Day Log 06.30.05 Thursday

We started the day at 6:15 AM CDT, went to a local place for breakfast and was surprised that more people were not there, as the food was great, and the service came with a French accent as the older waitress was happy to tell about living in Silina, KA, while bossing the two younger waitress’s that were late for work. We took off from Silina at 8:30 and drove to Goodland KA, for gas at 11:45 CDT or as we found out the local time had changed a few miles back to 10:45 MDT. As we got ready to leave the gas station it was agreed that we would stop in about another hour for lunch so we didn’t have the grumps like we did the day before. As it turned out we drove on until reaching Limon, CO., or about a total of 335 miles between breakfast and lunch at 12:50 MDT. After having one of the best Chicken salads for Mary and Turkey for me, we headed out toward Pueblo, CO. another 105 miles away. Short day at 440 miles.

We had discussed as traveling through the high plains that being so close to Colorado Springs would mean paying a higher price for the two nights we were going to stay in the area. Being in Pueblo we could back track to see the Larson’s and some of the local attractions on Friday. We didn’t know it until later this afternoon that having a short lay over is going to help when we get to camp on Saturday. Seems coming from sea level to 4750 feet has affected the bodies more than we thought. As we ran to the local Wal-Mart tonight to pick up some cloths detergent, yogurt, and a few odds and ends we noticed that the hearts were beating faster and harder, the air seemed thin and in spite of the dry air we were tired. The time change of two hours and thin air have Mary asleep at 9:15 local time. We grabbed a light sandwich to eat here in the room tonight and just seem to be catching up from the speed trip across country.

It was so nice to drive all day with the windows down even when the temp got up to 83 or higher. At one pee stop just sitting on the warm rocks with the wind blowing around caused a chill as the light sheen of sweat dried on the skin. Nothing like yesterday and the days before when just standing still made you think you were in a shower with not a cloud in the sky. As we drove today the landscape changed from flat wheat fields, to rolling green hills that seemed to have cattle and horses scattered around, back to miles and miles of wheat farms this seemed to be the case from the Kansas border to the outskirts of Colorado Springs. I did wonder why on the East side of Colorado Springs out about 30 miles the bedroom towns were popping all over the place, yet on the trip down to Pueblo nothing seems to be filling in. Lots of land unused down here around Pueblo seems a waste. I saw some places in the area traveled today, where the homes were on a small rise and there was no way they could see their nearest neighbor. Mary said no I can’t live out that far from people.Well I am about done for the night but have one question that could be simply looked up on the web later. As we drove across these last few states the oil pumps standing in the fields just keep dipping their heads and lifting their back legs. So where does the oil go that is pumped on each rotation, and what keeps the rotation moving?

Well Good night.