mosquitoes had quite a feast too on my 'easy access' shaved legs. I didn't get a single tomato that night either--770 miles for nothing.I'd planned on driving from Indiana to Denver the next day, but as the sun began to sink and my legs were still stiff from sitting in a car all day, I stopped early to squeeze in a 21 kilometer 'loosening' bicycle ride around Oakley, Kansas. Once again, trying to be friendly, I told the lady at the motel check-in counter about my trip and how I stopped early to get a ride in. She talked and talked as the sun sank lower and lower on the horizon as I worked my way, slowly to the door. Did I speak English? Was anyone listening? I thought we both understood which sun I was speaking of.
Oakley was what the characters of 'Deliverance' would call a big city. Most of the businesses were named 'Oakley' something, and a few shirtless teenagers yelled at me, something to the effect of,"What the hell is that?" "Hey you!" while standing next to their pick-ups (minus gun rack--must have washed them that day). I was riding my $2500 red/white/blue U.S. Postal Service Trek 5500 carbon-fiber bicycle (same bicycle that won the 1999/2000 Tours de France) along with my bright Mickey Mouse jersey, yellow helmet and flashing light attached to my jersey, doing 22-30miles an hour. I attracted a little attention, needless to say. It's a good thing I'm fast.The edge of town was a line of trees. I'm lucky I wasn't caught, but there were many UFO reports that night. A tornado rolled in about 50 miles away but I didn't see anything.
