Day 35:So we hit Kansas City on time after a 10-day journey from Pueblo without a break. As we moved further east across Kansas so the areas have become more affluent and the cities of Topeka and Lawrence impressed us greatly. There’s a sense now that we are without doubt over half way as that can be clearly seen on the map. Today was also the first dog attack on the cyclists which was dealt with efficiently by Martyn and Ryan. Jane was never in any danger but according to advice this may be the first of many in the coming days; we’ll see but hope not as it would almost certainly single the end of the ride. We are taking a rest day tomorrow with is well deserved so we travelled into Kansas City. Next week we head off through Missouri to tray and reach St Louis by Friday Day 34:The improvement in scenery noted yesterday has continued today. The beautiful rolling hills whilst aesthetically pleasing for us are a pain for the cyclists, the corrugated roads ensure that the climbs are tough and often. It does look like Jane will reach Kansas City tomorrow so we won’t be coming home this weekend. Tonight we are in Topeka, which is the State Capital, and it’s a very pleasant town. The heat has been rising all day and it’s set to be a warm one tomorrow. Sunday is rest day and after 10 days constant cycling it’s much needed. I’m trying to convince Jane that 10 days on the bounce is ridiculous and her body needs time to recover. She’s rather ride through the pain to make sure she finishes.
Finally, and most importantly the Cross Country for Cancer lads have been having a tough time of late. We cycled the same roads as them for eight to 10 days, please support them. Day 33:Today was a hard ride 72 miles from Salina to Alta Vista, which included 3000 ft of climbs; in Kansas. It was a day of changes in everything except in Jane who remains very poorly and extremely fatigued. After a huge storm the night before the wind dropped and it was the first calm day in a week. The pattern of the landscape changed with a series English style rolling hills replacing the plains. Changing the landscape has also marked an increase in the affluence of the areas. Last night we stayed in a State Camping Facility in Council Grove which is absolutely splendid and the best we've stopped in so far. The location is splendid, the facilities are excellent clean, well maintained and safe. It is also very cheap which makes the park accessible to those with young families. So far providing these high quality recreational facilities for all is what I've been most impressed about by America and I'm hoping that as we move into the more populated areas the trend continues. Day 32:Yesterday was a short day ostensibly because the campground we were going to stay at had a laundry and the weather forecast said there would be a storm later in the day. Jane is determined to get to Kansas by the weekend so hasn't had a rest for eight days. She's pushing her body to breaking point in a concerted effort to reach her target. I think the next two days will be crucial as her pain intensifies and the fatigue she has continues to sap her strength. With the increased pain come sleepless nights, nausea and severe discomfort when resting. I'd like to write that we'll get to Kansas City on time but in honesty I don't know. It makes me extremely sad to see someone suffer like Jane is; I know the money we are raising doesn't correlate to the effort being expended. All we can do collectively is work as hard as we can to try and ensure that the charities are rewarded appropriately. It would be sad to achieve a finish in New York but ultimately it won't make any difference to Jane's life, she'll still die soon; hopefully finishing will make a difference to other peoples lives. Day 31:Once again the riders were buffeted in strong winds as they road from La Crosse to Ellsworth. It was a 66-mile stage but once again an average speed of 13mph was maintained which seems to be the norm for Kansas. Jane has made the decision that if we don’t reach Kansas City by the weekend the ride will be over, so this week’s planned rest day has been abandoned. Jane is of the opinion that if we can’t reach New York by the 1st September we won’t be reaching New York at all. So distances, time left and weather conditions are all now factors in whether the ride will be completed. It also means that Jane will now have to cycle for 10 consecutive days which will of course take its toll. We are all hoping that the winds will abate at some point; it is discouraging as well as tiring. The one thing the winds are useful for is to reduce the amount of humidity on the bike and as the temperature here is very high that’s quite welcome. Tomorrow should be a relatively easy day to Salina but we’ve said that before. Day 30:The weather forecast said that the wind speeds would reach 40mph today; in fact they got up to 49mph. It was a south wind so apart from the last four miles it was a side wind. Jane had decided on an early start so as dawn approached the riders set off from Dighton on the near 70 miles to La Crosse. By Ness City it was clear that the winds were hazardous not only to the cyclists but the high-sided support vehicle. After a frank discussion Jane decided that she wanted to push on and finish the ride as she wants to be in Kansas City by Saturday evening. She’s determined that she won’t arrive in New York after the 1st September. Jane battled on and finished today’s ride inside 5 hours. We are having no luck with the weather and these extremely high winds, the most severe for a number of months, is the latest poor fortune. Let's hope tomorrow is better. La Crosse, a very small town, has the bragging rights for the largest Barbed Wire Museum in the World. I personally didn’t realise that there were so many variations of barbed wire or that it could evoke such passion; seemingly there are over 2000 collectors. La Crosse, is a typical town in these parts with businesses struggling, but the facilities are fantastic. As a treat we ate out tonight for the first time in a week, the bill for five came to £19 (including drinks); the food and service was excellent as well. Day 29:Today marked another milestone, the move to central time, we move an hour closer to UK time so we’re only six hours behind. It was the first full day's ride in Kansas and one immediate improvement was the quality of the roads. The route across Kansas initially follows State Route 96, which is flat and travels from East to West. The Union Pacific railroad runs parallel to the highway and the occasional grain silos mark the towns. Again it’s an area where the population looks as though it’s declining. Ominously the wind blew all day and towards the end it was gusting dangerously for Jane. The wind is coming from the south and coming straight across the plains; for Jane it’s a lot more dangerous than the other cyclists. There will come a level where we will have to decide whether it’s too dangerous to continue. Today they met a cyclist from London who was doing the same adventure in the opposite direction to Jane. He said he’d had enough of the Kansas winds and was packing up; you couldn’t blame him. | 
