene, Kansas to Topeka, Kansas – 109 miles

Today was finally a phenomenal day! The weather was cool (though humid) due to the pending the rainstorms, which never occurred. I don’t think it got over 85 degrees all day and was even in the 70s in the early morning. It was very humid, so wearing as little as possible is still the way to go! I rode with Gary and Jeff (who is our trip’s comedian) most of the morning and we had some songs going – songs from the play, Rent, and Jeff began singing the Blues – “Riding my bike… danananana (which was my part)….” – we had a great time! I met up with another group at the sag stop and went with them the rest of the way. It was fun to be riding with a group at a comfortable pace. Today there were lots of rolling hills – up and down, up and down, up and down (pictured very well here) – and it was super nice to have some variety. And the scenery was gorgeous… yes, that’s right folks… gorgeous in Kansas! It was like we entered Missouri two days early. At our lunch stop (by a nice lake and the only restaurant on the route), some locals said that people from Eastern Kansas don’t go to Western Kansas… they despise it as much as we do! Nice to know ... I could actually live in this part of Kansas… there were many lakes, nice green rolling hills, and it was just beautiful! Also, everything is within a short drive to Topeka, the Capitol of Kansas… you have the best of both worlds – the beauty of the country within a short drive to the benefits of a city. And there isn't all the industry in Eastern Kansas like in Western Kansas . . . I think it should be two different states! Or Eastern Kansas can join Missouri and we can get rid of Western Kansas all together (granted, we might still want the food they produce... so, we'll just not vacation there!)

Today was the longest ridingTIME day we have had yet (and I was wishing my legs were fresher… maybe that run wasn’t the BEST idea in the world yesterday… though very nice indeed)! I didn’t get into the hotel until almost 4pm and though I would love to see the town of Topeka… I am exhausted. I guess there is always another time to see it – we’ll ride through it on the way out tomorrow, hopefully. I am eager to have dinner and go to bed early. I am looking forward to seeing my mom tomorrow in St. Joseph’s, Missouri and then having a rest day there. Missouri here I come… right back to where I started from (for those of you who don’t know, I was born in Missouri!)