July 2, 2001 - Mike and Marilyn's 2001 TranAmerican Bike Tour

 

Ness City to Scott City, Kansas. (57 mi.) Mile 2097

Family connections in Scott City

Today's map instructions were simple: go straight, very straight, on Highway 96 until you come to wherever you want to stop for the day. This was the first day we have had to battle the strong Kansas winds head on for most of the day. We have been enjoying cross winds or light tailwinds. Today the wind came out of the S-SW at around 20 mph at times, howled in our ears, knocked our bikes around, and significantly slowed us down. This was occasionally punctuated by the roar of a big truck passing, first pushing us with the truck's leading air cushion, then sucking us along in the turbulent draft.

More flat land and heat

We took a side road in order to find a spot of shade

Not for the agoraphobic: we set our sights on a grain elevator in the distance that may be

an hour's ride against the wind.

It was with great relief that we made it into Scott City, where I anticipated meeting family I had not met before. My grandfather's family had moved to Scott City when he was a child, and my great-grandfather, C.R.J. McInturff, was a judge in Scott City at the time of his death. He is buried in the Scott City cemetery. I learned recently that I still have cousins there.

What a warm welcome we got when we finally arrived, hot and tired. Bruce Lewis, who is my dad's first cousin, and his wife Pat gave us warm hugs and treated us to cold drinks. Then we had an opportunity to meet Bruce and Pat's children, my second cousins; Gil, Bill, and Lisa, and their spouses. Bruce took us out to visit the Scott City Cemetery and the grave of my great-grandfather McInturff, and then out to dinner.

Bruce Lewis shows us where my great-grandfather (his grandfather) is buried.

Finally, we spent the night in the home where my grandfather spent his childhood. This home has been continuously occupied and lovingly maintained by the family for nearly 100 years. We have met many fine people on this trip, but discovering some that I am related to is an extra bonus of this bike trip.

Marilyn's great grandparents' home, Scott City, has remained in the family since it was built.