We moved breakfast to 5:30a.m. instead of 6a.m. to try to beat the inescapable heat today. The early start helped cyclists get most or the entire ride in before the temperature rose. A little before noon, the heat index reached 107 degrees and the coordinators decided to shut down the ride for the safety of the riders and workers.
The rangers helped shut down the ride at the Portland SAG.
When the call was made, the volunteers and staff at SAGs stopped the riders and shuttled them to our campsite in Mokane. Many cyclists who made it as far as Portland were disappointed they couldn’t finish for the day, but all understood the risks of extreme heat.
Today’s Poker Run was another good reason to stop at SAGs. At each stop, cyclists picked a card from the deck and recorded it in their map books. At the end of the day, a prize is given to the rider with the best hand and the rider with the worst hand. Steve Kuster won the best hand, with a queen high straight. David Tranum “won” the lowest hand with an eight high. Both winners walked away with Missouri gift baskets.
The hot stop of the day – and they were all pretty hot- was the Shaved Ice Stand in Bluffton. Everyone needed a snow cone on a day like today!
Thanks to a few flat tires and other small problems, our bike mechanic, Nate, is staying busy. We’re lucky he’s riding all week with us because he is such an important service to our riders. He is easy to find with his carriage full of equipment.
Back at camp in Mokane, our riders ate lunch at the grocery store and the Mokane Bar and Grill. The riders took the chance to swap stories, make friends and reunite with friends from past rides over food and cold drinks. Tonight we enjoyed a catered dinner by Argyle Catering, followed by a riders meeting and entertainment from the River Ridge String Band.
Top Ten Things I Couldn’t Live without on the Katy Trail Ride
- Handkerchiefs –Marissa Manring, 1ts ride
- The tent –Jim Bone, 3rd ride
- M&Ms –Mackenzie Manring, 1st ride
- My iPhone –Bruce Chulka, 2nd ride
- My air mattress –Anne Johnson, 1st ride
- The pad in my new pants –Mike Franklin, 1st ride
- Good, cold water –Duane Buersmeyer, 3rd ride
- The SAG stops –Donna Orf, 1st ride
- Pancake Man! –Sarah Murphy, 2nd ride
- Extra sausage –Josh Davenport, 2nd ride
Rider(s) of the Day
Today’s riders are the Dawson family from Austin, Tx. They ride two tandem bicycles (a three-seater and a two)!
