Kansas City, MO environs

Said good bye to Greg as he was leavong for “work”

Did wash @ laundromat; there was one on each side of the street, I chose the one on the other side of the street, better choice. 69yo woman attendant. Asked her what her rememberence of her earliest washing machine. She grew up on a farm that must not have had indoor plumbing as they had a tub washer w/ a ringer attachment. they heated h2o on stove & emptied the tub out thru a hose. Got her to think about her past.

Continued drive into KC to Epic Cycles where I am to pick up my braked pads. Paul works there and is a friend of Greg’s from last night. Greg called him last night and introduced me.

Stopped @ Hy-Vee grocery. Wow, what a store. Lots of freshly prepared food, way good. It was like a restaurant w/o the waiters but with supremarket prices.Groceries were plentiful.

I am using black beans for my burritos as a judge of store. I have found them about $1.35 as the highest in Winnoa, AR w/ no Mexicans. It’s as if the store wanted to price them out of not living there. Big price fluctuation throughout country. I beleive there is a conscience price policy to affect consumptions. Hey, I’m not Mexican, I like black bean burritos as they are easy & quick to fix and nutritious.

Found bike shop in this new concept shopping mall: stores in short strips of businesses w/ parking out front w park benches in front of stores. All paved in brick w/o mortar. I liked the concept for a cluster of shopping but give me the historical buildings in downtown.

UPS ran late but inside a box was my pair of pads. Visited w/ Paul & store owner Scott for awhile. Installed pads and brake works correctly.

Doing a ride tonight w/ earthriders, the local IMBA club. Network w/ other riders. They have a trail work day this Sat, manage schedule but might stay. Kansas City is right on MO / KS border. I could do seveal rides across the border, do the trail work, & then drive across KS & on to Loveland, CO. Wet weekend is forecasted.

Spring is not here, bare trees but dandylions have bloomed.

Drove out to Smithville to ride w/ Eartriders.com on their trails here @ park. Nice night. Rode w/ Neil at a pace that was favorable to my huffing. Nice job of trails, basically flat, some small rocks, & lots of little roots.

Sleep @ TH unless rousted but no sign saying no parking overnight.

Thorns: WVA had long thorns, these MO show me thorns are huge.