Three And A Half Corner Trip - 2003: Day 48 Date:
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When I got up this morning, I was going to apologize for the fact that I've been defaming Kansas over the years. I've traveled through the state several times in the past and I didn't have very good memories of the place. I remember it being very flat with not much to recommend it. Well, I was wrong about Kansas being just a flat state; the eastern half of the state actually has rolling hills and trees and is a lot like western Missouri. Not a bad place to look at, really (photos 1, 2, & 3). But what it makes up in additional scenery, it losses in wind blown aggravation. Therefore, as much as I regret it, I must stand by my original assessment of the state, it's my least favorite state to travel through.

There are things I did like about riding through the state, of course, like riding on the I-70. For whatever reason, riding the interstate in Kansas was a bit different. First, there was little truck traffic. Second, for some reason the trucks we did encounter all seemed to be driving at about seventy-five mph. I assume that must be the speed they can safely travel without being ticketed. That meant that if I traveled at the same speed, I seldom passed one and was passed by them even less. That also meant that the biggest aggravation about riding freeways was almost eliminated. Yeah, I did like that part about riding in Kansas. When you think about truck traffic, what is it that riders don't like? Well, they create buffeting winds. They bounce you around when they pass you and they bounce you around when you're right behind them. Trucks disturb the smooth flow of the wind you ride in. No trucks, or few trucks and your riding is smoother. Not so in Kansas where they seem to import the wind from neighboring states.

In addition, there are lots of things to see in Kansas, if you have the time. There is a historical and natural history museum. There is the Eisenhower Presidential library. There is the prairie dog museum, and a place where you can pet a pig, and the home of Bob Dole, and lots of other stuff. No, I think Kansas has lots to recommend it if you don't get out of your car or your not riding a motorcycle.

When we reached Hays, KS the terrain started to change, ever so slightly. It started getting flatter and the wind started to blow slowly and sporadically, kind of a preview of coming attractions. Then, as though laughing at my newfound attraction to the state, the Kansas wind hit us full force, with sustained gusts that caused me to list between five and seven degrees to port. Have I mentioned that I hate wind? To add insult to injury, the temperature had climbed into the mid-nineties, which made the already intolerable wind feel like a blast furnace at a steel mill. At this point I asked to exchange these prairie winds for more truck traffic. I was desperate.

As we preceded quickly westward the lands continued to become increasing flatter and flatter until I felt like I was riding across a dull yellow glass tabletop (photos 4 & 5). This unchanging landscape alternated between yellow and green with towering grain elevators greeting us as we came into each town or community (photo 6, 7, & 8). Some call these grain elevators Prairie High-rises or Prairie Skyscrapers, and in fact Minneapolis has converted one into a luxury hotel. Go figure. They did provide some variety to the flatness but they provided no protection from the wind.

We pulled into a rest stop outside of Colby for a break from the wind and gained an hour in the process as we entered the Mountain Time Zone. After discussing our options and the constant strain of riding in the wind, we decided to try and make Burlington, Colorado for the night.

At about 3:00 p.m. we checked into a Super Eight Motel and felt relieved to be out of the wind and into a cool room. By the way, if I should ever say anything nice about Kansas again, please let a fart so it will remind me that the wind in Kansas stinks.