Bike Across Kansas Intercept - Kansas Cyclist Podcast June 11, 2010

Randy Rasa, my partner in the Kansas Cyclist Podcast, and I joined the Biking Across Kansas (BAK) group on Friday, June 11, 2010 in Baldwin City and rode with them to Eudora on their next to the last day on their journey across Kansas.  It was a very hot, humid, and windy day with temperatures in the low 90's and there was a


Randy left from his home in Olathe and I drove to Eudora and then biked backwards on the route to Baldwin City.  We met up at the Hickory Creek BBQ Restaurant with Robert, Tim, Mark, and Dave and did a quick interview with them on their experiences over the 6 1/2 days so far starting at the Colorado state border.

The route for BAK changes each year and this year was a northern one.  Contrary to what most believe outside of Kansas, the state is not completely flat and in fact from the Flint Hills east it can be quite hilly.  Many of the routes that I map out for the Quivira Park Bike Group have several hills and, in fact, I am known for finding the steepest ones and incorporating them.

Shown in the picture to the left is Mark Rainey who we interviewed in Episode 4 about the Tour de Cure race in 2009.  This was Mark's 1st BAK.  Everyone felt the organization of the BAK has been great and many of the towns did a wonderful job in welcoming the 800 riders along the way.  Pies are a tradition of BAK and are available at all the stopovers.

We took a picture of the group before leaving for Eudora in downtown Baldwin City.  Pictured left to right are Robert, Tim, Randy, Mark, Dave, and Ed.

Right outside of Baldwin City going north is a nice hill, which I climbed going south, and now got to take a fun ride down it.  The BAK photographer was on the hill about half way down and took a number of pictures and Randy and I ended up getting pictured on the BAK website.  The two photographs taken of Randy and I are below.  I am the fourth rider in the back in the second photograph.

Randy brought his camping things and stayed overnight in Eudora with the group then rode back to his home the next morning.  I drove back to Overland Park and it was a welcome relief to have air conditioning and a hot shower.

I would be interested in doing BAK but I think I would have to have a camper van following as I am not sure I would enjoy sleeping in a tent especially if it started raining and I was tired and hot.  I am sure everyone gets used to it, however.  Maybe some day!

A map of my ride can be downloaded from my Garmin.