Day 50: 60 miles, Jul 7

Again I slept in. This campground was a state park, so it was the first real camping experience I've had in a while -- I slept very well and quietly. As I was wrapping my handlebars with much-needed new cork, Megan from Wales pulled in. She is perhaps the friendliest person I've met thus far. She had never toured on a bicycle until last December when decided she wanted to do the trip.

And she's doing it right: taking her time and enjoying each place. She's headed west and has alloted six months for the trip. I think she is the sort of person who gets the most out of an adventure like this. She recounted all sorts of hardships to me, but ended each story with an optimistic chuckle saying, "Well, I've got great stories to tell!"

A real lesson: Someone who rolls with the punches of life and goes wherever the adventure leads her will, undoubtedly, be happiest.

As I rolled into the small town of Walnut, KS, I was delighted to be greeted by three young cyclists: Maya, Rose, and Justin. Great to have some company for the evening! We all went out for beers at the local bar pictured above, and ended up talking to some local guys. One of them, Randy, is a local farmer who really wanted to be an astronaut. He could tell you the year and month of every Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo mission!

Meeting local people is one of my favorite parts of the trip. I think in order to learn about a place you have to not only see it but also interact with it, too.