Monday, September 13, 2010

Race Across America 2010, Chapter 9

10pm local time, midnight race time, JV and I are up again for another shift. We are STILL in KS!!! I really didn't realize how long KS was! We are parked in Towanda, KS, just leaving the Wichita area. As JV and I come out, a Bacchetta rider named Nic is outside waiting to talk to us. JV seemed to know him, but in my sleepy haze, I couldn't recognize him. However, I was quite impressed that he had followed us for 20 miles to catch up to us to chat. He and JV spoke for awhile, while I drank a Coke and tried to get the blood and head moving again!

In comes Willie, and I am off, heading east! The highlight of my night was around the corner as we turned right on W. Central Ave. I am speeding along at about 20 mph, it's about 70 degrees and the humidity is low, and I hear a "Go Dana" from off to my right in a shopping center parking lot. I see a flash of blonde hair, realize I only know one woman in the entire state of KS, and yell back "Hi SK (Sara Kay Carrell, Team Bacchetta racer)." That really brought a smile to my face, knowing the SK had come all the way out here to say hello! Thanks! I continued my race through El Dorado and JV took over after about 10 miles at 22.2mph.

I took four more pulls as I continued through east KS. The other highlight was having Lee Mitchell drive behind me for one pull. Bill had been doing all of the driving during my night shifts since AZ, and it was a nice change of pace to have Lee behind me. He definitely knows what he is doing, and of course, he was blasting Billy Idol over the PA! My power was sure feeling low tonight, but I kept going as best as I could. By my last pull, I was definitely spent, but we managed to cover over 80 relatively flat miles in our shift.

Towanda, KS

Leaving El Dorado

Heading through Eureka

More Eureka

Into Yates, KS

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