Wheat, Rain, Wind, and Hospitality (Days 32-34)

>2160 miles.
Over halfway through my journey as I continue through Kansas.
Apparently some of the storms from the south have been blowing up this way, so the weather has been rather erratic, and the headwinds have been fairly constant, but at least the sun and humidity are not being unkind.

Day 32:
Rode 70 miles to a cyclist only bed and breakfast, where I met with a Westbound cyclist named Cooper (and met up with Jeff and Cynthia again on the way. These two are the best to ride with, we just constantly keep running into each other). Elaine, the owner of the B&B made us a huge delicious home-made dinner. After dinner, Dan (Elaine's husband) drove us all out to the country to their friend's where we got to watch a small belated 4th of July fireworks display (I have been on a bike for several weeks now, so driving 65 mph in a car honestly felt like we were doing 120 mph, it tripped me out). For the first time in my life I got to see, and even catch a firefly (out of Elaine's hair, haha). On the way home, we stopped at a graveyard and Elaine showed us a gravestone with a false back, that was used during prohibition to smuggle moonshine. Cooper and I even unscrewed it. Went back home and slept on a bed on Elaine's porch, after having ice cream and pie. Yes!
Day 33:
Woke up and Elaine made Cooper and I breakfast, then we all said goodbye. Rode a few miles, then the rain just started falling like a waterfall, and soon I was completely soaked (before the rain I met Jed, who I wrote about in the previous entry). I made it to the next town and met up with Jeff and Cynthia again at a gas station. They went on and I warmed up in a cafe. The rained lightened to a small drizzle for almost the rest of the day, and I rode 95 miles through a light headwind to Sterling, Kansas. In all of Kansas you can camp in parks for free, if you notify the police department, so I camped in the park and met another Westbound cyclist, Gill.
Day 34:
Woke up late, got breakfast, went to the library and got on the road around noon. Hit a detour in my way to Newton, Kansas, and had to ride an extra 12 miles out of the way. I've been talking to other cyclists on the way, and it's funny because they all have the same mentality I do regarding off-route miles. We are willing to ride over 3500 miles across the country, but any instance that takes us even a mile off-route, is just dreadful. Those 12 extra miles made the rest of the day seem to just drag. I made it to Newton around 6:30 and of course met up with Jeff and Cynthia again, haha. In Newton I was picked up by Jerry, my Dad's childhood friend who now lives in Wichita, Kansas. I have never met Jerry, but he still drove 30 miles to pick me up and take me to his home, and I could not be more thankful for his wonderful generosity. I have been relaxing for a couple hours, and plan to take a rest day tomorrow. Thanks again for picking me up Jerry. As I said in the car, this is such a nice treat for me, and really helps to break up the monotony that can sometimes build up from riding everyday.

There are fireflies, cicada (noisiest bugs I've ever heard), chiggers, frogs, toads, turtles, armadillos, possums, humidity, erratic weather, and wheat like you wouldn't believe. It feels more peaceful, people are generally nicer and give you more time, the landscape is different, and even the sky looks different. Elaine, in her 8 years of running the B&B, had never seen gauged ears before, and thought they were some bicycle accessory (which I thought was sort of adorable). For the first time I feel like I have truly left the West.