Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame: The Trip Down

 Escape Route: HWY 63 South

 So, Wednesday morning this whole trip got underway at 6:00am. My only parameters were that I was to meet Trenton Raygor (Filthy 50 RD, Trans Iowa vet) at 3:00pm and hopefully check into my lodgings before that. The ceremonies kicked off at 6;00pm in the Grenada Theater in downtown Emporia. 

So, I had a plan to avoid driving through KC-MO. Nothing against you folks but your traffic sucks and I hate traffic. So, I figured out a nice route heading off I-35 at Cameron, Missouri on US 36, then to Atchison, Kansas, then on down to Topeka, and finally to Emporia. I should have had plenty of time to get there. The mileage was a bit over 400, so no big deal, right? At least, that's what I was thinking....

Gravel roads? This ain't no Trans Iowa recon, Son!

Yeah, except that the State of Iowa DOT did not place the proper signage to alert us motorists that HWY 63 was closed to traffic at Traer. I went through town, and about a quarter mile out from the closure I see "Road Closed Ahead". No detour signs. Nothing....

Okay..... "Gravel Roads! I know all the gravel roads around here, I'll just bypass all this.", I thought to myself.  So, I turned around and hightailed it off West on 180th. Every cross road going South had a "Road Closed Ahead" sign, so I decided to check out K Avenue and head South on that, figuring the locals must have access across the highway. I was right, and so I went down to 220th, made a right, and no signs, so.... Yes! HWY 63 South was open here. Off I go then.... 

At least I got to see some wildlife. I saw two deer and a really awesome rooster pheasant alongside the road. Plus, somehow it only seemed appropriate that I end up on some gravel road going to be inducted into the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame. 

But it was sort of a portent of things to come as well. I made it down I-35 okay. However; once I got to St. Joesph Missouri I needed to take a break to use the restroom and buy some water. I forgot to bring any water! Doh! My phone bricked somehow in the meantime. So I wasn't able to load my route, because, you know....who wants to actually look at stuff and enjoy a drive when you can go "The Fastest Way" instead? So, instead of rechecking my map, I thought I was supposed to continue on HWY 36, but I wasn't....

Whoops!

Kansan towns like St. Marys still have thriving downtown retail scenes.

I got a funny feeling when I got into it for a while and thought this felt kinda wrong. Then I picked up an annoying semi-tractor trailer driver who apparently thought he needed to read the Illinois license plate on the rental. That distracted me. I got a very strong feeling I should turn South at Fairview, Kansas, on HWY 75, but this semi-tractor trailer thing had me occupied. Anyway, by the time I was a few miles out of Fairview I thought to myself that I could use a break, get my bearings, and at the next town out, Seneca, Kansas, I did just that.

Obviously, I was without any internet connection, and I couldn't even place a call on the phone. But the maps function still worked, and it was like using a paper map, just on a digital interface, so I figured out that if I went straight South out of Seneca on Kansas HWY 63 (Ironic, I know), that I would be okay until I got to St. Marys and then I'd get gas and have a pit stop. Seneca had a weird vibe and felt unfriendly to me, so I bugged outta there and headed South. 

Winding roads North of Eskridge, Kansas.

St. Marys was bustling and the old downtown was in full-force. Apparently Walmart hadn't come out here and destroyed the economy of the town by closing out the local competition as they have in almost every Iowa town they've come to. That was cool to see. I got gas there and used the restroom and I was off again. I decided to head West to Wamego, pick up HWY 99, and take that South as it goes right to Emporia. 

I was looking to get there by 3:00pm, which would allow me to get to the interview, and maybe afterward I could check into my lodgings. But it started to rain, the roads were crazy curvy and hilly, and the going was less than fast. 

Alma, Eskridge, and finally Emporia, but it was now about 3:30pm, and my phone was still borked. So, I decided to cut the meeting to be interviewed and go check into my lodgings. The place wasn't where I thought I was going to stay.which was the Gufler Mansion. Instead it was a stately older brick Victorian era home on State Street, and five blocks walking distance from the Grenada Theater, actually. 

So, I walked up to the door and rang the bell. "This is kind of weird", I thought to myself, but just then a tall, thin gentleman opened the door and greeted me. I told him who I was and why I was there, and he seemed to be cognizant of what was going on, and immediately asked me to take a short tour with him of the amenities of the home and to show me my room.  The man said his name was Brad, and asked that if I needed anything, to find him and he would help out. He gave me the security code for the back door, in case the front was locked when I got home later, and then he left me to myself. 

The side porch at my host's home.

The place was the residence of the Gufler Mansion's owners, and Brad told me when they have over-flow guests, they put them up at their home. I thought that was rather generous, and very nice, but this was also a bit odd. No check in, I never wrote my name on any paper, or digital device. I didn't have a key to lock my belongings in my room, and I could come and go as I pleased, with a full use of a kitchen, a shared bathroom, and shower. It was almost as if I were some long lost relative, or something. 

Anyway, time to get this phone figured out. I would be operating at a severe deficit if I could not get that up and running. Finally, I decided to just reboot the thing,and that actually worked! Whew! Immediately texts and emails I should have been getting all along flooded in. 

So, I texted Trenton and he offered me a spot at 4:30pm, and I ended up getting interviewed then. Trenton sent me off with a beer, koozie, and a nice DAMn pint glass and t-shirt. I had a bit of time before I had to head out to the Grenada, so I went back to Brad's place and walked in. No one was there. At least not out of their rooms.

I spiffed myself up and then took that beer and sat on the side porch, ruminating on all the things that had occurred to get me to that point. A bit of quiet time to reflect. What a crazy day! What a crazy life! What would the evening bring? Well, I was ready to get on with the thing, so I jumped up and headed out on my own two feet. All the time being alone there. It just felt really weird. Did anyone really care? I felt a little bit like this was going to be kind of a bummer ride. But I was going to take from it what I could get. I hadn't driven 500+ miles and two hours out of my way to bail out now!

Monday: The Induction & After-Party