86 miles and Hills at the end

I have had a query as to our mood on awakening.So we never set an alarm,one or other but usually both of us awake in good time.We stay in bed until 05.15,although this may be later on one of the rest days.We do not tend to think "is it a rest day" because it rarely is! Once we are up we have a finely choreographed procedure of organising the bikes and packing the bags.Down to breakfast,back to the room,take down the bags,take down the bikes.Chatter until Paula gives us our last minute directions and off.Todays ride started to the east with a southerly wind,and would have been fine except for the dreaded road works.On this occasion the road works themselves were no great trouble,but the top of the road had been scraped off,so for 7 miles we had to cycle over the cobble like surface with teeth chattering,bikes bouncing and legs and tempers fraying.The authorities are clearly not interested in promoting cycling.Soon after this insult we turned left and enjoyed the tail wind for the next 40 miles.A quiet road surrounded by wheat fields which gave way to open fields of grass,being enjoyed by the cows.These preferred the cooling water.

 The first stop took place in a small village.next to our stopping point workmen preparing a house to be lifted off its plot.The plan was to move it 20 yards,then build a basement and then put it back onto the basement! Below is the shelter we used ,Tom chatting to Ovi.

The verges that we have been used to over the last few days have disappeared and been replaced by one yellow weed.

Too reminiscent of the weeds that invade my lawns in France to be enjoyable.There were attractive,but far flung,dwellings along the road ,each finished with clapboards.

The weather today started dull and cool but soon warmed up and topped out at 34°C.We stopped for a second time in Abilene,famous as the birth place of Eisenhower,and had a very pleasant lunch,en masse,in a restaurant there.Below is the cottage where Dwight grew up,but he was born in Texas with a fervent Mennonite mother who was a convinced pacifist.

He was the third of seven sons,so the house must have been quite crowded.

There is now a large library on the site-The Eisenhower Library-and rather lovely gardens all around.

After a short visit to the above we cycled the last 24 miles to the hotel in Junction City.At first along a very attractive ,quiet,road through farm land?Sadly the nearer we were to our destination the more hills appeared,and as we had, by now, turned back to the east north east,the wind was a slightly beneficial side wind.Eventually we turned off onto a side road and the road surface deteriorated significantly,and there were more hills.

 The rooms were not ready  when we arrived but Charlie had stopped and bought some bottles of beer-very welcome.Rest day tomorrow,1652 miles completed.