Liberal to Dodge City

I got up this morning and saw a disconcerting headline in the local newspaper in Liberal. It read "Highway 54, Highway of Death." I read only the opening paragraphs that recounted over 200 deaths and thousands of accidents. I am not sure of the period for these statistics. The article does highlight a risk in cycling on these roads. The truck traffic is immense, mostly agricultural related. The speed limit is 55 mph and up and Highway 54. Trucks generally give us a wide berth, but the backdraft can move us 6 or more inches at times.

My plan for the day was to test my fitness and ride hard for 83 miles. I went to the front with Fred right from the start. Chris caught up with us at about 28 miles and rode with us for a short distance. After we reached the bottom of a hill. Chris rocketed up the next uphill and was long gone by the time Fred and I reached the top. Chris made it look so easy. He has the leanest body on tour and the lightest bike. He rides the biggest gear much of the day, something I cannot do unless I am going downhill.

We stopped for a SAG at the Dalton Brothers hideout. The brothers were bank robbers and somewhat romanticized in movies. They had a tunnel under their sister's house and were able to escape the law through the tunnel. The tunnel was discovered after their capture. I left the SAG with Fred, Jim, Peter, and Al. We rode together for most of the remaining distance. We arrived at the hotel in close proximity after negotiating a rough road through construction for the final half mile.