State Line Steps and Old Trail Friends

I got up early today—5:00am—to hit the road by 6. Well... it was more like 6:15am by the time I rolled my buggy out the door. As I stepped outside my room, I bumped into Donna, the cleaning lady at the motel, already hard at work. We chatted briefly, and I asked her about my best route options out of town. She was super helpful and kind—what a lovely way to start a sunny Sunday.

The first few miles were in darkness, but I felt good, grateful for the cool air and wide shoulder along Highway 60. After about 8 miles, I switched to a quieter, hillier road with no shoulder but little traffic. Then I joined Highway 400—a big road with a beautifully wide shoulder—and finally finished the day on Highway 160, a hilly stretch with no shoulder, making the final miles more challenging.

Somewhere along Highway 400, I crossed yet another state line—from Missouri into Kansas. Wowi! Another milestone!

The day felt smooth and strong—until around mile 30. That’s when I ran straight into a brutal headwind. The gusts were wild and unrelenting, making it almost impossible to keep a rhythm. Balancing the buggy against the wind and staying upright on tilted or uneven roads became its own kind of endurance test.

Still, I had something special to look forward to: meeting up with Don—trail name Piper—an old friend from my Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) days. We’d only spent about 20 minutes together back then, when he gave me and my friend Ibu a ride from Skykomish to Stevens Pass. But that short moment meant the world. Now, all these miles and 2 years later, we reunited on Highway 160.

Since there weren’t any good options to stay around the 43-mile mark, Don met me with his already-packed car, we loaded the buggy, and drove back to Baxter Springs to the only motel around. At check-in, Dwayne at the reception offered me some special American snacks after he learned I was from Switzerland. He’s a world traveler too and had such a warm, welcoming energy.

So tonight I’ll keep it short: a hot shower, dinner with Don, and rest. Tomorrow it’s back on the road. My body’s tired but my heart is full. There’s something magical about these connections—old and new—that keep showing up right when I need them most.

Thanks for following along