July 12, 2007 Pratt to Wichita, KS

We rode to Wichita on the 12^th and had a day off on the 13^th. The terrain was mostly flat with some hills, if I remember right. It's pretty hard to tell these days apart. I was in the last group and we just took it easy as the time passed quickly because we were chatting for most of the ride. A team member's parents bought us lunch at Chipotle (a mexican fast food place) that has humongous burritos and other food but it was just too spicy for my liking. By the way, we were staying at a nice hotel and each of us had our own big bed! We had dinner at the Kansas Jaycee CP Ranch which was hosting a one-week camp for kids with disabilities. There wasn't one child that I especially hung out with for the evening but I still enjoyed floating around during the carnival-like activities. At the beginning, we found out that we all needed to choose nicknames and I randomly thought of Tiny Dancer. Later, I agreed to have a butterfly painted on my face as it was too a tiny dancer, perhaps even a insect representation of me. I had a great time during the 30 second whip cream eating contest. I may not have “won” but my plate was definitely the cleanest. I walked around with Marcus for just a little bit, a blind child. It was very interesting to walk with him as he navigated himself around benches and poles. This was also a mail-drop for us and I got a letter from Hailey (yeah!) and a jam-packed care package from Aunt JoAnn (thank you again!). The Starburst Jellybeans were gone in about three days. The three of us from WSU received an invitation to Ian's wedding and thank you guys for the invite but I don't think we'll be able to make it. I wish I could be there though and thanks again for all of your support!

On the day off we had breakfast at the house of a former team member's house. The house was amazingly big and the breakfast wasn't so bad either, pancakes and eggs Benedict among other things. Lunch was at Rainbows United which was like a summer school for kids with disabilities. There was a ton of kids there and a wide variety of disabilities. I hung with Jeffrey while each person in the room filled a jar with colored sand and made different designs in it. At lunch, I sat next to a kid who kept trying to steal everything other people had. He was non-verbal and continuously was reaching to people's plates trying to get their pizza. It was funny to me but it clearly happens a lot, I could tell by the way the caregiver reacted. Dinner was at an office building which was an independent living resource for people with disabilities. I sat with Jerry and two other women at a table of four so I was trying my best to keep the conversations going by myself. I can tell that I'm a lot better now than I was at the beginning of the trip.