friday and saturday

Left pittsburg at 6:30a.m. on Friday trying to beat the heat. Got in about 20 miles before the temp reached 80. On a day that was forecast sunny and hot for our 58 mile ride to Chanute, Kansas, we got surprised by a storm. You can see forever out here so the storm appeared dead ahead. I pulled off the road to consult with some construction workers who just happened to have the weather radar on their cell phones. A severe but isolated storm was passing across our route from southwest to northeast. I stopped for 10-15 minutes and watched it rain with thunder and lightning just in front of me and in a flash it moved off our course and we were able to continue with no danger. Got to Chanute in time for lunch where I found a sports bar and watched some u.s. open. We stayed in an air conditioned church that had no showers so we rode over to the town park took showers and enjoyed the cool church for the rest of the day. Today was a 64 mile slog through constant rain sometimes light and sometimes pouring. It was too warm to gear up so I rode wet the whole day with it clearing up just as I got to eureka. Same deal as last night. Showers at the park and sleep in the air conditioned church. We learned that Kansas is not really flat. The hills were nothing like what we dealt with earlier, but they certainly got our attention. Tomorrow is a 75 ride with sunny and mid 90’s forcast.