Night 5; 8:00pm to 4:00am

? to Riley Kansas

Again we lit out just a little early around 7:30 with some day light to be had and Team 2 running just behind us. Jon was going to take out the first 40 miles. Because of Greg’s illness we had decided that we all needed to do 40 miles each that night. I worked out fine with Jon taking on a half hour of driving Midwestern rain and Allan and I each having some hills to climb during our section of the ride.  Jon kept his usual manic pace even through the cloud burst, before Allan took out the second leg. When I took over the temperature had dropped to about 54 degrees but there was no rain or wind so I just bent over the handlebars and pedaled into the night. The earlier clouds had dispersed leaving an almost cloudless night with a good moon to light the landscape as I rode along. The Fireflies were out in force along with the cicada’s with their noisy mating calls. I also shared the road with Box Turtles, Foxes, Raccoons and a few Hedgehogs along the way.

The climbing was not steep but was continuous and on going as I made my way towards Riley. The last miles to Riley from Clay Center had some slow arduous climbs that again weren’t steep but by that time of the early morning did present a challenge to my tired legs.  Finally at just about 4:00am I found myself at the appointed intersection in Riley, and chose a well lit empty parking lot of a closed convenience store as our Hand-off spot. Team 1 was having trouble finding the right corner and by the time they arrived, I had pulled on my fleece and was warmly wrapped in the back of the minivan sleeping like a baby. 

I am not sure how far we drove that morning before I was awakened in the parking lot of a motel somewhere and I just “zombied” my way through the next 7 hours.  I have no memory of eating, the motel or anything else from that morning. I guess I was tired –Duh?