Thursday 15^th April, Astro Motel, Hutchinson Kansas

09.30

We arrived here yesterday lunchtime after another hard 38 mile slog in a cross-wind. We have gone slightly off-route because Sterling our intended next stop only had one motel with universally hostile reviews. It’s turned out to be a good choice. Hutchinson is a medium size town with some interesting places to visit and a reasonable selection of bars and restaurants.

We checked into the Astro Motel just off Main St. A bit down-market but it is central which is important on a rest day. We are in the Double Queen Room. What can I say ?

Lunch was soup and corned beef on rye sandwiches in Ally’s Del around the corner and yesterday afternoon was taken up with a visit to Harleys Bike shop. This turned out to be a really good place; the assistants knew their stuff and were extremely helpful. They went to a lot of trouble to replace a British Standard nut on my back wheel, which had got badly burred (so Mike tells me – I just hand the bike to the assistant and look dumb). I bought a new spanner and pump, both lost in transit (how do you lose your pump on a bike trip ?) and an incredibly garish ,yellow shirt - official colour name Screaming Yellow. My outer jacket is very bright but all my shirts are dark so when it gets hot I’ve not been as visible as I’d like. Drivers here are generally very considerate but some of the big trucks can’t avoid getting close to the hard shoulder. No point in taking any extra risks. Mike replaced his back tyre ; the third puncture in Cassoday was the clincher.

In the evening we had a couple of drinks in Carl’s bar and deli. From the outside it’s a small shop with mirrored windows but inside a large lively tavern with an impressive selection of draught and bottled beers. The place was fairly full, mostly with people who looked as if they had just finished work. There were 6 large TVs showing a variety of sports and a number of screens showing computerised lotteries and poker games, Neon beer signs everywhere. The assumption must be that people need constant distractions. The TV channels rarely stay on any one sport for more than a few minutes (more than enough if it’s basketball).

After that it was on to Gillian’s Italian Restaurant around the corner from the hotel. A bit poncy (never trust a place that has square plates) but the food was ok. Reasonable plates of pasta and a bottle of “House Cabernet” a half price special offer. Our waitress Karen was an amateur rower and about 6ft tall: “My dad is 6 10 and weighs 330 lbs”. I don’t envy the man who has to ask him for permission to marry his daughter.

After dinner, we stood for a while at the level- crossing behind the motel competing to see who could take the most moody, elegiac photos of the setting sun on the railroad. Looking at them this morning, we both lost.

Mike then sensibly retired for the night. Somehow I found myself back in Carls trying, and failing, to work out how to play computerised poker. In the corner they had a game with a basket ball hoop which looked easy but judging by the success rate of the competitors must have been rigged in some way. I was itching to have a go but, just for once, had the sense not to.

It was still crowded at nine o’clock, lots of couples and groups and one chubby red- faced bloke with a beard

I got talking to John the manager who said the he’d opened the place two years ago and was doing very well.

John: “Do you like the Beatles? “

Me: “Yeah they were great”

John:“ Man, I really dig those guys”

Me: “They changed everything really”

John: “I love the Beatles”

Me: “Mmm”

John “Really love them”

Time to go home.

17.30

Today has been a very relaxing and interesting day.

After breakfast, Mike went off to the Cosmosphere Space Centre and I headed off to the Mall to buy a few bits and pieces. My first ever visit to a Wal-Mart. Vast soul-less places. This one was the size of the Wandsworth Arndale Centre. A whole aisle given over to different flavoured crisps.

At the check-out I asked the assistant where the nearest bookshop was as I’ve nearly finished Chris Mullin. She said that Wal-Mart sold books , which they do, in the same way that Tesco sells books. “Or you could try that place across the way that sells calendars. They might have some.”

Back in town I wandered around happily people-watching. I met Bob In Bob’s Trading Post, a guns and ammo store. A heavier version of Paul Whitehouse, Bob had clear views on the efficacy of fire-arms - “A well-armed society is a polite society” - and was a mine of useful information. “Now your Hispanic; his weapon of choice is often likely to be a machete.”. The pistol in his belt discouraged me from opening out the discussion on the desirability of easy access to firearms.

After this, in the Hutchinson Arts Centre , I saw both the permanent display, mostly of paintings by artists in and around the Wichita area and an exhibition of work by local high school students. The curator, Ned kindly invited me to a reception this evening to mark the exhibition but I fear our schedule will not allow this.

Mike arrived back soon afterwards and over lunch - burgers at Carls bar - was kind enough to give me an extremely detailed debriefing on his visit to the Cosmosphere. I never knew that rockets could be so interesting.

Looking back, it is difficult to imagine a more stimulating and entertaining way to spend a few hours.