Topeka – This was another one of the quintessential “rolling hills” rides, and all of the climbing definitely worked up an appetite for the cyclists. In addition to indulging in our usual Cliff Bar products, we were greeted with a surprise roadside challenge toward the end of the ride: fried chicken! Probably not very Lance Armstrong approved, but we went for it. We had a fairly large arrival in Topeka and it was great to see the turnout. After spending some quality time at a carnival hosted by a local disabilities organization called TARC, we checked into our hotel. This one was particularly nice and reminded me of the infamous Desmond Hotel in Albany, NY which my cousins and I remember fondly. I stayed there for my Grandpa’s wedding and it had a very outdoor-while-indoor feel. I wanted to get the most bang for my buck with a comfortable bed to sleep in, so I packed it in relatively early.
Olathe – I’ll go ahead and give this town the award for most surprisingly awesome stop along the way. Some highlights:
- A living history museum visit that included my first stint in a stagecoach. That must be some sort of rite of passage…
- Lodging at the Kansas School for the Deaf. We had the chance to tour a Deaf Cultural Museum next door and it was very eye opening. We each received a takeaway card with the sign language alphabet and I'm making good progress so far!
- A trip to Mark Cameron’s home. Mark (who hooked up our entire stay in the greater Kansas City region) was disabled in an accident a few years back, and has a home that has truly astounding technological capabilities that allow him to move around and lead a productive life. On a sidenote, he even has that famous lamp from “A Christmas Story” that he can turn on simply by saying “Fragile” (pronounced “Frag-ee-lay” in accordance with the movie). Read about his story: http://teamcameron.org.
- An awesome friendship visit with a local therapeutic learning center for children with disabilities. I got to spend time in a classroom and at recess with the kids there and it was one of my favorite parts of the Journey so far. I particularly clicked with a young guy named Colin (the redhead pictured below). He had such an incredible and fun loving vibe and I can tell he’s going to really thrive in life.
- Promotions for a Narnia exhibit in Union Station in Kansas City. While I was saddened that the exhibit was closed, my excitement at simply being in its presence should require no further explanation!
- A trip to the Kansas City Royals Stadium. Not my team of choice, but we did get to spend some serious quality time playing games in the press room with the quirky “K Crew” staff. Actually, that’s all we did. The game was cancelled, but we still managed to score some time on the field (where we were originally supposed to be recognized prior to the game). I also happened to bump into Gregg Davis and Will Warihay (’07 brothers from my chapter), who are currently visiting different stadiums throughout the country. It was great to see them… small world!
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