Distance: 50.0 mi, Climbed: 879 ft
Completed: 2,006.9 mi, 101,024 ft
What seemed like what would be an ordinary day of riding and routine stops became a day filled with meaningful conversations and unexpected connections.
After yesterday’s flat-tire adventures, Rich and I decided it would be wise to stop at a bicycle shop in downtown Newton and restock some bike supplies, such as sealant and a new inner tube. Unfortunately, we were about eight years too late. The bike shop had closed long ago. All that remained was a bench outside with the store’s name.
Before heading out for the day’s ride, we stopped at Walgreens and stocked up on sunscreen, energy bars, and Gatorade. While there, we met Brady. He was picking up medicine for his daughter Rachel, who had been seriously injured in a car accident the night before. Noticing the epilepsy message on Rich’s and my jerseys, Brady asked about our ride. As often happens, one conversation quickly led to another.
Brady told us about his niece, who has absence seizures. He spoke proudly about her accomplishments, explaining that she had attended the Francis Tuttle Technology Center in Edmond, Oklahoma, where she received job training. Today, she works in the food industry doing food preparation.
Before we left, Brady asked if we would pray together. Standing in the Walgreens parking lot, the three of us clasped hands and prayed—for Rachel, for Brady’s niece, for Leora, and for all those in need of healing. It was an unexpected and meaningful way to start the day.
In Hesston, we met Andy at a Casey’s gas station. Andy was curious about our cross-country bicycle ride, but before long, Rich and I found ourselves just as interested in learning about him.
As we rode from Newton to Hesston, it was clear that this part of Kansas has a strong Mennonite presence. When looking for the bike shop this morning in Newton, we saw the headquarters of the Mennonite news magazine, Anabaptist World. During this stretch, we had also passed quite a few Mennonite churches.
Andy told us he grew up in southwestern Pennsylvania and came to Kansas to attend Hesston College, a liberal-arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition while welcoming students from all faiths. He played baseball there, met his Nebraska-born wife there, and ended up building a life in Kansas. As he put it, they now have two “Kansas kids.” Over the years, Andy has served in a variety of professional roles at the college, and earlier this year, he was promoted to Athletic Director.
Once Andy mentioned that he was Mennonite, I confessed that I was surprised to see him filling his car with gas while wearing shorts and a t-shirt. Andy graciously corrected my misunderstanding. He explained that while some Old Order Mennonite communities choose to travel by horse and buggy and wear traditional clothing, most Mennonites today view cars and technology as practical tools for work, daily life, and service to others. The important distinction is not the technology itself but how it is used. The same principle applies to clothing.
I appreciated the lesson and the opportunity to learn something new.
As much as I enjoy meeting people, the riding and what we see along the route also keeps me going on this trip. Today, we passed a big milestone as we crossed 2,000 miles of biking. Yay!!
As we continue to bike through rural Kansas, we are seeing acres and acres of corn fields,
beautiful prairie sunflowers, and massive irrigation sprinklers all across the farmland.
We also enjoy the historical markers along the way. Today at Military Park in Newton, we saw a steam locomotive that was built in 1907 at the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was used in freight service, running 1,022,667 miles in Missouri and Kansas until 1953.
One thing we are definitely reminded of by the sight of sirens out in the fields is that we are in Tornado Alley. When the National Weather Service issues a Tornado Warning or when a tornado has been spotted, the loud sirens will go off to alert people to take cover. Thankfully, we haven’t heard any warnings yet on this trip.
There’s nothing so startling as riding down a backroad and hearing gun shots ring out. We saw these guys taking target practice from the roof of a storage container.
Tonight, we are staying in Nickerson at Hedrick’s Bed & Breakfast Inn, located on the Hedrick Exotic Animal Farm.
How amazing for us to see a baby camel which had been born just three hours before we had arrived,
before we rode our bicycles into town for dinner.
What a surprising place to find in the middle of Kansas. Exotic animals, wide-open prairie, and a bed-and-breakfast all sharing the same property—it was certainly unlike any place Rich and I have stayed on this trip.
Just another reminder that every day on this journey seems to bring encounters and experiences we never could have anticipated.
Here’s to the next 2000🚵🏾♂️
Woo hoo!! The next 2000!!! Thank you, Uncle Bobby!!