(Editor’s note: The following are postcards sent back by Mike Yoder, J-W chief photographer, who is participating in this week’s Biking Across Kansas trip.)

SUNDAY

Eight hundred cyclists took off from the Colorado border this weekend on the 30th Bike Across Kansas. Forty riders are from Douglas County, including me.

In song, they call the wind Mariah, but out here, what they’re calling it can’t be repeated in a family newspaper. Headwinds and crosswinds are around 20 mph.

“The wind was in my face the whole time,” commented Allen Levine, a former Lawrence city commissioner on the ride.

The riders are staying overnight in Oakley. Today is the longest ride of the trip: 74 miles to Hill City.

MONDAY

Like many cyclists in the Bike Across Kansas, Lisa Rasor, Lawrence, was on her bike by 5:30 a.m. Sunday. Rasor was riding the second day of the 489-mile, eight-day trip across the state. “It’s something different than anything else in life,” Rasor said of the BAK. “It’s crazy, but it’s the best thing in the world when you get to the Missouri River.”

“It was a great ride from Oakley to Hoxie,” said Mark Desetti, Lawrence, who is cycling with his son Nathan, 16, a Free State High School student.

But from Hoxie to Hill City it was grueling and gruesome. As cyclists entered Hill City on Sunday afternoon, the temperature sign at the bank read 99 degrees. Today’s forecast is for 100-plus degrees as cyclists head to their overnight destination of Osborne.

TUESDAY

It’s still in the upper 90s, but today we had 30 mph to 35 mph crosswinds. Saw many kinds of bicycles: a unicycle, recumbents, one cyclist pulling his dog in a trailer and a three-seated tandem. The three-seater belongs to Mike Johnson of Shawnee, who owned Chiropractic Family Center in Lawrence from 1980 to 1998.

“Hot and windy,” Johnson said, pedaling in the lead seat.

“Like crossing the desert,” said his companion Julie Strohm, of Blue Springs, Mo.

“It was pretty much normal,” said 6-year-old Courtney Johnson, who pedaled in the rear seat. As the three biked toward Osborne, Courtney sang “I’ve been Working on the Railroad” on the bicycle’s intercom. “It helped pick up the pace,” Strohm said.

We head to Lincoln tomorrow.

WEDNESDAY

Another tough day on the Bike Across Kansas: As cyclists rode south from Osborne to Lincoln, they faced 30- to 40-mph head winds and steep hills.

There were many times I had to pedal downhill just to keep from stopping.

“If I was home and looked outside to this, I wouldn’t even get on a bike,” said Wanda Groves, of Goddard, qan 11-year BAK veteran.

Asked how she felt about the extreme conditions, she said, “You just don’t get in a hurry.”

At 82, Wanda is the oldest cyclist on the trip.

Wanda did the trip in revese, with the wind behind her, and said she reached 32 mph on the downhills.

The town of Hunter, population 70, provided lunch for the 800 riders. Riders headed east today to Chapman.

THURSDAY

Bike Across Kansas cyclists have ridden through 90 degree heat with 40 mph winds, and Wednesday we got rain.

East of Lincoln, a gentle but steady rain soaked riders, strung out along Kansas Highway 18 pedaling east to Chapman.

“I still prefer this to yesterday,” said Shirley Hitt, Lecompton, recalling Tuesday’s strong headwind and steep hills.

“This is the best natural cooler you can have.” said Hitt’s husband, Doug, of the refreshing rain.

Cyclists have completed 331 miles of the 489-mile trip and will take off for St. Marys this morning. Forecast calls for a plague of locusts.

Cyclists reach Lawrence Friday.