Day 32: Newton, KS to Sterling, KS

Total Distance: 63.0 mi
Moving Avg: 9.3 mph
Moving Time: 6:48
Climbing: 1100 ft
Elev: 200 ft

Route Summary:
ACA route, mostly country roads

Well, I am definitly on the ACA route. I ran into my first group of
touring cyclists today. We of course fell to chatting. There were 26
of them coming from Glenwood Springs (I think that was it, anyway)
headed to Boston. They had a support van, so they were riding
unloaded, about 90 miles a day. It looked sorta like a summer camp, as
most of the riders were kids (I'm guessing aged 16 to 20 or so), and a
few adults. They were having a food break at the time, and they were
happy to share so I had a couple bananas.

Then, when I arrived in Sterling I fell to chatting with the motel
owner. The first thing he asked when I walked in was "East to West, or
West to East". Even though Sterling is 3 miles off the route, it is
marked on the map. The owner (as a side note, why are so many motels
owned/operated by Indians? At least 3/4 of the small motels I've stayed
at have been) was quite familiar with cross country cyclists, he gets
them all summer. 

The group I ran into said they had met a fair number of other
cyclists. Most of them are apperenly headed to Oregon (where the ACA
transam route goes). I can't say I'm horribly surpised. They seemed
happy to hear I wasn't headed there.

Not too much else of interest today. Headwinds as usual, but it sounds
like I might get some tail winds (according to the radio) in the near
future. Yay!