it has been raining like crazy in Kansas recently.  Yesterday, it rained hard for close to 7 hours in the evening.  Luckily, I’d already ridden 3 hours in the heat and humidity.

Last night I spent a few hours, way past midnight, messin’ with sump pumps.  I had to move a submersible sump pump to a place with a pedestal pump.  Working with PVC is so easy.  But, it kind of hurt me.

Today, Brian Jensen is riding over here to meet us at 11 am.  He is doing 150 miles, I guess. We’ll see.  It is super windy, 100% humidity and it’s gonna be in the mid 80s’.  He’s doing his last hard ride before the Dirty Kanza 200.  I’m just tagging along.  A couple other guys that are doing the DK are coming too.  It should be good for their endurance.  200 miles on gravel is beyond cycling endurance.

Okay, have to get ready.  I’m gonna need some luck today not to cramp.  Boo on that.

Exchanging sump pumps.

Yesterday was a whirlwind.  I decided, kind of last minute, to drive up to Viroqua, Wisconsin to ride for a few days with Kent And Katie Eriksen.  It was Kent’s birthday and the invitation was too nice to pass up. 

So, Trudi was flying back from the Tour of California and the plan was to pick her up at the Kansas City airport and do the 600 mile drive.  

The problem was her flight was late, so we didn’t get moving until 6.  That means we didn’t get here until close to 2 am.  

This area has to be unbelievable to ride. I used to go up to La Crosse, when I was a junior, and train and race. A team mate, Mark Frise lived there, and his father was very involved in junior development back then. So, Greg LeMond started going there to hang with Mark and Greg Demgen and met his wife, Kathy, whose dad was a allergy doctor I went to see a few years later. Anyway, the riding was crazy good. 

Big rolling climbs and zillions of roads.  I think this will be the same after driving here last night.  

I’m thinking of heading back down to Iowa for the Memorial Day races. There is a longish road race on Friday, then Snake Alley on Saturday, Muscatine on Sunday, then Davenport Monday. This is the one year anniversary of breaking my hip.  I did it in Davenport last year, in the rain.  

That’s the problem, or at least one of the problems. But It is supposed to rain in there most of the days.  I’m not sure I’m ready for that.  We’ll see. 

Okay, these guys are getting dressed, so I better go.