Day 57: Dighton, KS to Scott City, KS

Distance: 23.3 mi, Climbed: 272 ft
Completed: 2,181.6 mi, 103,769 ft

When Rich and I woke up early this morning, the weather radar was lit up with warnings and watches. The radar showed our entire route was blanketed in thunderstorms. It was pouring outside. There was a tornado watch fifteen miles to our south. The ride would have to wait.

We finally got on the road a little after 9:00 AM. With another round of storms forecast for the afternoon, we decided to keep today’s ride short and rode just twenty-three miles.

The effects of the storms were impossible to miss. The hotel parking lot was flooded, and standing water covered some side roads and low-lying areas.

Many of the fields looked more like shallow ponds than farmland.

What impressed me was how prepared Kansas seems to be for this kind of weather. Culverts and drainage ditches lined the roads, carrying huge amounts of water away from fields and roadways. As we rode, Rich and I could actually watch water rushing through the drainage system. It was clear that handling heavy rains is simply part of life here on the prairie.

As we headed toward Scott City, the skies gradually brightened. Farmers were already back at work, taking advantage of every available break in the weather. Grain elevators rose above the flat landscape, visible from miles away and serving as landmarks as we made our way west.

One of the things we’ve learned on this trip is how quickly conditions can change. A morning that began with thunderstorm and tornado warnings turned into a pleasant ride across the Kansas prairie. By the time we reached Scott City, it was hard to believe how threatening the weather had seemed just a few hours earlier.