"There's No Place Like Home" - Paola, KS (Day 23)

The day the gravel won: Today was my first day as leg leader, as the second leg has gotten underway. It’s hard to believe that we’re only a third of the way through the trip, while at the same time we’re already a third of the way through the trip. We had a 115 mile day into Kansas today, and for whatever reason, on the longest day of the trip so far, we had 18 flat tires. With 25 riders and 18 flats, it’s hard to believe that we finished at all, but fortunately, most groups finished reasonably on time. I haven’t examined the 4K record books, but I imagine that we’ve taken the lead in some sort of flat tire category.

The morning ride was scenic, and played host to one of my favorite moments of the day. As two clustered groups were coasting downhill and mooing at a group of cows, (it probably won’t ever get old,) I heard Greg say “is that a B-52?” We all looked up and saw a B-52 Stealth in flight, turning around about a half mile from us. Now for my favorite part: all of the guys slam on their brakes, pull to the side and rush to get their cameras out. All of the girls, well, let’s just say they didn’t want to lose their momentum for the pending uphill.

Our host in Paola was the Crossroads Assembly of God, and the hospitality was spectacular. After the delicious spaghetti dinner, the 4Kers unleashed their musical talents on stage with an impromptu jam session. Jess, Taylor, Hubert and I grabbed the guitars, while Ankit showed off his drumming talents, or aspirations. Pastor Rhodes even brought out his Taylor acoustic. I’m not a car guy, but I’ll try an analogy. A bunch of kids who haven’t driven all summer because they’re, say, riding their bikes all the time, stroll upon a bunch of free VW Jettas. The kids are all ecstatic, and drive around for a while. Then the dealer pulls up in his Porsche Carerra 911 and offers it out for a test drive. That’s kind of how it went with the Taylor.

So anyways, the day was light and successful all in all, and I was happy that the start to my leg went smoothly. The support we receive from communities never ceases to amaze me, and Paola was no exception. Sometimes in the heat of the day or at the base of a hill, we can forget why we’re all doing this. When we reach our hosts, however, and they show their gratitude for our efforts to fight cancer, spread awareness, and foster hope, it becomes very clear again that we’re making the right decision.

-Jesse Richter