Cycling Tips & Stories

We were on the road by 8:50. The weather was cloudy and mild with wind out of the south, cool enough for a jacket. The shoulder is wide and paved at this point, so we could ride together and catch up on everything. We stopped after a couple of hours at a gas station for doughnuts and coffee. The temperature was warming and we removed layers accordingly. We turned north on Hwy 291 after 29 miles and had an immediate speed increase with the wind at our backs. However, the road was rough and very congested with traffic and construction, and Bill picked up a nail and flat tire just before the Missouri River bridge. We repaired the flat and were back on the road, but again into a headwind after we turned SW onto Hwy 210, which continued all the way into North Kansas City.

We stopped for lunch at Wendy's and then turned onto Hwy 9 west toward Parkville, still fighting the wind. At Parkville we stopped for pictures at the river and a brief rest before heading north on Hwy 9, where we again picked up a welcome tailwind. We turned west on Hwy 45 into rolling hills, traffic, and wind again. An alternate route along the river through Waldron would have been better.

After several miles the road turned north and flattened out - bliss again. We stopped at Farley, where a young boy and his sister, who were very impressed with the "cross country bike riders", greeted us. They directed us to one of the few available faucets in town, outside the Post Office, where we refilled our water bottles.