JULY 2: Topeka, Kans. to Emporia, Kans. 70 miles via Kansas Routes 4 and 99. Average speed today, 11.1 mph. Total trip mileage to date, 1,763.

The good news: We dodged the predicted thunderstorms. The bad: The heat and humidity hit us head on.

Morning wasn’t bad. Cloud cover from early morning thunderstorm kept the sun at bay until about 10:30 a.m. when we pulled into the Dover Café (“The Best Café in Dover”) to fill our water bottles for the 16 miles ahead to Eckridge, our lunch spot.

Driving between these two minuscule towns took every drop. The sun broke through, the hills reared up and worse, the humidity hit sauna levels.  Our average mph sunk into the mid-10s and our spirits – knowing Emporia was still more than 40 miles away – were also dropping fast.

Respite came at Aunt Marie’s Café in Eckridge – even the smallest Kansas towns seem to have a popular burger and sandwich place – where enjoyed an air conditioned lunch. Meanwhile, outside, a few locals gathered around our well-laden bikes and speculated.

After lunch we went out and answered questions from the friendly little crowd. We felt like we were big news in this little town, but nobody came darting out of the newspaper office – yes, Eckrich has a weekly – across the street.  

But the owner of the grocery store came running out with a book. “So many of you touring cyclists come through here, I’ve decided to start a register,” she said, thrusting the ledger toward me. “You guys will be the first to sign it.”

I can understand the lure. Had it not been for the heat, our ride through the Kansas countryside would have been great. It is beautiful country.

But we dreaded the afternoon ride, which promised hotter and damper than the morning’s. But moments after we left Eckridge, clouds covered the sun and the grades smoothed out. We made good time to Admire (pronounced Add-mire and marked – as most Midwestern towns are – by a water tower with the community name on it).

The town, however, had no gas station, café or, well, anything.  We despaired, needing to fill our bottles. John and Barbara Schmitt, relaxing beneath a shade tree in their yard, we’re happy to fill us up with ice water, give us a shortcut into Emporia and wish us well.

We pedaled on. My legs were feeling OK, but my left contact lens was dry and cloudy. I meant to replace it last night, but found I had inadvertently left all my backup contacts in some motel in some town who knows how many miles back.

We got to Emporia, about 50 seconds before a sweeping, dramatic storm came through. We hustled our bikes into the motel, feeling pretty lucky.

Next I went to work on the contact lens problem. Wal-Mart didn’t have my brand, but in the Yellow Pages I found an optometrist – Patricia Dorsey – whose office was open until 6.

I called at 5:45, and a technician said they had my brand and would stay open for me. “Fax your prescription and we’ll set you up,” she said. I phoned Sierra Vista Optometry in Sonora, and Shelly said she’d fax the info to Emporia pronto.

I called for a cab – it was still storming out -- and got a ride to Dr. Dorsey’s. “We’re still here,” said the technician at 6:30 p.m. She gave me a bag with three right and three left lenses, contact lens solution and a copy of my prescription. All for free.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “Those lenses were samples. Didn’t cost us anything.”

Add one more Samaritan to our growing list. Meanwhile, Ben ordered take-out pizza to our room and all was right with the world.

On deck: A long ride to McPherson, Kans., then a day off for the Fourth of July.