Monday, August 29, 2011

Kansas Thunderstorm - Scott City, KS

I found my first goathead(also known by such charming names as 'puncturevine" and 'devil's thorn') clinging to my sidewall this morning. It hadn't done any damage yet, but I'm sure plenty more will do the job. My trailer tires seem particularly well suited towards picking up road hazards. I'm looking forward to switching them out in Ordway. I've also started to spot prickly pear cactii along the road. These look pretty nasty, but they tend to keep to themselves. They have an edible fruit, but none looked ripe yet. Some varieties have tasty 'pads', but these particular specimens seemed a bit too snotty-textured to eat.

Everyone else passed me by early in the day, so there was a distinct lack of shennanigans on the ride. We camped in a little park with a remarkable playground in Scott City. I tried to cook a bit of prickly pear cactus, and verified its snottyness. The clouds had been gathering throughout the day, and it became clear that quite a storm was on the way. The air turned heavy. It smelled like wet soil and rain, with a different energy in the wind. Michelle and I cheered it on for a while once the lightening became visible in the distance. It came slowly, though, and we where all pretty tired. It blew and poured and thundered all night, but there was plenty of room for the two hammock and tent under the picnic shelter.


Cyclist's bane: the Goasthead.

I thought these guys just lived in city dumpsters!

Me llama Llama

Unripe cactus fruit.

Cats, accepting an offering of tuna.


No comments:

Post a Comment