Sunday April 18^th The Lazy R Motel Scott City Kansas

16.00

There is a building in Ness City nicknamed the “Skyscraper of the Plains”. It’s just four storeys but it must have been quite a sight when it was built, in stone, in 1888. Now it acts as a civic centre and last night it was home to the local high school Prom. Mike and I had gone to look at the building and were lucky enough to see the students arriving in their finery. Very attractive they looked too. The girls seemed much more self-assured than the boys but then that’s how I remember it when I was that age.

Apparently, according to a woman in the local store, the Proms are held now as the school year ends in May. The students are then on holiday till the end of August. Can this be true? It seems a really long time.

Mike explained that it was normal for overseas visitors to attend these Prom events and they were expected to dance with as many Prommers as possible. Apparently there is a rather delightful custom whereby the girls feign reluctance and the stranger has to drag them on to the dance floor, ignoring any complaints they make, no matter how vehement. This sounded like good fun and I was very keen to take part. Unfortunately there was a bit of an altercation at the entrance when two, I have to say rather officious, ladies made a big fuss about us “not being allowed to bring brown paper bags in “ and we decided to retreat to the Cactus Club. Shame.

While we are still on Ness City, it’s other claim to fame, apart from the “skyscraper of the plains” is that, according to Wikipedia, “it gained international attention in March 2008 as the home of the woman whose buttocks grew attached to a toilet seat after refusing to move from it for two years.”

Up early today and after breakfast (back at the Cactus Club – once you find a decent place in town, you tend to stay there) we headed back on Highway 96 at 07.15. We then had, in my opinion, the most enjoyable days cycling so far. Cool and sunny, little or no wind, gentle hills and hardly any traffic. 55 miles in about five hours. A real treat.

Fifteen miles out of town there is a small monument to George Washington Carver ,whom I had never heard of. A truly remarkable man.

We stopped for coffee at Dighton, about half way. In the service station Mike got talking to a local farmer called Larry. I was only half listening but the conversation was quite interesting; they were discussing the small local oil wells that crop up quite a lot around here. One farmer has recently got lucky and is now, according to Larry, “filthy rich”. A few minutes later when I picked up the conversation again, something weird had happened. Larry, who described himself as a bible student, was explaining his theory that the Anglo Saxons, Celts and Germanic people were the Lost Tribes of Israel . He had lots of evidence; the lion in English heraldry being the Lion of Judah, stuff like that. Mike was nodding politely. I left them to it and went to look at the magazine stand. When I returned they were exchanging e-mail addresses. I have a feeling I know whose address Mike gave to Larry.

After our pleasant journey. Scott City is a disappointment. Twice as big as Ness City but with no character to speak of. The Lazy R is comfortable enough if a little old-fashioned. We have our own bed-rooms separated by an odd little kitchenette. According the woman in reception, the only places to eat this evening are Wendy’s and Pizza Hut. And there is no alcohol sold on the Sabbath. “Pizza Hut do deliver” she added helpfully.