Day 39 – Simple Beauty

By Mark Heggestad
We biked 74.1 miles today from Scott City, KS to Alexander, KS.  The wind was from the south at 10 to 15 mph so we had a crosswind, but it was manageable.

The terrain was flat all day, usually wheat fields as far as the eye could see.  Some would consider it monotonous to ride so many hours with little change in scenery.  I enjoy it, immensely.  I scan the horizon looking for distant markers: an old abandoned windmill, a lone tree, a grain elevator.  Perhaps it reminds me of my youth on the farm, as I find the wide-open spaces peaceful and quiet (except when the wind is in my ears), and enjoy the solitude that comes with biking them.  The mountains were filled with majestic beauty - the plains are filled with a simple beauty.  

There are small towns throughout our route, usually 20 to 35 miles apart.  I can often spot the elevators and water towers of those towns as far away as five to ten miles.  They start as a hazy object far off in the distance.  I watch them as I approach and their form becomes clearer with each passing mile.   By the time I enter the town I have been watching them grow closer for miles and it almost feels familiar; like open arms welcoming me to their little town.

Simple Beauty

Simple Beauty

Someone found a way to make use of the only hill
I saw all day.


Comments

  1. UnknownJune 9, 2017 at 8:11 AM

    Love the pics..... seeing the old shed falling down makes me sad -- so many old farmsteads are losing all of their buildings and getting plowed under for more crops. I miss the old days of seeing grand red and white barns and lots of livestock spotting the countrysides. Your weather looks like it'll be clear sailing for the day..... probably getting hotter and muggier.... Enjoy!

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