Ed would know better than I would about riding in Kansas and the Nevegals are pretty hard to beat around hear as well, but I made the switch to the Specialized Purgatory on my 29'r (they make a 26 as well) and they are d**n good tires. They are fairly light, tubeless ready, tons o grip, and burly. They aren't the fastest (especially if you're running 2.4) but I ride on the street when I have to and they're not to bad. You should be able to pick them up for the price you want. You do have to go through a specialized dealer though (no online source).