Stage 21: Wichita, Kansas -> Fedonia, Kansas (88 miles)
Sleeping in feels so good. I make my way up the steps and arrive to the lovely site of breakfast. French toast and eggs dot the landscape and we settle on the couch to conclude the remainder of Transformers II. None of us really want to leave but we realize the road awaits us. A persistent drizzle makes the weather appear like it might be our adversary for the day, time will tell. Before departing Wichita, we ride over to the local bike shop and Kyle purchases a new chain. This gives Jeff and I a chance to tune up our bikes and relax a bit more. Yesterday’s 10 hr “Easter Death March” has left us all physically and mentally wasted. As we leave the bike shop the rain picks up in intensity. Before long we are making our way through puddles of water which cover the road like small lakes. We are soaked, tired and there is no reprieve in sight; we cannot get out of Wichita soon enough. Hours trudge by and eventually we arrive at a rest stop about 40 miles into the ride. The rain has stopped but we are still wet so we proceed to dry out our jerseys and shorts with the bathroom hand dryers. No doubt a funny situation would arise if an unsuspecting gentleman were to enter and catch us air drying our chamois with the warm stream of air from these little machines. After a nice break we mount up on the bikes again and descend a nice downhill for several miles. I didn’t know Kansas had hills; apparently we are getting closer to the Ozarks. As we weave our way through more and more trees we are so grateful to be departing the windblown plains of Kansas (our most difficult state yet). That evening we arrive in the little country town of Fredonia. Two options for food: a Mexican Restaurant or The Ranch House. We head downtown for some country cooking and are delighted to find a dinner special loaded with chicken, potatoes, Texas toast and a salad bar. The meal is delicious and we vow to return in the morning for breakfast. Rain has started up again since we started eating so we opt for lodging at the $40 Cox Motel. Often you get what you pay for in life and this room was no exception. We had just enough space for us and the bikes (literally) but it was dry and had wifi.
Stage 22: Fredonia, Kansas -> Diamond, Missouri (115 miles)
“You’re gonna need a wheel barrel to bring in that plate of pancakes” the cowboy said jokingly. Truth was he wasn’t far off. When the waitress presented the hubcap size plate with 3 steaming hot cakes on top I knew I was in trouble. Then she outdid herself by bringing an accompanying bowl full of fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Even to think of it now makes me hungry all over again. The challenge had been laid and all the farmers were eager to see if I was up to the task. Pacing myself they made a few more playful jokes and I did my best to impress. About halfway through the stack of pancakes I decided it would be wiser to save the rest for lunch then to try and prove myself to all the Fredonia locals. Belly bursting at the seams and still a meal left over; we waddled out the door and saddled up on the bikes for another day of freedom in the saddle. The roads were pleasant and we made good time through the Flint Hills and eventually crossed into Missouri. I called up my mountain biking friend, Gary Lowden, and let him know we were getting close. Gary met us on a busy street and showed us the short cut to his home along some flooded back country roads. We were so grateful when we finally arrived and were greeted with incredible hospitality from the whole family. This was undoubtedly one of our favorite nights of the entire “Bisiklet for Haiti” odyssey. We ate pizza, had cold brews and relished some of Carrie’s homemade blueberry muffins and goat cheese salad. Kyle & Jeff got some major exposure to our beloved sport of mtn biking as well. The Lowdens revealed to us their “Bike Lair” downstairs and we all gawked at the crazy riders in the ROAM video performing their art amid two wheels. Some of scenes from Moab & Sun Valley were familiar and my heart began to yearn for the trail once more. Splendid fellowship and kinder people we could not have found. Sincere thanks to Gary, Carrie, Spencer & Zach Lowden.
Stage 23: Diamond, Missouri -> Eureka Springs, Arkansas (82 miles)
Another one of those mornings when we just didn’t want to leave. Carrie and I sat in the kitchen discussing life and it was apparent that she had become a friend herself and would no longer be thought of as Gary’s wife. Speaking of Gary, today was his birthday and I was so glad his business trip got cancelled so we could all hang out last night. We’ve gotten to be good friends over the past few years by both competing in the same epic races such as Syllamo’s Revenge, Ouachita Challenge, etc… I’ve seen his kids grow up over the years as well; so being able to spend time in their home was truly a great honor. By the time we finally departed it was almost noon and we were hoping to catch a pocket of nice weather nestled in between thunderstorms to our East and our West. Recent flooding had set record levels and we were not even sure if our route to Eureka Springs would be passable. Down the road we rolled and opted for the scenic route through the Mark Twain National Forest. As we entered the Ozark Mountains the roads became twisty and our spirits soared. At some points it was like we were on a roller coaster that would never end. “Welcome to the Natural State” I shouted with glee as we crossed over the Arkansas line. Felt so good to be home again; the more I travel the more I learn to appreciate the US and Arkansas in general. Trees lined up on both sides of the street and the hills become more and more prominent. Soon enough we were rolling into the outskirts of the Bohemian village of Eureka Springs. This has been one of my favorite Arkansas towns for many years and is truly a hidden gem of the South. When we set the route for the cross country tour this artsy little community was a must stop. My friend, Corey West, volunteered to put us up in his home for the night and we just had one last steep climb before we arrived. Jeff was pulling the BOB trailer full of gear and had every reason to get off and walk. Instead of being sensible we yelled words of encouragement, “Stand up and climb!” He cleaned the hill in miraculous fashion and the exertion was evident on his face. A few minutes later we were greeted by Corey, his dad and another friend Dave Renko (Eureka Springs Fat Tire Festival Guru). We exchanged stories in the garage and then headed over for some mouth watering Southern Style B-B-Q. Jeff & I had been craving this for a while and the time to dig in had finally come. Kyle enjoyed the meal thoroughly as well and we were all living it up. That evening we returned to Corey’s house and watched some his insane Speed Vision motorcycle racing highlight reels on YouTube. Dave, Corey & I put our heads together and created the ultimate Ozark Mountain Road Ride. The only question was could it be done. I asked the guys, “On the difficulty scale do you want tomorrow to be a 7 or a 10?” Both were content to leave this decision to my discretion. We opted for the 10, tomorrow we embark on what might just be the greatest stage of the tour yet.
Stage 24: Eureka Springs -> Moccasin Gap, Arkansas (106 miles)
Eureka’s warm and gracious hospitality have been the perfect introduction to Arkansas and I’m proud that we have traveled this path. We start the morning off in fine fashion with a gourmet country breakfast at Myrtie Mae’s. Then Corey takes us over to his dad’s bicycle shop, Adventure Mountain Outfitters (www.adventuremountainoutfitters.com) and we pick up Jeff’s bike which just received a little tune-up TLC. My parents and David & Rain Blaisus rendezvous with us at the shop and we greet each other affectionately. We are almost a month into the tour and I’ve been able to ride with my Dad in Colorado & Kansas but this is the first time I’ve seen my Mom. She and I were always so close growing up; it is truly an honor to get to share something as memorable as this fundraising ride across the country with her as well. Dad & David ride with us throughout the morning and the ladies sag with the vehicles. Every 15 miles we stop for the well deserved cookie break and soak in the adventure at hand. Having David join us and getting my Dad back in the saddle definitely lifted our spirits and inspired us greatly throughout the day. Plus the scenic beauty through the Ozark MTNs turns out to be everything we could have ever hoped for and more. Along the way we traversed multiple mountain passes and a road full of twist and turns which seemed to be made for cyclists. We also experienced our steepest climb and steepest downhill of the entire journey (Colorado included). Climbing the pass from Poncha to Jasper allows us to feel like veterans of the Tour de France; it was like Lance, Contador & Schleck jockeying for position and passing each other around every turn. We all pushed hard and tested each other’s resolve; our strength has grown tremendously over the past month and the mountain proved a playground of sorts. This ride through the Buffalo River Valley was unforgettable and proved to be on our “Bisiklet for Haiti” Top 3 Stage List. That afternoon we would make the last long ascent out of Jasper heading South on Hwy 7. At the pinnacle of the mountain we pulled our bikes over and shared pizza and laughs as we sat in lawn chairs and peered over the beautiful valley below. Our legs began to catch up with us at the 80 mile mark but we still had much pedaling to do before calling it a day. Finally we reached Mack’s Pines Cabins in Mocassin Gap (a favorite of my Mom when she goes horseback riding in the area) and got ourselves a hot shower. Afterwards we loaded up in the van and headed to the nearest town to find food. I must admit, riding 60 mph in the vehicle felt unsettling after 3 ½ weeks aboard our bicycles. Once in the town neighboring town of Dover we discovered the Buccaneer Restaurant and indulged in Buccaneer Burgers, fries, shakes and ice cream. If you ever find yourself in this neck of the woods I recommend stopping by for a bite to eat. My parents had woken up about 5am that morning and my Dad was in no condition to drive home so I took Kyle & Jeff back to the cabin then drove my parents home as well. Mom & I got a chance to talk and catch up on the way which was really nice. It seems that whenever I come back to the States I’m always so overbooked that we often don’t get an opportunity to hang out as much as I would like. I’m sure Kyle feels the same way about seeing his family when he goes home. Both of us have been living in Haiti for the past year and the experience has covered both ends of the spectrum, from the highest highs to the lowest lows. Something about being around family and close friends again seem to help everything make sense again.
Stage 25: Moccasin Gap -> North Little Rock, Arkansas (97 miles)
Mom and I wake up early at the farm and head back to Mocassin Gap to meet up with the rest of the “Bisiklet Boys”. They are finishing up their breakfast and coffee when we arrive. Soon we are on the road again and are trying to make it to Conway by 2pm. The local college (University of Central Arkansas) is having a little welcome party for us downtown and helping to raise donations as well. Because of our relatively early start I feel fairly confident that we should be able to make it on time. What I never expected is that we would arrive over an hour ahead of schedule. Then again I did not anticipate that Christophe Block & Erik Leamon would meet us in Dover and pull us all the way to Conway at 20+ mph in their draft streams. The last 30 mile stretch was at a peloton pace and I was never so happy to reach Conway in all my life. Maybe the most impressive part of the whole ride was watching Christophe explode with power atop his steel singlespeed; I was not even aware that a SS road bike could go so fast. Once we arrived in Conway it was all cheers and we were greeted by my awesome sister (Jennifer), my parents, Deanna, Tori, Jay Sterling, Curtis Racher, Doug Voss and many Business students from UCA. Icing on the cake came in the form of pizza from Zaza’s which was out of control delicious. After relaxing in the grass at Walgreen’s in Conway we mounted up again for the day’s final push to North Little Rock. Before we departed I decided to swap out my tires and put something a litter faster on my bike (I had been struggling at times to keep up with this studly crew of bikers when we went blasting away at high speeds). My bike on the other hand was having none of it and we proceeded to flatten 3-4 tubes before Erik’s magic bike shop touch finally got me straightened out again. If you are in Conway, Arkansas definitely stop by his shop The Ride (www.therideonline.com) and tell him we sent you. Throughout the whole 3,100 mile cross country epic I only had 1 flat, no other mechanicals, but I spent an hour in that Walgreen’s parking lot trying to get my original tires to mount up again before Eric came along and saved the day (thanks Brother). I guess that was my bad bike mojo for trying to change out tires that been virtually perfect for over 2,000 miles. After the tire fiasco finally concluded we rolled out of Conway with two new riders: my cousin Jay Sterling and fellow Bell & CO MTN Biking (www.bellandco-mountainbiking.org) teammate Curtis Racher. This was Jay’s first group ride on a road bike so we taught him all kinds of cool skills like drafting, etc… He learned quickly and we rode as a pack all the way to North Little Rock. After Jay turned off we headed to Jenn’s (my sister) house to drop off the bikes then loaded in her car and headed directly to Moe’s Burritos for another knockout meal. My favorite is the Art Vandalay loaded with tofu, mango, veggies and cilantro with black beans and rice but it’s really hard to go wrong with a two pound burrito. After his 140 mile record setting singlespeed ride, Christophe even bought burritos for us (what a friend). To cap off the day’s activities, that evening we attended the Arkansas Travelers minor league baseball game. The Travs gave us free tickets and we originally planned to set up a fundraiser booth, but by the time we got there we just wanted to yell at the umpire, heckle the opposing team and be like normal people watching a game without having to explain ourselves and answer so many questions. It was a much needed break from living in Haiti and becoming a mini-celebrity (and I do emphasize the word mini) when you return home. On the way back to the car some drunken guy called Jeff a “Yankee Biscuit” which really made me laugh; I still don’t really know what that means but the nickname stuck.