Dateline: Lawrence, KS

Slept @ Smithville TH after guys left. Nervous about being rousted; didn’t sleep well but was not bothered.

Today i drive over to Lindahl trail system and then head W to KS.

GPS nailed Blue Springs via back roads & finally interstate.

Found TH past gun range w/ all the percussive sounds. Only rig in lot. Headed out. Trail map supossed to be on bulletin board was long gone. Some trails were marked, others, just wander. Trails had muddy spots in them, some I rode thru others I walked around. The soil in the woods seemed to be oozing h2o. Soil has lots of clay. Bike has a protective coat of clay that even the rain won’t wash off. Trail is way more technical than Smithville. Fun wandering at my own pace. Saw several groups of white tail deer that seem normal size. Saw an owl and several turkeys.

back @ TH another rider shows up & we chatted. He rode the 24 hours of Caanan and said that the rocks sweat @ night making them slippery. We agreed on WVA’s rocks. He broke his back in a mtn bike race.

Found a health club for a $7.00 shower.

Drove W on I-70 thru the megalopolis cities of whatever @ the stateline. KS I-70 is a turnpike. The road surface was some of the best i have driven on. Continued to Lawrence, KS exit. Drove into town & turned into a parking lot. Found a bakery: 1 small sticky bun. Then found a Hi-Vee grocery for prepared dinner: mistake: too much fat.

Parked off edge of parking lot for sleep.

Snow is forecast for Loveland this weekend w/ temps rising on Monday, need to stay in KS until Monday.

Bought new Formula brake from an estore in ST Louis. Only ship to UPS address: no USPS general delivery. I gave them Over The edge shop’ address, host of the festival. I called to confirm and was told that they charge $15.00 per shipment. I asked what other choices, he gave me the other bike shop in town. i called them and they said sure, no charge. Guess who gets whatever business I can send their way.

Country topography is gentle rolling.

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.

Dateline: same

Off to dirtbag @ Brandon’s house. I parked in a hastings / movie theater parking lot right off rt 50. A young man pulled up in a jeep wagon wearing a patagonia fleece and said he saw my van & had to check it out. We conversed and I said something about needing a spot to sleep and he invited me over.

A conversation w/ theater manager and a woman college grad doing art work on Hastings window to come  when I get back.

Watching 3 cats: one a female, one a tom for sure and a third that its role is unknown. The she doesn’t want the tom: she laid down stiff & wouldn’t lift her tail out of the way.

Drove over to Brandon’s house & met housemate greg pushing his townie up onto the yard 7 I heard beer bottles rattling in his panier Enjoyed a lively evening of telling stories & laughing. 3 guys sharing a rental, either in grad school or back for 2nd degree. Early 20s. They enjoyed my company and thanked me for visiting & sharing. Giving them a vision of what might be and I looking at my past, each envious of each other’s position. Should we discuss my future or the consequences of my past?