August 4, Harvey County Park East, near Newton, KS to Eureka, KS

Today I rode through an area of Kansas known as the Flint Hills.  It is an area of rolling hills with lots of rock outcroppings.  The rocks make it difficult to plow, so the area is mostly used for ranching.

Cattle in the Flint Hills

I passed by a pipeline construction project.  They are building an oil pipeline from Alberta, Canada down to Houston, TX.  The pipeline is expected to be able to deliver up to 900,000 barrels of crude oil per day to the U.S. when it is finished.

Oil pipeline project near Elbing, KS

About 5 miles of the trip was on newly chip-sealed roadway.  I would be pelted by loose gravel when a vehicle went by.

Loose gravel

It was going to be another hot day, and some of the cows are getting prepared.

River cows

At the town of Cassoday I turned south and continued through the Flint Hills.  There are signs as you enter and leave Cassoday claiming to be “the prairie chicken capitol of the world”  Woo Hoooo!

Old train depot in Cassoday, KS

I rode south to the small town of Rosalia, KS where I stopped and had lunch with a westbound cyclist from Hong Kong.

In the Flint Hills near Rosalia, KS

At Rosalia, I turned east again on Highway 54.  After about 5 miles the road began a series of downhill sections that were most welcome in the increasing heat.

Looking east from the Flint Hills escarpment on Hwy 54 east of Rosalia, KS

I met Vicki as I entered the town of Eureka, KS, where we will spend the night .

Miles today: 67   Total miles: 2,426