I know why it's abbreviated KS...

Location: Wichita, KS

So, our first couple days in Kansas were flat, featurless, hot, windy, and smelly (thank you beef industry and roadkill). I thought at first, "Kansas Sucks."

However, I'm highlighting the bad and there's plenty of good. For one thing, everyone I've met in this state is absurdly nice. I'm serious. Even the honks from passing cars are more pleasant. And the highways we've been on have had enormous shoulders -- room to roam! Keep in mind that this stretch (until today) has been our longest stretch without a day off, so some smooth, easily navigable roads are very pleasant on the ol' backside...

Also, the ride from Pratt to Wichita was actually very pretty. Lush and green. With trees, even!! One of our crew members, who is from here, rode the whole day...he's going to be hurting tomorrow, I think. Haha.

And we had an awesome friendship visit at a camp for kids with cerebral palsy. They were absolutely adorable and had a blast with them in their pool. After experiencing an 80-mile day turn into 95, all I had on my mind was napping...but when we got to the CP Ranch, the kids just had so much energy and were so excited to see us, it was easy to forget about how tired I was or how much I just wanted to curl up into a corner and snooze.

Even better: we get to come back to a really nice hotel and we have our OWN BEDS! Nice. And we have a day off tomorrow -- at least from the bikes. We have a lot planned and I think I'm going to hit the hay.