Just Keep Pedaling: Flint Hills Nature Trail - Quenemo to K-268 construction

Tonight my sweetie and I rode from the crossing of K-68 just north of Quenemo to the construction on K-268. This was about 10 miles round trip. It is pretty much an uphill ride from the Trailhead at K-68 to the construction site. This was a much easier ride than our previous attempt at it, as we started with the uphill portion, so we were not so tired. (And also we are better conditioned at this bike riding thing 6 weeks later ~~H) We also rode east from K-68 about 3/4 mile to the end of the line where eventually the Landon Trail coming south from Topeka will meet up with the Flint Hills trail.

We also passed what would be a rather large canyon along the trail if you were an ant. Good thing neither of us rode our bikes into it as we would have likely had dirt for dinner. I am sure she will share some pictures of the rather large canyon!

For our reward, we stopped and ate dinner at Amigos Mexican restaurant in Pomona. It was quite busy and the food explained why. It was quite delicious! Well worth the trip.

S~~

Two vehicles pull into the Flint Hills Nature Trail Quenemo trailhead at *exactly* the same moment on a beautiful late summer Saturday afternoon. One is a green Honda Fit, the other is a gray Chevy Silverado. From each vehicle emerge a man and a woman. From the back of each vehicle are pulled two bicycles.

That is where the similarities stop.

One couple are wearing shorts and ratty neon T-shirts that bear tell-tale grease marks in the shape of bike chains. They strap bike helmets on their heads.

The other couple are wearing full-on camo outfits, head to toe, long sleeved shirts and pants. They sling hunting bows over their shoulders.

And at this point, I imagine each couple is eyeing the other and thinking thoughts along these lines: "It appears that we have conflicting objectives regarding our intended usage of this trail on this day."

But the male half of the camo couple did strike up a friendly conversation, asking if we rode this trail much and if we see many deer. He then went on to explain that they use their bikes to get to their deer stand.

As we rode away on our bikes, I imagine they were thinking "Great...... I hope they don't scare all our deer away."

And I was thinking "Great...... I hope we don't get speared with an arrow." Ironically, this very thought had occurred to me earlier this summer when we first starting riding, that I really wouldn't want to be out on these trails during hunting season. It appears that it must be hunting season.

I did comment to him that if there was a positive, it was that they knew we were out there.... and what we were wearing. And we obviously made it home alive or I wouldn't be reporting this now. And it's highly likely that we did, indeed, scare their deer away, because just minutes into our ride, I would estimate maybe a half mile away from where we had ridden away from the hunters and both of our vehicles, hubby said 4 deer very quickly bounded off the trail just a short distance in front of us. It must have been very quickly, because I didn't see them. I apparently only see snakes. :)

Trail closed sign at the K-268 underpass currently under construction (east side)

Pretty darn good sized washout/crack/mini tectonic plate running right down the middle of the trail somewhere between the Quenemo trailhead and Road 249

Foot for scale.


But on the upside, kickstand not necessary.


The point east from K-68 about 3/4 mile to the end of the line where eventually the Landon Trail coming south from Topeka will meet up with the Flint Hills Trail.