Out of the Flint Hills and into eastern Kansas
A fog hangs just above us as we begin our next day before dawn, continuing north in the heart of the Flint Hills along K-177. It’s a chapter of transition in Pilgrim Spokes, as the actual chronology of the ride was such that 2 years elapsed between the morning ride and the completion of the day in Ottawa. I couldn’t take the month+ off work to complete the cross-country journey in a single year, so needed to split it up. Dave had the same issue, so our miles across the country were broken chronologically in such a way that we rode about half the journey together and about half of it alone.
But this day of transition is more than just about chronology, as I explore in Pilgrim Spokes. Highlights include:
- AÂ foggy start through the beautiful Flint Hills shrouded in mist.
- Breakfast at the Saddle Rock Cafe.
- That point of transition where on Ride 1 Dave and I continue north through the Flint Hills, and back out into Western Kansas.
- Ride 2 which I pick up in this section, experiencing a second Kansas sunrise, this time alone.
- Riding east out of the Flint Hills on the first day of the final leg of the journey.
- Talking to Jeff in Osage City, and his experience getting hit by a pickup truck while cycling.
- Dinner with Bubba in Ottawa.
A cross-country bicycle adventure is the canvas for this tale of discovery along the winding backroads of America’s heartland. The second book in the “Cycling Reflections†series, Pilgrim Spokes tells the story of the eastern half of the trans-American trek, continuing the saga begun in Neil’s award-winning previous book—Pilgrim Wheels—which reconnoiters the western half of the journey.
More than just a journal of a bike ride across the country, Hanson’s delightful and beautifully written story takes the reader on an engaging pilgrimage of observation and reflection. Often hilarious, sometimes poignant, and always inspiring, it’s a must-read adventure that will stir your soul.
