After what seemed like an eternity of riding in the mountains and on the plains of Colorado, I finally made it to Kansas....land of farms, cattle and energy. Great ride today...110 miles...hot and still windy. Incredible sunrise as well as a countryside dominated by massive farms, cattle ranches and feedlots, oil rigs and gas processing plants. And, sadly a lot of small towns with literally nothing left other than the occasional dilapidated remnants of a gas station or general store....dots and names on a map with memories of better times long forgotten. Currently in Scott City Kansas at a different type of hostel...a 24 hour gymnastics gymnasium sleeping on a small mattress on the floor. I'm not complaining it's a bed with a roof overhead. Got a motel room last night and glad I did...incredible lightning and thunderstorm....not sure my tent would have held up in the storm!!