Day 36 Jun 22: Eads CO to Fowler CO

 

Pulled out of the fairgrounds at Eads early. That was a bit of a rough camping. The facilities are very dated and wonky and we were pretty much squatters on concrete near the concessions with the biting flies and odors of livestock manure. None of us got very good sleep because the wind made it sound like people or critters were out, and our tents were flapping around with the strong wind.

As for the ride I’ll briefly report that it was pretty flat, wicked windy and 79 miles for the day. Towards the middle I was starting to grumble that it felt like a slog and a time trial. I think the wind, the long straight stretches of road, the Plains, drafting off Bill and watching his back tire for hours; it was just getting to me. Don’t get me wrong, the Plains are beautiful with it’s infinite horizons of grass, big sky and Americana towns and architecture. I was just ready for a change.

We all took a peanut butter break a few miles in at Haswell CO population 71. You have never seen a sadder, more decrepit town. And yet!… they have claims to fame. They are purported to have the smallest jail in the United States. In 2013, Intel named their newest processor Haswell after the town. I can’t imagine why. 

We had a proper lunch break at Feeling Saucy cafe in Ordway. They are a pizza/pasta joint but for some reason we craved hamburgers. Met four other east to west TransAmers and swapped stories. Apparently they spent some time with our former fellow traveler Tom. It was nice to hear he is progressing on his journey. We had planned to end our day in Ordway, but decided to push a little further on to Fowler. 

Fowler is on the old Santa Fe rail line and also on the Arkansas River. It had a very cute depot and a cute old timey Main Street. We stayed at a renovated motel lodge, the Fowler Inn which proved to be clean and comfortable. It is such a crack up how we pile four people and four bikes into a tiny room.