9/20/17
Larned, KS > Newton, KS
Miles Ridden – 109.1
Mileage to date – 2,045.1
Today’s destination was Newton, KS. Per John it was a relatively uneventful day. Given the name of the town perhaps this would be a good time for a discussion of the Sir Isaac Newton’s laws of motion? Or perhaps not! Although I do think that John and crew are a good example of the 2nd law of motion – a body in motion tends to stay in motion.
Newton (pop. 19,132) is a pretty big place compared to many of the towns that John has been through on this trip. It was established in 1871 when the Santa Fe railroad extended a main line from Emporia westward to Newton. The town soon became an important railroad shipping point of Texas cattle. The city was named after Newton, MA home of some of the Santa Fe stockholders.
John’s account of the day –
“I departed the exquisite 2 star Townsman Inn at 5 AM. The prairie was pitch dark at that hour and my bike lights were the only signs of life for miles. The scene was only interrupted by yelping prairie dogs and a stray skunk crossing the road within 3 feet of me. Fortunately, they went on there way and I headed up the road to Newton. The ride was mostly uneventful and I arrived here around 2:30 and retrieved my next map at the post office.”
Cindy and I have been mailing maps to John via general delivery. It works pretty well but you need to work out the timing. Also, some of the post offices in the smaller towns have limited hours.
Photos from today –
Love the gun sign.