Cross Timbers SP to Chanute, KS, first rainy day

We are up and off fairly early in the morning, but we only have about 45 miles to go. We are headed to Chanute, KS where there is both camping and hotel options. We look at the sky and see a wall of grey to the north. It is so dark it is almost black. To the south there is some light sky and that is the direction we are headed in. We have already decided, NO CAMPING! Bill is asked to go straight to a hotel, we know we will get wet today, and we are right. We start out with a tail wind, what a concept! We are riding fast and try to get as far ahead of the rain as we can but of course eventually it does catch us. We put on rain gear and head on down the road. Might as well get used to it as we know we will have more. We are lucky however and it really doesn't come down hard for very long. It becomes a drizzle for a while and then quites. The worst problem is the short time we are on a highway and the trucks going the opposite way at 65 mph bring a spray of misty wind right into our faces and throw our bikes around. For the most part we are now on country roads with little traffic and that is very nice as there are rolling hills that let us actually get into our big chain ring! The one photo along the way is foggy. Too much wetness!

Bill has booked us into a suite at the Tioga Hotel, above, in the old part of downtown Chanute. It is a beautiful building which they are currently working on some restoration.
The entire town shows of a prosperous time with many large old store fronts and an extremely large depot, above left. It is obvious they are trying desperately to re-vitalize the down town and we wish them luck and it is a really special area and we are delighted to see it.

The town is named after Octave Chanute who was involved in the railroad business but was also wrote a book in 1885 on heavier that air flight. This book was used by the Wright brothers to fashion their airplane which flew at Kittyhawk. The other town celebrity is Osa Johnson who married Martin and together they travelled all around Africa, Borneo and the South Seas taking photographs between 1917 to 1936. They were one of the first to use adverising of brands in their photos (like drinking Maxwell House on the Serengeti) to make money for their travels. We need to learn how to do that!