Auntie Em, Auntie Em!

I wish I were writing this in Nebraska, so I could say "I don't think we're in Kansas anymore," but alas, this is our last night in the state. I believe I left off in Moberly, MO- the next two ninety-mile days brought us first into Richmond and then into Lawrence, KS. Not too much to say about the rides... long, flat, fairly pretty. On the second day we stopped for lunch in Kansas City, our last sizable city until San Francisco. While we were eating lunch under an overpass a truck hit a fire hydrant and created a spontaneous little three-story fountain for us (and apparently Kansas City is second in number of fountains only to Rome, so there you go). And in Richmond, we got a lesson in organ playing from one of the parishioners... and that's all that stands out from those two days. Oh, and one other thing- Kansas is not flat as a pancake, or even a waffle. There have been parts hillier than anything since Kentucky. All very pretty though.

Lawrence was very hip and happening, a little liberal bubble of a college town in the middle of miles of farmland. Lots of great little shops, restaurants, juice bars, normal bars, what-have-you. . Lawrence also happens to be the home of the University of Kansas, the alma mater of one of fellow BnBer Josh. It even had a top notch bike that many of us frequented for some much needed repairs. Best of all, we stayed in Lawrence for two build days in a (drum roll) hotel! Yes, for the first time in a month we all got to sleep in real BEDS and watch TV. Amazing.

The build days were great, for a number of reasons. First, we works on the same site, which I prefer to splitting the group up because you see so much getting done. Second, we were actually working on a house, which I prefer just because I feel more like I'm having a direct impact. And then the homeowner Hameed had a very cool story- he moved to the US from Nigeria with his wife and five kids, all of whom, I understood, were attending college. The main work of the day was hanging dry wall, which most of us had never done but which basically involves nailing plasterboard-like Sheetrock to a house's frame. It was really fun, satisfying work, and in the two days we were able to do the whole ceiling. The time I wasn't building I enjoyed just exploring the town, laying in bed and swimming in the hotel pool, salting the time off. One night we went to a local commune, or "intentional community" as the inhabitants called, where a former BnBer hosted us for an awesome dinner of local, organic food. Afterwards we got a tour of the commune, a converted hardware store which they were working to convert to a green community space for social justice, holistic health, etc. It was called the Cosmic Beauty School. All very idealistic and hippie, but noble and admirable nonetheless.

We left Lawrence rejuvenated and ready to press on into the second half of the trip. It's been two long days, ninety yesterday into Manhattan and one hundred today into Beloit. In Manhattan KS, the "little apple" and the home of Kansas State, we were treated by our hosts to a trolley ride and an order-whatever-you-want dinner at Olive Garden. I got apricot chicken, and it was delicious. And now here I am sitting in the Catholic high school here in Beloit, gearing up for Nebraska tomorrow where I'll finally be able to drop that apt one-liner. T-five days to Colorado, I can't wait for the west! Pictures below, peace out.