60.32 miles, 4:16 hours, 14.13 average
We left Goddard zigzagging our way north around Wichita. We should have planned this entire trip cycling north across Kansas as that gives us a tailwind for a change! So we are grateful on those rare occasions when we head in that direction. We were far from Wichita's housing areas and strip malls, riding through farmland and pleasant homes on large acreages.
Into the town of Kechi (pronounced keeshee) for a quick break that turned into an hour-long experience. Bill happened along at the same time so we all went into the Karg Art Glass, a large gallery of primarily blown glass. Rollin Karg, a well known artist, and other young men were at work in the back so we watched them creating beautiful pieces. The gallery includes their work and that of artists all over the country. Everything was so incredibly beautiful, and very moderately priced. We wanted to take home some creations, but it was too overwhelming to think about making any decisions.
They were making glass pumkins for an Alzheimer's Benefit Sale next month.
Twenty more miles to El Dorado on a highway. Again it was hot and windy. Again Bill scouted out the road ahead and found more rumble strips, so we asked for an alternate route and got off onto a quieter country road. The smaller roads with farms and homes along the way often provide more trees to block the constant wind. We cruised into El Dorado early, around 12:30, and hit "Spangles", a diner decorated with Elvis and Marilyn photos, Dion and Chubby Checker record albums on the walls, red booths, and playing familiar oldies on the sound system. It was so wonderfully cool in there that after our lunch we stayed another half hour while Bill scouted out our place for the night. A campground near town advertising campsites proved only RV- friendly, tenting unfriendly, so he headed another 6 miles out of town, partially along our route the next day, to the El Dorado Lake State Park. A phone call to him gave us directions and we worked off our burgers, fries and shakes (yummm) riding out to the park. It was lovely, and we had it all to ourselves. We set up the tents, had time for a nap, shower and relaxing evening watching the geese, plovers and scissortails along the shore. Bill, our wonderful support, went back into town for groceries so we prepared a great meal of chicken breasts, couscous and an orange, onion, cilantro salad. And settled into our tents early for a good night's sleep.
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