Another state down! With Kansas behind us, the team started its trek through Missouri today. Our first stop in the “Show Me State” was Sedalia. Our 93-mile ride started in Olathe, Kansas and tested the team with temperatures in the high 90s and about 3,500 feet of climbing. Despite the challenging stats, the team continues to grow ever stronger on the bikes. What might have seemed like daunting conditions and distances at the onset of our trip are now minor inconveniences that stand between us and our next friendship visit.
Upon arriving in Sedalia, the team bussed over to the local outdoor pool for much needed showers. Following a pizza dinner provided by our sponsors, The Center for Human Services, the team was treated to ice cream from a local shop and a dance party. The team was more than ready to dust off our dance moves since we had not had a dance party friendship visit in some time. We even did an encore performance of our dance competition-winning routine for the participants (see Denver journal). The dance party proved to be just what the team needed after a long hot day on the bikes. Our competitive spirits continued during the friendship visit as Calvin Colby and James Lytle won a very intense hula hoop competition.
As we continue crossing cities off our list, the team’s spirits remain high. While the inevitable end of our Journey is coming closer, our focus continues to concentrate on being vigilant on our bikes and sparking joy in the hearts of people of all abilities in every city that we stop.
-Dan Gogue