Day 28 Abilene to Topeka.

Going to breakfast this morning it really did look like our weather luck had finally run out. It was cool, very overcast and although it had stopped raining it looked like it could at any time and the forecast was for rain on our route. Again I started with a rain jacket on that got pretty splashed from water thrown up by wheels in front, but it did not actually rain and by the time the first SAG came along I was to take it off.
As our now familiar 5 started and overtook other groups Deb joined us and for a short while Jerry and Rob, then we caught a group with George in and he joined us as well. The 7 of us pushed on at a good pace, each taking a turn at the front, and the morning started to open out into a nice day. The terrain was rolling with many roller-coaster hills, some small and some quite a drag.
The first SAG was at a little town called White City after 35 miles and the SAG was set up in a little Gazebo in a little park. The town was pretty down at heel (trying not to be too unkind) and its claim to fame is that it has 'tandem' toilets, cosy. At 53 miles we crossed the county line into Morris County, but I could not take a photo as we were travelling just below the sound barrier. A little later we came across a herd of buffalo, not exactly 'free range,' but certainly with a large area in which to roam. This qualified as a photo opportunity.
The second SAG was at Eskridge at 76 miles and I still felt that I had a little bit in my legs, but the new bottom bracket was playing up. The chainrings were too far into the frame of the bike and it was making changing between the front chainrings anything but smooth.
The approach to Topeka over the last few miles was with a tailwind so we flew in and when we were within a couple of miles of our Holiday Inn we saw a Holiday Express Inn and mistakenly thought that was our hotel. We tried to head for it but got stopped by the police and turned around as we were heading onto the freeway. We retraced our steps and in a desperate measure actually read the cue sheet properly and so found our way easily.
On arrival we were greeted with iced water from the hotel and the board and map were set up in the lobby. I strolled out side to take some photos of the hotel and area and a girl with a hand held camcorder wanted to know why all the cyclists were arriving. I explained. A little later in the entrance hall Steve George and I were standing in front of the board when a lad with a full blown, shoulder mounted TV camera and microphone came up to us and asked us if we were prepared to be interviewed. Shyly we agreed (!) He took interviews from all three of us and said we could be on the news that evening. At 6.00pm Steve and I watched the news and by the time three or four item of mind blowing mediocrity had gone we were convinced that our moment of fame had passed us by. Then it came on, an opening shot of Al stretching by the side of a sofa and coming very close to getting arrested, Steve and George made an appearence studying the map, then Steve inspecting it even more closely, then cut to the interview with me, great. There is a rumour that there may be a possibility of an Oscar nomination, but I'm playing that one down, well for now anyway. I took a still shot of the TV which came out OK, but fortunately Steve was watching a later broadcast and it was repeated so he got a video of it.
That night we celebrated with a couple of beers in a bar and were just about to leave when offered a free round, it would have been rude to refuse so we didn't. Hope we don't regret it tomorrow, still its not every day I'm on the telly.
Today's distance was 108.94 miles.