Flint Hills Nature Trail -- Vassar east to Hell and back! :)

We rode from Vassar to just east of K-68 that goes south to Quenemo.   This was 6.5 miles which was going to put us over the farthest distance we have ridden so far by the time we got back.   We encountered a quite long snake about 1/3 of the way into the trip and that put my Sweetie in a foul mood as she does not like amphibians that slither.  Proud of her for pushing through it! She had to sit on the rock bench about halfway back and think about finishing, but the courage eventually flowed out and we moved on :) .  

~~S

Not gonna lie.  I did not enjoy this ride.  First, there was that frigging snake.  Nope, nope.  Not a fan.  Secondly, not only was this our longest distance to ride to date, but physically the route kicked my a**.  I simply was not prepared for the almost constant uphill grade the entire way back.  Had to walk part of it as I just couldn't keep it going. Finally climbed back on the bike at the K-268 underpass, and the two or whatever miles from that point back into Vassar was absolutely an exercise in endurance torture.  I was almost in tears by the time we got back to the car.  Just keep pedaling. It's all I could keep telling myself.

~~H

Nice seating area on the trail in Vassar

We've driven on the bridge thousands of times.  This is the first time we've seen it from this vantage point.

I'm really just not into crap like this.
** Note  Believe this is a speckled kingsnake  S~~

Cool rock wall......

..... complete with some retro carvings.   1982.

Video: Who knew you could ride to Hell and back? :D