DAY OFF IN MANHATTAN
We slept in until 10 AM today- incredible. A bunch of us got coffee at Radina's in town, and then we got free lunch at a barbecue place down the street. Everyone ran errands and relaxed, all things necessary on one of our four precious days off.
That evening we went to the water park in town, and got to go down slides and swim in the lazy river- it made us feel like kids again.
Later that night when we were mostly all in bed, the leaders show up from their mysterious 10pm "grocery run" with CELISE!! She made a remarkable recovery and tricked us by saying she'd meet us in Denver when really she returned a week early. We're all ecstatic she's back and we got a later wake up (7 am!) so we could hang out and help her put her bike together.
MANHATTAN TO CLAY CENTER
This was such a short ride day that we did another mystery ride. A mystery ride is when we draw names out of a hat for ride groups so you ride with different people and it kind of forces some of the faster people to slow down and the slower people to speed up.
My group was Jack, Conor, Liz, and Will, and a bunch of ride groups stopped at Radina's again for coffee. Outside, we met a man named Mac who was so inspired by what we do that he paid for $40 worth of coffee for us. Random acts of kindness from strangers are always a great way to start a day.
We all got in before 1 to Clay Center, and they gave us free barbecue and we got to swim at the pool for free! We had a synchronized swimming competition (guys vs girls, with Mike on the girls team).
That night we got invited by a stranger to a block party, which was hands down the best block party I've ever been to. First off, it was all old white people, and they've been throwing this 4th of July party for 13 years. The city band was playing in the gazebo, and the hosts stopped the music and introduced us to the party on the microphone. They fed us free food and beer and we had an awesome time talking with the old people.
They then told us about the traditional march that they do, which involves waving flags, making human bridges, and some light dancing. It was hilarious and awesome and we stayed until 10 pm when the party had already ended. YOU WIN, CLAY CENTER KANSAS.
CLAY CENTER TO BELOIT, KS
Today I was sweep with Kevin, so I got to carry a spare tire and med kit and ride at the back of the group with him. Sweep is always fun because you get to talk to the person you're sweeping with all day, and Kevin and I of course had great conversations.
Pretty short day of only 55 miles, so we got in at 1 for hose showers and naps outside. There's not much to do in Beloit Kansas, so most of us have been laying in hammocks and going out to buy fireworks- we have quite the collection for tomorrow night!
The tally:
Water parks overtaken: 1
Teammates rejoined after shattering their collarbone: 1 (YAY CELISE!!)
Old people parties crashed: 1
Synchronized swimming competitions won: 0 (the boys won)
Gallons of spoiled milk consumed: 2 (this realization was not fun).
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