Jeremiah Watt

___IT GETS A MIGHT WINDY IN CANVAS________
To say it ran afoul is my interpretation, but don't let me get ahead of myself with the days events. I set my tent up under a serious threat of a night of both wind and rain. I got both, I didn't know until later that most of the area had recieved 1.25-1.5 inches of rain. But the little tent held up just fine, so no complaints at all from me.


So the day started right off in the SLOG mode, and nothing really changed as far as amount nor direction of wind. I was determined that I would make my 60 plus miles down the road no matter what. As it was yesterday, it was also quite difficult to hold the edge of my lane as I like to do. Not only that, but there is no room on the shoulder to be running off iether since you hit soft dirt and a steep ditch. SO pedal Jeremiah, and shut-up.................alright, alright already thats what I am doing.


I came to the Historic site of Fort Larned, and decided that I would make this a stop to learn and show some of you folks what a well preserved Fort looks like. I hope that you enjoy it, because I sure did.


The entire Fort has been restored to its original condition and settings, each room is set up to hold a piece of what made the Fort an important stop as well as a Military outpost for guiding wagon trains and other Military guard type convoys. All totallled I spent about 1.5 hours at the Fort.





Its only another 5-6 miles down the road to the actual town of Larned and I stoppped here and bought a qt of milk and some yogurt. I sat easting my lunch on the curb in front of a road side store. While there a fellow came along ahos name was Micheal, even though he looked very asian to me. Turns out that Micheal is the son of a Vietnam War Ex-Pat and he and his family where moved to Kansas after the War came to an end. My new friend Micheal, just couldn't believe that I would even try to ride a bike across America. We got to talking about life and what we had seen and done, and Micheal pointed to his Restaurant that he owns and operates. I was caught off guard since it is called the Peking Palace. So that made me ask the question why are you cooking Chineses food when your native culture is Vietnamese? Quite simple said Micheal, Americans are very fussy eaters. Its like this properly cooked Vietnamese food is always cooked in fish sauce and has a very strong smell to it.


The fish sauce smells bad, but you can get past the smell, the food tastes really good and in his opinion is fresher tasting than Chinese. So, I can sell any sort of Chinese food, but not real Vietnamese. I asked what Micheal's opinion about America was now that he called it home. And was pleasantly surprised to the answer, because he touched on two facets that interested me but where not asked. America it is true, is a place where you can be and do what you want. When I was a boy in Vietnam, we used to hear it from US soldiers but always wondered if it were true. I can tell you that it is true, here in America I own a restaurant that I could not have today in the corner of Vietnam that I grew up in. I beleive today, as my family believed back then, that America pulled out of Vietnam before they finished the work intended..................and the whole of Vietnam Penninsula would be better of today if we would have stayed. Like Iraq today, we need to be there, but some in America think we should pull from there also. And I think that this will give the same results as Vietnam, which is bad.

After the talk with Micheal, I was joined by Arty who is a truck driver in the local who was also amazed that someone would ride a cycle across America. Arty tells me that he was a machinist over in Witchita, but the product that he made and the Company for that matter have both moved off-shore. The manufacturing jobs that used to be abundant in the larger cities of Kansas are now gone, and the serviving of products are all that is left. SO I got the best job left in Kansas, and thats driving a truck. I do real well at it and don't have to work so hard iether. So Arty, what do you think of the push by many politicians to make the whole "free-trade" policy come to pass? Well thats just plain nuts, I dont know what the heck they expect our kids to do when they get out of school these days, the jobs and job selection are just not there, at least what I can see in my State of Kansas. I drive all over this State, and everyone wants to drive truck, its the last good job left. I thanked him for his insight, and explained to him that I think almost anyone can and could ride across USA if they wanted to.

SO, with that I rode out and headed up the highway. The country is very lush at least to me being from California. The grass is so deep, and the hills not huge just a constant rolling terrain. Another thing that I noticed and am not sure that I took photo's of, is the abundance of hand cut long Limestone rocks cut to be used as fence posts and fence corner braces. Some had dates on them back to the 1885 times. It wasn't long and I was in Pawnee Rock, and there is an old sand stone looking building that was on a corner at one time, but now finds itself like many of us, sitting at rather an ackward angle to the world of today.

It seemed like a good time to get off and check out the Antique Market of Pawnee Rock, and in I went and was promptly met by MArge and her two little Yorkies. I held my poise, stayed perfectly still till Marge could call the raveous little ankle biters back into thier proper corner. Marge had a nice selection of stuff from some nice furniture pieces to books about the west and plenty of antique quilts and glass wear. I was intent on doing some Christmas shopping while out on the road, exactly what I was doing..............but I wont say for who. Marge talked, I listened and ambled thru the many rooms of stuff, and answered back infrequently. MArge kept up the chatter I think even when I wasn't there, but today she had a captive ear. Ah ha, I think that I found what I was in search of, yes its fairly nice, not that I know much about it all...........but was being made in England the best choice and so I ask Marge. Well, folks that started the ensuing dialog that took over an hours time, but I have to say I found it all quite interesting because it revo9lved around the whole of the British Isles. Now this is pertinent to know, becasue the Watt's and a friend are going to the same place next summer, so the more information we can find the better, and MArge was certainly full of that. During the discussion, I mentioned I had teenagers and was planning on atending many of the Churches and Museums in the Isles.......................wow, said MArge! How do you get away with that? I was no entirely sure off the question so asked her to clarify, and once I understood and had assured her my own kids are equally interested in seeing the same things she was astonished. How marvelous she excalimed, since in her opinion what was missing in the youth of America today was an appreciation of the fine Arts and Music. In her opininon, and mine......RAP, was something that should be played to a Hampster if he refuses to roll his little clear plastic ball or something like that. Any ways, we had quite a discussion about education, and where it is going wrong for our kids today.......matter of fact she made mention of some statistics that I would like to get my hands on and see if they are close to true. Her point was that students who were engaged in the arts and or music are higher achievers in all levels of school and have a much lower rate of falling into drugs and crime. The reasoning was, that they are active and in a competative sense engaged with fellow class mates to make the band etc. And later on at the College level, they have an extracurricular endevour that tends to keep them away from the "bad crowd" and out with a better group of kids. It all sounded fairly logical to me, but like I say it would be nice to find some data.

I rode on to Great Bend, and on thru the town. Funny but I noticed that quite a few folks (3-4) yelled stuff at me that was not very nice, this is a first on this trip. I stopped at a Grocery Store and got a few things, plus filled my water bottles. I decided to head further east out of town and away from all these people. SO I rode on, even though the sun was already getting quite low in the sky, I thought that I could find a road side a few miles out of town that would do just fine. And sure enough, maybe 3 mile east of town, there was a simple little park on the north side the road and I pulled into it. Being the only one there, I head right to the back against some trees and under a large tree, just incase it rained as it was looking like it could.

I had no sooner than got off and unhooked my little trailer than another green car drove in, and I never really gave it much notice......................that was until it had made itssecond or third trip past me. And about that time, I thought what is going on here, there is nobody in this park why can't this fella find a spot. So I watched a little closer as he made his circuit around me, speeding up when he was past and slowing right down as he passed me. I watched but tryed to look like I was not...........young fella, Hispanic looking, shor hair, almost looked like a Miltary recruit with the hair cut etc..........car is new, 2 door and has a yellow ribbon thing on rear rt qtr panel. He made at least 6 laps past me and then parked his car about 75-100 yards from me, and facing me. He didn't lay his head back and act like he was even taking a rest..............he just watched intently.

SO, I acted like he was not hter, and went about my business very slowly and methodically. Minutes idled by, and finally I heard his engine start and he made one more pass by me and left out towards town. Whew, I breathed easier now, that was wierd I tought. I got my camp full set up, and things in the proper place. With that done, I thought I would put a new battery in my cell phone and so walked across the road in the park and sat at a picnic table. I had black wind pants and a fairly dark gray top on as I sat working on my phone. The sun had already set, and I knew that I would be making a cup of tea in the dark.............no problem. But wait a minute, theres that dang car again. He turned in and made a beeline to go past my camp, I do not thin that the driver seen me sitting where I was in the colors I was wearing. He went past at least another 6 times, and each time he slowed right down, I could see his brake lights come on each time. Then he parked, just 50-75 yards from me at the table, I was croutched real low now...................scared you say,........no, nothing had slipped out the back yet.

He sat for a few minutes, and then exited the car. And I noticed that for a new car, there were no interior lights come on as he stepped out, and the door closed with barely a sound. He was a smoker, since I could see the end of his cig in the late dusk of the evening..............he was walking on the road but around the park in my direction. SO I made my move and headed for my camp low and as quick as I could. I made one pass by my tent from behind a tree and grabbed the only DEATH instrument that I had..............a small hammer that Pine had bought me for driving tent pegs. Once I had that I slipped into the cover of trees right behind my tent................and I watched.

He walked to within maybe 50 yards of my camp, and then turned around and walked back to the car. He slipped in, no lights on a nd drove off around the loop in my direction, about half way around he put his lights on and rolled real slowly past my camp...........almost coing to a stop. then out of the camp and back towards town. SO, there I sat in what had slipped out the back. I was wondering just what I ought to do, and like every good man it hit me right then.......call my wife. I did just that, and as I was explaining to her just what all had gone on, I am still behind the cover of trees, I notice a vehicle with no headlights turn down the little creek that ran to my left. It was real strange since he had to be on the highway with lights off, and thwen just hit the brakes enough to turn into the narrow road beside the creek. Now, I can tell you without joking, that I was a little booogered here. I was talking to Mom, and thats when the car returned with lights on and hit the circle around in my direction.

I got real low, told Mom adios. He made his second pass, and I hit the 9-11 call and talked to the lady on the other end. Told her I didn't like how this was all looking out at the old Fort Zarah Park, and maybe they could send an officer. BYthe time I had walked theu the events, the car had made another 6-7 passes and then pulled out on the highway again..............I was dissappointed and told the lady the same. She assured me they would send an officer, and I gave her my number for verification...................I will tell you that I am amazed that I even knew it.............it's the Lord, I know it.

I had not even really moved, since I was listening intently to the bush that ran behind me and to the creek to my left,,,,,,,,,I was expecting to here footsteps or twigs crackling underfoot........but nothing I could detect. Dang it all, here come those darned lights again. It is so dark that I cannot make out anything now, its well past 10 pm. I lay low, and watch, right around the loop and slow by me.............................then the darned phone rings and makes more fear squirt out. I answer expecting Mom, buts its the 911 gal. SO I tell her I am hiding in the trees, and that the car returned and is doing the very same routine.......................wait I tell her as quietly as I can, he has parked just 15-20 feet from my camp and his lights are out.....................YIKES. If some one had popped a paper bag behind me right then, you could have fertilized a garden for a month.............sorry Rob, but this sort of thing only happens at the movies for me. I told the gal I need to quit talking, since I was close enough that I thought he may hear me. She once again assured me an officer was on the way...............she made me tell her where I was hiding which I did so the officer would know to expect me.

The car did turn up, and rolled right around to the back of the park as I had told her to do. He pulled up by what was van...........not the green car. I knew and told the lady that the light pattern was different, but the driving pattern was the same. The Sherriff got the fella out and I could see from my vantage point that it was a different guy as well. This fella was about 40 and a little less fit than the guy in the green car. SO, he was hassled enough to encourage him to leave, which he did. And thats when I emerged from the cover off the tree line, and talked to the officer. He told me that this is no park for overnight camping, it is used in to many Narcotic drops and also by to many Homo-sexual encountres to make camping a safe thing to do. You can call me a conspiracy freak, but I am convinced that these two fellas were working in tandem, just too many things about driving etc were similar...............but, I will never be able to prove it.
So I told him of my problem, no lights on bike etc and 3 miles back to town. Do it somehow he said and now.
So with that he left, and I rolled camp in a hurry and headed out hanging onto a flashilight and steering the bike. I made it back to Great Bend and got a room, after I had been to 3 Motels on the outskirts of town. I was so nervous now, that I checked the rooms something that I never usually do. And each of them was a Motel wher folks meet for an hour at best and do what we won't speak off, and before they leave the man smokes a cigarette.

I finally get a room at Days Inn, and park my stuff. From there I call home to let them know I am still alive and had not been raped or worse. For me, its as close as I need to come to the Devil manageing to run things afoul, I firmly believe that God's Providential hand held off a foul deed............I will leave you to think as you would of it all.

Good Night and God Bless