Excited to be in the West!
DAY 32
Scott City, KS to Sheridan Lake, CO
"Are we in the West yet?" I've asked Becky every day since we entered Kansas. The air has progressively become drier, the peoples accents have slowly vanished, and the Mexican restaurants have become more prevalent. "Are we in the West yet?" Today the answer will finally be yes. Colorado here we come!
Scott City, KS to Sheridan Lake, CO
"Are we in the West yet?" I've asked Becky every day since we entered Kansas. The air has progressively become drier, the peoples accents have slowly vanished, and the Mexican restaurants have become more prevalent. "Are we in the West yet?" Today the answer will finally be yes. Colorado here we come!
The seemingly never ending Hwy 96
 Mountain Time Zone |  Caution wind currents |
Another early start in an attempt to beat both the wind and the heat. The temperature is expected to reach 100 degrees while the NNW wind will again strengthen as the day lengthens. We're on the road by 5 o'clock, guided through the darkness by our headlamps for the first hour. The time change into Mountain Standard Time happens early morning. We gain an hour of time, but unfortunately not an hour reprieve from the rising sun, the heat of the day, or the turbulent winds.
Melanie and Jacqueline heading into Colorado
By our lunch break in Tribune Kansas we've already covered 46 miles before 9 o'clock. 30 miles remain to our stopping point for the night at Sheridan Lake and only 16 miles to the Kansas/Colorado border. What follows during these 30 miles are the most trying of our adventure to date. The punishing crosswinds shift into a merciless headwind. The forecasted 100 degree temperature hits it's mark, but feels closer to 120 degrees on the scorching pavement. We creep along at an excruciatingly slow pace of 8.5 mph. A very exhausting 8.5 mph. Exceptionally small no see um type bugs cover us. They bite bare skin, burrow into my beard and taunt me by walking across my vision on the lenses of my sunglasses. Dust blown up from the parched dry fields cross the road where it's inhaled and stings our eyes. The harsh climate of this land shows on the cracked, oil patched road.
 We are very excited to be in Colorado! |  Very very excited! |
We pause for five minutes to take photos of the Colorado state sign. The West, we made it! Now all we have to do is pray Mother Nature is kind to us for the remaining 140 miles to Pueblo, where we leave the cruel windy plains behind and enter the Rocky Mountains.
 The winds and heat have exhausted everyone... |  So it's nap time! |
Greasing up the bike chains and giving them some lovin'
 The tiny town of Sheridan Lake, CO |  Thank you Sheridan Lake Bible Church for housing us for the night! |
Stats:
Miles: 77.94
Average speed: 10.7 mph
Max speed: 18.2 mph
Odometer: 2171 miles
Miles: 77.94
Average speed: 10.7 mph
Max speed: 18.2 mph
Odometer: 2171 miles
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