JULY 6, Great Bend, Kans. to Ness City, Kans. 66 miles via Kansas Route 96. Average speed today, 12.1 mph. Total trip mileage to date, 1,987.

We’re not alone.  Early this morning, on Kansas Route 96, we joined the Adventure Cycling’s Trans-America route, running from Yorktown, Va. to Astoria, Ore. And near our own route’s halfway point -- between Rush Center and Alexander, Kans. -- we ran into two cyclists who began riding from Santa Monica on June 1 and, mostly using the AC route, were bound for Atlantic City, N.J.

Then, at our stop in Ness City, we ran into Janet Buckwalter, a 53-year-old  Huntsville, Alabama woman riding a three-wheel recumbent trike across the U.S. in four legs in successive years. A 25-year cyclist, she’s now on her second step – from Hoosier Pass in Colorado to Illinois.

Accompanied  by a support driver—her 72-year-old friend George Barron – she sets off at 5:30 a.m. every day and often logs big miles – 78 today.

Also at the motel was Slade Bradbury, a 32-year-old Colorado Springs rock climber soloing the AC route west to east. He usually sets off at 9:30 or 10 and rides deep into the heat of the day.

Speaking of heat, Ben and I started early (for us), setting off at 7:30 a.m. today.  Thirty miles went by quickly, but the winds picked up and the temps rose. By 11 the ride wasn’t fun any more. The last 10 miles into Ness was brutal, as our mph plunged from 14.5 or so in  the morning to about 10.

Celebrated our arrival in Ness with tornados (aka blizzards, McFlurries etc.) at the Frigid Crème across from the hotel. Cleaned up and enjoyed dinner with our fellow cyclists at 5:30.

Overcast, cooler weather forecast for our 81-miler tomorrow. But we still plan an early start.

At this point we are counting down to Pueblo, Colo., where our friend and former Union Democrat reporter and editor, Randy Seelye, will not only join us, but will carry our gear throughout Colorado and Utah. Can’t wait.