Stampede, With Real Cows!

Cows on the move. Stampede!

Another first on my bike. I started a stampede.

Gina G. and I went for an early morning ride and rode south into the sandhills. It was tough going against the wind, but our friends doing the Bike Across Kansas have been battling it all week so we surely could handle it for a few miles. At one point there was a nice heard of cows with their baby calves beside us. The little ones are so cute and they started trotting along with us along the fence. Pretty soon, more and more were running with us, then the whole herd broke away and headed across the pasture. Gina thought it might be our yellow jerseys that finally scared them away, but it felt a little depressing to think we caused a stampede.

Gina G.

I'm sure they slowed down before they broke free and caused any real damage. Then again, they may have been headed toward the feed bunk and we just happened to be there to see them head for their breakfest.

That's what I like about riding out in the hills. They have a wildness about them that can make you think you are a pioneer crossing the great praire. I've seen deer crossing within 50 yards of me. Turtles were on the move this morning and we saw plenty. I haven't seen too many live snakes, but I have seen dead ones and that's fine with me. With a little rain the desert flowers come into bloom and the view is splendid.

Now if we could just do something about the wind. We managed fine and had a great tailwind ride home. I hit 35 mph going down Sunflower hill and that was plenty fast for me! Gina has been riding for just over 8 months now and is getting to be very strong. I'm so fortunate that I have friends that enjoy riding and feeling the wind at our backs. It makes the miles fly by.