Backroads Touring - August 3, 2008

August 3, 2008 - An impromptu ride into the central Flint Hills of Chase county. Making this ride; Derek Ringer - Derby - XT225, James Lyon - Wichita - KLX250, Noel Heyer - Wichita - KLR650, Glen Krause - Emporia - KLR650, and Roger Baugh - Wichita - KLR650.

Our main rendezvous was Cassoday, KS. There was a 'Biker Breakfast' going on this day, but we elected to keep our time in Cassoday limited to refueling only. It would reach one-hundred degrees and above by midday, so the plan was to stay in motion as much as possible.

Our route took us to the west and north out of Cassoday, then cutting back to the east through Matfield Green. Riding further east, we picked up the Sharps Creek road, placing us on open range. At Bazaar, we turned west and rode to Coyne Creek, then Clements. Turning east again, we rode into Cottonwood Falls for lunch at the Emma Chase Cafe.

Following lunch, we rode to the east and south out of Cottonwood Falls to the ghost town of Elco, and stopped to admire "Stonehenge", the stone monument entry to the Schroeder Ranch. We continued south and west, and eventually wound our way back to Matfield Green. From there, it was time to cruise home, so the main group rode little used pavement back to Wichita, while Glen decided to run an open range route back to Emporia via Madison Road.

We covered over 260 miles of riding today, with the bulk of those miles at or above the century mark on the temperature gauge. Plenty of hydration, frequent shade stops, and layering of protective clothing made the heat bearable. There were no mechanical issues or mishaps today, and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing a lush green prairie painted with a profusion of wildflowers ... rb

Click here to download the route map

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