April 22: Independence to Columbus, Kansas
Today’s ride was very much like yesterday’s ride except it was 27 miles shorter. So, my food and water intake was patterned after yesterday’s ride. Mid-morning, I had a banana (just like yesterday) and for lunch I had a banana and a bagel (just like yesterday). I was puzzled then when I arrived in Columbus at about 1pm — an hour after lunch — and my blood sugar was 189. I bolused a correction and went about my post-ride activities. Then I noticed that the infusion site for my insulin pump had come out. The site was located on my hip and I usually don’t have troubles with sites there. Whatever the reason, it shows that just when you think you’ve got this diabetes thing figured out, it throws something new at you.
We’re going through a lot of small towns on this tour and I’ve discovered one thing in the last 1900 miles: every small town has a story. Larger towns have stories too, of course — often many stories — but the small towns are often so small that they have a single story to tell. They’re “one story towns”. And the smaller the town, the more likely they’re going to try to tell you that story by featuring it prominently on the “Welcome to ….” sign as you enter the town. And, in part, it’s that story that gives each town it’s own unique personality.
Here’s some interesting ones that I’ve seen in the last few days:
Another interesting thing happened today: I saw a cyclist! Pat Flynn is his name and he’s from Parson, Kansas. I met him about 10 miles from Altamont, headed the other direction. I hadn’t seen another cyclist since leaving Durango nearly 1100 miles ago. I think Pat was as surprised to see me out on Highway 160 as I was to see him, so we both stopped and talked for a while.
Pat is retired. He used to work in the area for Union Pacific. He said he’s been cycling for about 20 years and, in fact, used to participate in triathlons. He did the 1987 Ironman Triathlon! I told Pat a bit about The Dream Tour. He mentioned that he had seen the BayerMobile on his way out of Altamont. He also told me that he was recently diagnosed with type-2 diabetes.