On our final day of riding we were expecting milder temperatures, so we allowed ourselves a later start than usual.  We did have a long drive to get to the starting point, but we still managed to start riding just after 8:00 a.m.  Jimmy and Dr. B were dressed for the occasion wearing their checkered shirts to signify us crossing the finish line today.  Despite the fact we left the Katy yesterday and are now on the Rock Island Trail, I wore my new Katy Trail jersey my dad bought for me yesterday.  We looked hella good.  If there were more people on the trail we would have turned a lot of heads.  As it turns out we turned zero heads.

On the way to today’s starting point at the Leeton trailhead Jimmy realized he didn’t have his helmet.  It was too late to turn around so he figured he would do without it today.  We soon learned why Jimmy didn’t bring his helmet.  He left it at the trailhead yesterday when we finished.  Also, on the way to the trailhead this morning Celina orphaned a number of chicks as she once again drove through another bird and created a feather explosion.  We need to put a bell around Celina’s neck so birds hear her coming.

Yesterday we transitioned from the Katy Trail to the Rock Island Spur Trail heading to Kansas City.  The overall scenery didn’t change much, but there were some noticeable differences in the surface and infrastructure.  The surface along the Rock Island Spur is a little more varied.  Today there were sections that were so smooth it felt like it was paved.  Other sections had small rocks that made for a rough ride, but entirely doable for me and my chair.  A few sections had thick sand that slowed me way down, but could not stop the Ian’s Ride train.  We also noticed a lot of plant debris in the trail.  This is most likely due to the storm that came through two nights ago, along with recent trimming of the brush adjacent to the trail.  The team and I were talking about the surface and think more use in the years to come will help compact and improve the surface.  I think a wheelchair parade could really speed this process along.  It’s almost the Fourth of July… 

Around mile 20 we came across a tree that had fallen across the path making passage impossible for me.  The tree still had lush green leaves, and was likely a casualty too, of the recent storm.  We headed back to the nearest access point along the trail where Celina picked me up and shuttled me to the next access point after the fallen tree.  It turns out the next access point was no more than a quarter of a mile from where the tree had fallen.  Jimmy and Dr. B rode on the trail past the tree and we all met back up where Celina dropped me off.  From the time we came across the tree to the time we were riding again, it was no more than a half an hour.  We don’t like losing time this way because the day gets hotter and hotter as time goes by.

A few miles down the trail we came across two men who were doing maintenance along the trail.  They had heard about my Evil Knievel stunt yesterday and were very apologetic about the condition of the trail in that one specific spot.  I told them what happened and that we could have been smarter in handling the obstacle.  They knew we were coming today and told us they just removed two trees that were blocking the trail.  We told them about the one we just saw and it was news to them.  I have a feeling they went straight there and took care of tree for future trail users.  The level of maintenance is impressive and noticeable.  We have seen workers each day of our ride working on the trail.

Even though today was only in the mid-eighties it felt warmer, at least according to Jimmy.  Man does that man sweat a lot.  The team must be doing too good of a job keeping me cool, because I felt cold for a lot of the ride.  There were some long stretches with no shade, which probably added to the gallons of sweat coming off of Jimmy.  There were a few small lakes along the way, which probably helped keep me nice and cool.  I really enjoyed looking up at the beautiful blue skies with the different cloud formations.  Jimmy just thinks the sky is hot and refused to enjoy its beauty.  While I was keeping cool under my canopy with a fan aimed at my face, and constantly being sprayed, a Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis) butterfly decided to hitch a ride.  He (or she) knew the most comfortable place on the trail. 

About one mile from the end of our trip the trail abruptly ended at a road, or so it seemed.  It took us a moment to figure out that we needed to ride on the road for a bit before meeting back up with a very short trail segment that would in fact complete our journey.  It’s notable that after 280 miles this was the first and only time we had to navigate roads.  Riding on the road brought back memories of our early Ian’s Rides before we became older, smarter, and more cautious.  As we rolled over the finish line we were greeted by two adoring fans, Celina and my dad.  They cheered as loud as an entire stadium of Chiefs fans.  The had put down checkered flags and streamers to add the perfect touch of class.  The decorations were hella tight.

This now marks the successful completion of our fifth Ian’s Ride.  Just a few days before we were ready to hop on planes to come to St. Louis there was concern about the temperatures we would be dealing with.  These concerns were justified and we discussed the issue and ways we could combat the heat.  One suggestion was to go to Canada instead.  That sounded lovely, but we had put too much time and effort into the planning of this trip.  We certainly weren’t going to be stopped by the heat dome making millions of people across America suffer.  We have spray bottles and a fan.  My team was wonderful and made sure we all arrived safe in Kansas City.  I can’t imagine doing any crazy adventure without my team.  We say goodbye to the Katy and the Rock Island Spur.  It seems fitting sign off with a Johnny Cash lyric about the Rock Island Line; “I may be right and I may be wrong, but you’re gonna miss me when I’m gone.”

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