La Junta to Pueblo, CO Wed 7/08/2015

     Got caught in a hail storm as I was entering Pueblo.  Could see it coming so I was able to get my rain gear on.  Just small hail and didn't last very long.  Came down hard and fast though.
     My flags and pole were stolen in Missouri.  I found a motorcycle store in Pueblo and bought a new pole.  Then called my daughter-in-law, Denise, and asked her to buy me new flags in Arizona and send them to a friend in Montrose, CO and I will pick them up there.  That all happened.  Those flags waving behind me make it easier for drivers to see me, I think.  At least it makes me feel somewhat safer.

Near Pueblo and seeing the Rocky Mountains

Another section of the Rockies

Another view

Holly to La Junta, CO Tue 7/07/2015

     Not much happening today except classical music and steady pedaling to make sure I make it to La Junta before dark.

A railroad runs thru it (Eastern Colorado)

Diversity among horses

It's green out here

I like the wide shoulder. Much safer to ride a bicycle on

The Arkansas River in Eastern Colorado

Garden City to Holly, CO Mon 7/06/2015

     Finally made it to Colorado. Lots of biting flies here. Left the Central Time Zone and entered the Mountain Time Zone. A few miles from the border and I rode into Holly, Colorado. Got a problem. Only one motel in town and its sign says no vacancy. There was a park near the motel that had an octagon shaped Ramada with several tables underneath. There was the threat of rain so I decided to sleep on the table in the middle of the Ramada.  Around midnight I heard rain. But it wasn't rain. The sprinklers had come on and were spraying underneath the Ramada on me. Fortunately, I had inserted my bedroll into a waterproof bivvy, so I just let it sprinkle me as it made it's circular path.

Toto reincarnated but still in Kansas

Lonesome windmill

Getting closer to home

Won't really see the color until the Rocky Mountains

Innocent little Holly.  Does it have a couple of surprises for me

A most unwelcome sign

My bed on the table under the ramada that protects one from rain but not sprinklers

Sunday in Garden City, KS July 5, 2015

Attended church.  Did laundry and rested.

The meeting house in Garden City

Armando and Ann Caballero with their children Paul, Joseph, Isabelle, Rebecca, and Sam.  It was their first Sunday in Garden City.  He is going to manage a very large cattle feeding operation about 20 miles from Garden City.  He was just transferred here for that job.  Anyway, I had noticed them at church and when I sat down in a booth alone at the Lone Star Restaurant, Armando came over and invited me to join their family for dinner.  We had a great time visiting.  Their kids were getting restless and they excused themselves before I had finished my dinner.  I asked the waitress for my check and she told me my meal was paid for.  Really great people and a beautiful family.

Met David and Sissy White at the motel.  They were providing Pilot Car services for the movement of Windmill blades that generate electricity from Garden City to somewhere in Colorado.  I had seen the blades in a lot near the highway as I entered Garden City, but I couldn't figure out what they were.  I was amazed at how long they were.  David told me they were 193 feet long and when they move them down the highway they have a another driver that steers the back wheels of the trailer so they can make turns without having a "curb check ".

Greensburg to Garden City, KS Sat 7/4/2015

     Independence Day.  They really celebrate the 4th of July big here in Kansas.  I have never seen so many fireworks tents set up.  One tent had five 53' trailers behind it loaded with fireworks.
     I nailed that 103 miles today and it really felt good to do that, although I was really tired.

Looking back at the sunrise in the east as I'm heading west.

More cattle feeding pens

Huge grain elevator in Dodge city.

This is just one little section of this large feeding yard.

The only time I saw netting over a crop.  Must be protecting the crop from the birds.

The hanging flag pole greeted me in Garden City

Kingman to Greensburg, KS Fri 7/3/2015

     Got to bed early in Greensburg as I wanted to make it to Garden City by Saturday night, 103 miles away.

Started seeing some large cattle feeding operations along the way.  We're getting closer to Dodge City.

More grain elevators and silos.

Andover to Kingman, KS Thu 7/2/2015

     My route takes me across the southern tip of Wichita.  At one point US 400 West merges with an Interstate.  Now I'm on the Interstate where I'm not allowed because of a 45 mph minimum  speed limit.  I can''t quite pedal that fast.  A policeman comes up behind me with red lights flashing and explains all this to me.  All I said was "can you help me get out of this?"  And he did.  We were into an exit ramp and as he turned to return to his car he informed me that my trailor tire was flat.  When I got on a residential street I changed the tire.  Back on US 400 and I'm into farming country again.

Swallow nests under a bridge

Wheat field about ready for harvest

A big haystack.  They say these round bales can be stored for up to two years and not lose their nutrition.  They are compacted so tight that the rain does not penetrate.  Plus they usually put the wrap around them that you see here.

This is the kind of shoulder I like to ride on.  Nice and wide, clean and smooth.