Squishy socks and a football game?

Location: Topeka, KS

So I'm going to update you real quick on the past couple days...

Yesterday from Wichita to Emporia, we got rained on. Like, a lot. I was soaked through and was able to ring probably a gallon of water out of my socks the next time we stopped. Thankfully it was really warm, so wasn't too uncomfortable besides the whole "wet" thing. I also got my first flat since last August. Correction, I got TWO flats yesterday. Ugh.

But despite the rain and the inconvenience of changing out a couple tubes on the side of the road, the ride was very nice, and actually it seemed pretty easy for the "longest day of the trip." (In actuality it was about 105 miles instead of the scheduled 115.)

AND it was even better because we had a scrumptious lunch in the middle of the ride at a hotel whose name I have forgotten, and then potlatch dinner by members of the local Kiwanis club -- complete with massages for all the cyclists. Aww yeah.

BUT WAIT, there's more. The whole team had been anxiously awaiting the release of the new Batman movie, The Dark Knight, so we piled in the vans and saw the 8:00 show. It was basically amazing, and the late Heath is spectacular as the Joker.

We slept fitfully, constantly interrupted by passing trains on the nearby tracks, then woke up at 5:00 this morning for the capitol, Topeka. We took some more back-country roads with rolling hills and less shoulder, but it was a lot more interesting and a really nice, fun ride. No rain this time, either.

We had lunch and dinner here at the TARC, and afterwards got to make the opening coin toss at the Kansas Koyotes arena football game. We got to watch the game, which was cool, but I guess I'm old fashioned: I like real football better. (The rugby club played at halftime and that was way more interesting.)

That's about all I have for ya right now. We're in Olathe tomorrow, then a day off there, then we head into Misery, I mean, Missouri. As much as I'll be relieved to be out of Kansas, I'm not sure Missouri's going to be much better...haha.