Backroads Touring - June 3, 2007

June 3, 2007 ... Ride Leader Gordon Polston - Herington - KLR650, put out the call on the BT-K bulletin board ... and had seven more riders hook-up with him in Cassoday, KS.

The central flatlands of Kansas have been flooding from nearly four weeks of constant rain, but we felt confident that the uplands of the Flint Hills would be in fairly rideable condition. We guessed right!

Coming in from several points of the compass were: Larry Ostrom - Concordia - KLR650, Tom Harmon - Durham - KLR650, Britt Lolley - Wichita - 650 V-Strom, Steve McAtee - Topeka - DR650, Tracy Ropp - Goddard - XR650R, Monte Kuxhausen - Wamego - KLR650, and Roger Baugh - Wichita - KLX250.

There was also a "Biker Breakfast Sunday" going on in Cassoday this day, and the town of one hundred souls was joined by anywhere from 4,000 - 6,000 cruisers, choppers, tourers, sport bikes, and our little band of dualsport riders. It was quite a sight to behold ... but the noise levels were deafening, and before too long, we were ready to leave it all behind and get out to the quieter and more scenic backroads.

We rode to the east out of Cassoday a few miles, then turned south down Road B into wild mustang country. Continuing south, we rode through the 777 Ranch, then close to the ghost town of Ivanpah. Throughout the day, we would ride open range frequently, so cattle herds were always afforded right-of-way whenever we encountered them.

We made a short rest stop along the Ivanpah Creek to enjoy some shade and chat with a local. We then rode to highway US-54 and turned east to Eureka. Lunch would be enjoyed at the Lo-Mar hamburger stand, a Eureka landmark.

Following lunch, we turned north and got back on the gravel roads ... and they were anywhere from pristine to deeply dry-mud rutted. We arrived in the ghost town of Thrall (nothing left there), then rode up to Texaco Hill along a highly scenic section. A little further east, Tom suggested we try the "Little Cedar Creek Road" ... and later we all agreed, it was as scenic a road as any we had ridden the entire day. A short while later, we arrived in Matfield Green. This was our departure point, where the northern and southern riders split to make their ways home.

Just another perfect day of riding in the Flint Hills! ..... rb

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