My initial update to my Wife. I numbered it, b/c I planned on sending more as the day went on. It didn't work out that way. I got to focusing on the ride, as I'm wont to do.
Our route.
Pretty fall foliage in South Park.
Had the opportunity to use these before everyone else did. Took it. The bark on the tree looks like an oil painting, or at least an oil painting Photoshop/Gimp filter. Not so. That's the real deal.
My bike before we left. If you look close, you can see the seam ridge on the tire. It lasted all day, through 80 miles of asphalt and chipseal road.
Pink! Snapped a photo of this b/c I thought my wife would like it.
I overheard the driver of this little ditty say he spent 15K on it. I haven't confirmed it online, but it was a nice looking ride. Would make for a hell of a commuter, except for it being so low to the ground. I'd be even more afraid of being hit.
Minutes before the Cacaphony of Clicks that signals the start of the ride.
My flat-inducing buddy is up there in the blue next to the No Parking sign. The driver of the yellow velomobile is center frame in the proud USA shirt.
Duder was rocking the tall bike.
Not an effect. A bad photo that turned out good. We were on our way to breakfast here on 24, having just left Lawrence.
The previous photo, but in focus.
Breakfast!
Fall is settling in...
An example of good cyclist behavior. The slower riders on the right being passed fairly quicky by a two column peleton on the right. It's a little broken up at this point, but we weren't in the whole lane for long, and the formation regained cohesion very quickly.
Big Sky Country.
I took a quick break at the top of an incline to snap some pictures while waiting for my friend. This is a few miles after I decided to throw my water bottle into the ditch where tall grass ate it up.
He's back there, my friend is, though you can't really see him.
Lunch!!! We settled in at Vinland Airfield for a much needed break and fuel stop.
That's my flat inducing friend, who hasn't induced a flat in a while. That's my one remaining water bottle on the table.
Yours truly.
Some of my gear performing in a still life at the lunch table.
Another shot at lunch.
Heading out from lunch. Ok. 55 miles, not 52.
Vinyards in the country southwest of Lawrence.
My friend Jon in the distance.
The hill climbing up to the Clinton Dam Road. That's a decent 6% quarter mile slog.
Done.
