Dateline: Junction City, KS
Slept amid early morning shift cars parking along side me. Got up & drove a ways down road to park in less used parking lot for bfast.
Drove short distance to lake Wilson TH. Stopped @ Army Corps of Engineering office first as entry into park is free. Spoke w/ a person who greeted me. i asked different ways and was told the trails were open. I parked @ TH and checked out another CXT outhouse made in Spokane.
While I was getting ready 2 young men checked me out. They were returning from a hike on the trail i was going to ride and told me it was way too muddy. I told them I was told the trails were open. I was going to ride! Struck up conversation about my trip and then what they are up to: 1 is doing environmental consulting and the other is in environmental law. One said that he believes that my generation put the ball on the tee and it is up to his generation to hit the ball and save the environment> They told me about Sunflower Bike shop and Free State brewing and about the river trail right from town that would be dry but not technical.
I set out on trail and rode to first mud bog. And the next, and the next, and the next. I could not believe the trail was open and the guys were right. I left the trail when it joined the road way. I rode to the park office as I needed to talk to park ranger about trail. He wasn’t in. I was given a name of the trails coordinator that is responsible for trails. I rode back to Army Corps and went looking for a person. Luckily the park ranger showed up. We talked about who decides to close trail, no resources for enforcement, life in general. My extensive riding carried weight in the discussion. Still, the phone call is to the trails coordinator.
I drove back into town searching for Sunflower. Vibrant downtown w/ old buildings still being used. parked blocks away. A quarter bought like 2 hours time. Wore my bike clothes & mud splattered from head to toe on downtown stroll. Found shop where Dan offered to help me. i asked about trails and lamented trail condition. I asked about a shop shower and he said yes. i said cool, I’ll be back after my ride.
Sunflower has a shop cat mascot named Stanley. He’s even on facebook. I met him while he was sleeping in s toy demo tent in the front window.
Rode from parking lot behind store out to river trail which is a 1 way loop running out a finger of land that juts into Kansas river. Trail tread was river transport soil. Flowy w/ bermed turns & a few downs & ups. Fun big ring that I can’t spin trail. Nettles are about 14″ high.
Back @ shop took shower & kaputzed. One staff memeber is pumped because he is doing an August Rainier climb. Cool. We chatted about what he might expect. He greatly appreciated the info.
Walked up to Free State brew pub. Smokers were outside on sidewalk patio, none inside. Lively afternoon crowd. great stout beer. Walked down street to Ben & Jerry’s ice cream store for a treat. A bored college student was handling sales. My turn and he said do i want this, holding up a blender. I was interested but I needed to know what is was. He simply made too much chocolate milkshake for previuos customer. i sai yes and still bought an ice cream cone. I am so easily treating myself.
Drove West out of town on !-70 which is the only West road w/in miles either way; no 2 lane roads. Landed @ Junction City in back of some furniture store. I-70 noise reached me here. Trees nearby are littered w/ what appears to be plastic shopping bags.
I Joined the Central kansas mtn bikers forum last night & asked about riding lake Kamopolis. 2 phone calls & 3 emails convinced me that my enjoyment lies with lake Wilson & it’s 14 miles of mtn biker sculpted trails. Plans change. Have a ride date for Sunday.