Good Landing in Goodland

Goodland, Kansas, that is. Loooong ride in from Limon, but a nice tailwind and mostly downhill made it possible. Caught a little heat for riding the interstate (it’s OK in CO, but not KS) after the route merged with the highway. Turns out the officer was a biker and it was hard to get him to stop offering advice for the trip.

Goodland is a pretty interesting place. It is home not only to a museum dedicated to ‘America’s First Helicopter’ (it never did fly, but it WAS the first), but the largest easel in the world. I asked a few people about it and apparently touched a nerve. The “damn Canadian” who provided the artwork that sits upon the world’s largest easel apparently used some cheap latex and it’s starting to fade and chip. Also, the local ironworker who built the 80 foot easel still hasn’t been paid. Some other side issues as well, but I think high-schooler Michael summed up the local attitude best when he said “It’s retarded.”

Speaking of which, we're sort of on track to visit one of the great landmarks of Kansas (and the planet). The world's largest ball of string. It's not quite on the route, but how can you come so close and not make the effort?

Also, I got tired of everyone who knew something about bikes saying “You’re going across the country on THAT??!!” and picked up an entry-level road bike in Boulder. Now I know what they were talking about…