6-12-06
Start: Kinsley, KS
Destination: 8.7 mi. E. of Dodge City
Miles: 26.2 (a marathon!)
Weather: Warm - mid 80's
So tiger balm is a soothing, smelly, penetrating sport rub, and the alien baby is the knot in my back that doesn't want to leave. So when we tiger balm the alien baby, that's what we're referring to. And it helps! Maybe the Kansas hot is eating away at our senses making us craaaazy...
We were on the road a little after 5 am - yeah! We stopped at a convenience store for coffee and a donut and a restroom break, then kept'er moving. We walked Hwy 56 today instead of the back roads because we wanted to see the windmills they are putting up in Spearville, and also because the cattle truck drivers are getting to know us from their daily runs. They all wail on their horns - it's a lot of fun.
What do we know about the windmills? They aren't up yet, just laying in a field in pieces - HUGE pieces. They are 30 stories tall, and the pieces are hauled here from Texas on huge semis. In fact, they have a driver that follows close behind with a joystick controlling the rear axle for turns - isn't that crazy?! The blades are flexible, too. Neato. I wish I could stay to watch them go up.
We took our break in the trucker's lounge in Spearville, and took a 2-hour nap. We did our laundry there, too. How cool. I like truck stops. They even had showers, but we just had one yesterday and things aren't living in our armpits yet - we have a bit more time. We'll be in Dodge City tomorrow - HALF-WAY!!!
We found out how to get Milkshake and Gumdrop off their keesters in .001 seconds flat - have a HUGE spider the size of a 50-cent piece come FLYING out of some dead grass RIGHT at us! We stood there jumping and jiggling our hands screaming at each other, "Wher'de go? Is 'e on me? Look - is 'e on my leg? Is 'e on mine? Oohoohoooh, what's that? Just a piece 'a grass. Look under your pack - no you look!" We were dancing away. And we still don't know where he went. He's probably found a cozy spot next to my salt-water taffy, munching away on my half-melted chocolate pieces.
It might storm tonight, but let's hope not. We might just blow away! And we are probably camped in the strangest place so far on this trip. We are on the edge of the wheat field, about 50 feet from a RR track and about 200 feet from the highway in the wide open. No trees in these parts, so no such thing as stealth camping! And if a train comes by, it might rumble us into the middle of the field. It's all part of the adventure! :)
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