Day 24 - Easy Day to Ohio

Today we left Indiana and made it an easy ride to Ohio.  When we got up it was very humid and someone said we had a 40% chance of rain.  Did I say it was humid?  Susan N commented that it was only 7 am and it felt hot - its not hot!  We have been really lucky with the weather on this trip.  We had the one heavy rain day, but it was not as bad as it could have been.  The main weather blessing has been the temperatures.  Hopefully they will stay fair as 100 degree temps have been common around the country.  I can say with confidence that my last 4 training rides in Texas two weeks before this tour were harder than any 4 days of this trip.  The reason was the 97+ degree temps, heavy winds and chip seal that will rattle your teeth.  Cross your fingers that we will continue to have mild temps, favorable winds and smooth roads.

Anyway, today was an easy flat ride.  I just rode at my own pace - averaging 16 to lunch (and still riding at the back, not that it matters).  Today there was less corn - surprise!  It appears to me that the last several days we have had really big farms with really large masses of land to plant the crops.  I don't know if the land is owned by a corporation or by a family, but the crops were very expansive.  Now, it seems as if the crops or the land the crops are grown on is smaller with more farm houses separating the crops.  So I am guessing that these are most likely smaller family owned crops.  However, this did not translate into more barns.  Darn.

The highlight of the day was lunch.  Matter of fact, lunch is a highlight of most days!  It is always neat to see what Susan and the crew have fixed us each day.  Today was grilled chicken in a hot dog bun.  I ate mine with BBQ sauce.  Grilled chicken day may become one of my favorites.  My hands down favorite lunch is grilled cheese sandwiches (w tomato), followed closely by hot dog day.  I like hot dog day because I get a second dog to go and eat it on the road or in the motel room after the ride.  I also like burrito day, but those don't taste so good when you have a climb immediately after lunch.  Of course there is also hamburger day.  We always have a wide variety of veggie salads.  Today was cabbage and beet salad.  Yes, this is something I would have never ever tried had it not been on PAC tour, but because it is PAC tour, I ate it and it was good!  We had quinoa beet salad a week or so ago and it was good too.  Another salad favorite is something with carrots and rice noodles  - I really like it.  We almost always have chips and sweets, but I don't eat as much of those.  We have had sweet corn several days recently too.  It is sooooo good and fresh.  I have also had really good peaches and watermelon. 

Morning glory growing on a corn stalk - I would have taken more pictures of the morning glories as they were beautiful, but I got caught in the corn field as I took a "bio break".  Someone saw my bike and thought I was injured - nope, just couldn't find a better place to pee!

I think this is the barn of the day

Entering our 9th state - whoo hoo!

Sunflowers in a garden

More flowers in the same garden

Time for dessert!  A yummy chocolate/butterscotch chip cookie that Mark's girlfriend made.  As you can see I ate all of my beet and cabbage salad and all my chicken on a bun except that last little bit of bread.  We use sporks and paper plate holders every day at lunch - I do try and color coordinate my plate and spork!

Barn hiding in the bushes

 

Message board - every day we have to check the message board for any instructions.  Typically it will tell us what time breakfast will be.  As you can see - we weren't supposed to drink the water!  Fortunately, the boil water notice was lifted not long after we got in.  Notice breakfast is at 7 again - yeah - 30 more minutes of sleep!

Thanks again for reading and commenting.  I really do appreciate all yall (plural of yall!).  I really look forward to checking the comments. 

It looks like we have another shortish day tomorrow - only 94 miles.  This is the last of the flattish days - we will hit the Appalachians on Thursday.

Oh, BTW, rumor has it that tomorrow may also be grilled cheese and tomato day!  Yeah!

Day 23 - Emotions part 2

First, let me say Happy Birthday to my Dad - "Happy Birthday, Dad!"

Okay, I debated about blogging about the events of today.  I really want to be positive and have a happy blog, but at the same time, I want to show an honest picture of the trip and remember the emotions when I read back over my blog over the next umpteen years.  So, first let me say, I had a great day and rode well and feel great right now and I am having a blast!  However:

Warning!!!  Guys this is girl stuff - Stop reading here - it is sappy!

Warning!!! Mom, and everyone else who really know me - I am fine!

Today started like all other days.  I had my massage last night so I felt good when I got up and hoped that I would have a strong cycling day.  I got my stuff together, got my bike in order and was 3rd or 4th in line with my bag for the luggage truck.  The morning was humid, but comfortable. We started out and had light traffic for the first few miles - nothing too bad.  After we cleared out of town we all passed the Indiana sign and stopped to take pictures.  I was fortunate to be able to latch on to Paul's wheel as he was pacing Vikki.  I was able to ride strong with them for about 15 miles or so and boy was I on cloud nine!  I have been saying the whole trip that if I could just get the right conditions, I should be able to ride with the group on one of these flat days.  Then we came up on a detour as a road was under construction.  I was following Vikki and we both slid in a mud patch that was hidden in a shadow.  I did not go down, but it really unnerved me.  In the few seconds it took to get composed, I was off of Vikki's wheel.  So, I popped my gears to my big ring to hammer to keep up at the same time another group passed me.  Instead of going into the big ring, my chain falls to the outside of the ring onto my crank arm.  This has happened at least once every day since I have been on the trip.  Anyone reading this considering Q-ring - save yourself the money - they are awful.  I wish I had never used them!  I will take a hammer to them on August 11th!  Anyway, the adjustment necessary on the derailleur to make them work right is just to precise for a bike that is ridden for Randonneuring or trans-American travel. Maybe if you are a good mechanic, but someone who is not - Qrings are abysmal.  So, I have to stop and fix my chain and not only lose Vikki, but the second group that rode by as well.  Once again I am at the back of the pack.  Why today do I let this bother me, I don't know.  I have grown accustom to riding at the back.  I am okay, and very glad, that I am not under the pressure to ride every mile.  I have enjoyed getting each days ride in and if I do the whole thing great and if I don't then yeah, I get back earlier to get other things accomplished.  But for some reason  slipping in the mud, the chain and loosing the pace line really bothered me today.  I started crying like a girl!  I knew I had gone mental and kept trying to tell myself to think good thoughts.  All I could do was cry "Gary Indiana, Gary Indiana", which is a song Mike started singing on the third or fourth day of the trip at lunch and Vikki and I have been laughing about for a day or two.  Then I would cry more, then I would try and think happy thoughts.  I finally stopped crying but pulled into the first sag and Vikki was worried about me when she realized I had fallen off of the back of the pack.  So, when she asked me if I was all right, I started crying again.  All the girls tried to console me and who knows what the guys thought. I heard one of the guys ask if everything was alright and Susan C said it was just a girl thing.  That cracked me up.  Then, everything was okay again.  Just releasing the tears made me feel better.  Had I been at home I would have watched My dog Skip or Steel Magnolias to have a good cry!

Anyway - Jim looked at my bike and made a small adjustment.  It did not fix it completely, but it helped.  I rode on and ended up having a very good day. The route was fabulous.  Lon has done a fantastic job keeping us on back roads.  Although we are still ensconced in corn country, searching for good barns has kept me very interested in each days ride. 

Indiana - lost track as to how many states we have crossed - is this 7?

Neat old building with bikes hung as decoration

My favorite barn of the day - it is yellow although it looks white in this pic.  BTW,  the American barn is winning yesterdays barn contest.  Feel free to vote if you haven't though.

Soybeans in front of a barn

My foot! No, actually this is today's picture of corn - corn to the right and to the left!

Another barn

Tomorrow we head to Ohio.  It will be a short day with only 85 miles.

Day 22 Fog and Barns

Today started out extremely foggy.  Visibility was probably no more than one mile and probably not even that much.  Riding out in the shroud of fog, I had problems deciding if I needed my sunglasses or not.  The sun was bright through the fog, but with glasses on it really hindered the visiblity even more.  I was riding with Susan Reed for the first 10 miles and I could see her fine, but much more up the road, fog enveloped everything. 

I realized right off the bat that I had no power and that my muscles ached.  It was apparent that I would not be able to keep up with Susan and told her to go ahead and ride with some of the others she knew on the tour.  This was the first day of the trip that I just did not feel very good.  I have been very lucky to this point not to have any issues.  As I rode along, I realized that I really had not been eating very well the last couple days and I was probably "under caloried".  When I don't eat enough the day or so before a ride, I lose power and feel nauseated and this was happening today.  So at the first rest stop I refill my Hammer products and take a banana.  I still don't feel any better at the second rest stop and I don't feel like eating anything, so I choke down another banana.  Finally at lunch I was able to eat a turkey sandwhich and drink some coke and finally started feeling better.  Young Greg and I started riding together at this point.  Once I rode my 100 miles for the day, I decided to sag in and try to recover better for tomorrow.  Although, I did not feel well, I still had a great day and was pleased that I was able to diagnose my problem.  I did eat steak and potato tonight for supper and will have a protein drink before I go to bed. 

Foggy morning flowers - corn is hidden in the fog!

Susan Reed on her Lightening and Walt talking about his 4 person RAAM expierence

Okay, I know this is a stupid picture, but it is of I-55 - we crossed under it today.  Unfortunately, there was not sign...

Now, we are going to have a favorite barn of the day contest, please let me know which barn you think is the best:

Barn 1:  Proud to be an American Barn - I love this one as it symbolizes why I wanted to ride my bike across the US

Barn 2: Red barn with wagon - I just really like red barns...

Barn 3: Gray barn with white doors

Barn 4: Cool old grey and white barn

Flowers and corn without fog...

 

Susan Reed and I with our bents

Our progress so far

Tomorrow we cross into Indiana 1.3 miles into the ride - isn't that crazy?!

Day 20 Crossing the Mississippi River

I am going to be making this short and sweet again, but today was a very good day!  I think it was one of my best cycling days of the trip.  My legs were loose and my hips were pain free.  Plus, we did not have any substantial hills on the way out so I did not get dropped as fast as I normally do and rode into the sag stops with others. 

The highlight of the day was crossing the Mississippi River.  Why this meant so much, I don't know, but I have always loved the Mississippi and have enjoyed crossing it by car in Vicksburg and the several different times on my trip to Wisconsin in 2005. The bridge over the river was nice and wide compared to the bridge at Greenville, MS/Lake Village, AR.  We also crossed early enough in the morning that there was not much traffic. 

When I got in this afternoon, Susan Reed was already here.  Susan and I met over email thanks to Rob Welch.  We have been emailing each other since March and she really helped me with tips to prepare for this trip!  She and I will cycle to Danville together tomorrow before she heads back to the Chicago area on Monday.

Rebecca H (Lon and Susan's daughter), Paul from Australia, and Mark from Indiana in the sag van after the rain yesterday. 

First view of the Mississippi River from Iowa. Yes, I know it looks the same in Vicksburg and New Orleans, but I just wanted a picture of it!

Mississippi River sign

Bridge we crossed over the river.

Riding on the bridge.

The group was almost all together when we crossed the river into Illinois - the land of Lincoln.  If you ever get to Springfield, the Lincoln museum is fantastic! I visited it on the way back from my Wisconsin cycling trip.

Today's picture of corn.  There are more soybeans in Illinois than there were in Iowa. I'll try to get a picture of them tomorrow.

Day 20 - Rain

Its going to be short and sweet today - I am tired and it is late.  It rained for the first time on the trip today. I dont have  any pictures and will write more tomorrow.

We will be crossing the Mississippi River tomorrow and we will be crossing into Illinois - our 7th state!

Day 19 - The road greatly travelled!

Let me start by saying I had another wonderful day!  The best part of this trip is that I feel I can ride as many or as few miles as I want each day.  I originally wanted to ride the whole day, but as the ride unfolded, I elected to ride in the van again until conditions improved. 

Today's ride started with a nice ride out of town but quickly turned to busy hwy 141 in Iowa.  It was one of my least favorite roads on the whole trip.  Think Natchez Trace width with no shoulder, stack 25-30 lake cavalier hills 1.5-3 miles apart on the road and then add somewhat heavy traffic including 18 wheeler traffic going 65 mph, then break up the pavement pretty severly in the tire rut so you have to ride truly on the middle of the road and have no where to go when traffic comes by.  The route had us on this road for 70ish miles - I lasted 23 before I elected to stop at the first sag.  I believe in enjoying every moment of this trip and the stress of riding on that road was not enjoyable! 

Checking with Lon, we would be getting off that road after lunch, so I sagged up with several others.  After lunch I was one of the first to leave again, so I had no pressure to ride in fast, so I meandered my way to the hotel just thinking and having a great afternoon.  We had a slight headwind, nothing bad, and the temps were mild.  I was only sweating on a climb.  Once again we were surrounded by corn and soybeans. 

My shadow in the early morning sun

Church in a soybean field

Wild flowers on the side of hwy 141 in Iowa

Praying Mantis yard art in Coon River Park

Ever wondered what to do with your old golf clubs?  Windmill of golf clubs in Coon River Park Iowa

17 yr old Greg and his daily license plate.  Greg has an eagle eye for the lost plates and finds at least one almost every day.  I think the most he has found in one day is 5.  BTW, this is Greg's third transcon and I am pretty sure he has done them all without his parents!  He is more mature than most 30 year olds I know!

Today's corn - the bio break view!

Tomorrow we head to Mt Pleasant, Iowa.  There is a chance of rain and most likely headwinds.  I would sure like to ride at least 100 miles tomorrow...

Day 18 Favorable winds and really big rollers

What a fantastic day!  I am finally rested and have some power for the first time in several days!  I decided I would sag early and often again if my legs did not show up, but I felt fantastic leaving the motel today.  It is the second day I have not worn arm warmers at the ride start.  It was coolish, but humid - my kind of morning. Right out of the motel I noticed my legs felt great and I was already crusing at 16 mph.  The first 10 miles or so was flattish and then we hit really big rollers.  I was able to bomb the hills going down and get about 1/2 way up the next hill before having to throw it into the small ring and spin the rest of the way up. I was having a blast!  The rollers went from being really big to being really long.  At that point, the downhill would barely get you started into the uphill so I slowed down some.  The wind was either a light cross wind or a tailwind so I was not having to push against it. 

We were completely surrounded by corn fields everywhere!  There were some really nice houses tucked away in the cornfields, but corn was on the right and left of the road as far as the eye could see.  Green was the color of the day as when there wasn't corn there was soy and all the trees are green.

At lunch I decided to stop at 85 miles.  I felt really good and did not want to push the limits today. I also knew we had 3000 ft of climbing in the next 40 miles, plus we have 4 135+ mile days in a row coming up.  I am hoping to be able to ride all of them so I just rode in with Veronica in the extra car.  I learned today that just because a ride looks hard on paper, it doesn't have to be.  The whole group seemed to love the day!

Iowa - our 6th state!

Nice church was the first sag stop

Corn as far as the eye can see

Interesting outhouse in Oto, Iowa

One of a thousand farm houses - barn had a nice design

I have heard  of taking everything including the kitchen sink, but a bathtub?

We saw so much corn, I had to include another picture of it! 

 

Barn of the day unless you like the one with the design on it better - then it is the barn of the day.

 

Ricketts, Iowa - if you look close, the sign says it is the "middle of nowhere"!

Our progress so far!

Please pray for favorable winds and that I have the strength to ride the whole way for the next several days! Oh and pray that everyone stays safe!