Crazy cyclists riding through

Today was an interesting day for us. We were told on Tuesday's route rap to decorate our helmets for today's ride. Everyone rose to the occasion there were some really funny helmets, can you say "Land Shark and Crazy Hair". Believe it or not, most of us rode all day with our decorated helmets. Needless to say we got a lot of stares and even some comments as we cycled by.

We had some great roads today no bump, bump, bump down the road and no rain! It was a sunny day with minimal wind. It was so nice as well as unusual, not to be effected by the wind when we ride and even better yet, no hills....whoopee! No rain, no bumps, no hills and minimal winds, boy it doesn't take much to make me happy!

There was something else that made me extremely happy over my rest day in Champaign...that was the surprise visit from my husband Don! You could have picked me up off the floor when I saw him walking up to me in the hotel lobby, I never expected him to come visit for one of our 36 hour rest days!!!

We also hit another state line, Indiana and saw a great sign when we went through Hillsboro, IN. It read "The home of 600 happy people and a few old soreheads." We couldn't find anyone to ask who the soreheads were. The ride was 79 miles today to Crawfordsville, IN. which I rode in 5 hours 17 minutes at an average speed of 15.5 mph. A great ride after a great rest day!!!

It's time once again for the "Snake Report", yes just when I think there are no more snakes to be seen, I get an up close and personal sighting that makes me want to scream and run for the hills. But this time it wasn't on the road, it wasn't even smooched, it was aliveeeeeeeeeeeeee and sitting on top of my helmet! Yes, that was my helmet decoration, a little sick but it kept the rest of the live snakes away all day! Think they call that "being demented"or predictable.

Also wanted to welcome my sister Kathy who joined the ride today. She will be riding with us to Boston and baring any further problems with her saddle should have a great ride.

A day of rest to refresh

Today I'm in Champaign, Il. on a well deserved rest day. Sorry no pictures taken today.

After my little mishap yesterday, I needed the time to ice my bruised ego....oops I mean my bruised leg. I also made sure I got my laundry done, as well as cleaned my really, really dirty bike and changed my tires since I had about 2,200 miles on them and most importantly restocked my supply of snackwell cookies. Now I'm ready for our ride to Crawfordsville, IN. tomorrow

I had a great surprise today, a card from my cycling roommate Jyl. You are too much kid and greatly missed!! Thanks for the DQ card. Trust me the very next DQ I reach, I'll raise a grill cheese sandwich, fries and diet coke to you!! Thank you girlfriend.

Hope everyone has had a great day and an outstanding Thursday!! One other thing...I'm riding into Indianapolis, watch out snakes, I'm headed your way!!!

Rain rain go away!!!

Today we were allowed to leave 45 minutes early because of the threat of rain, thunder and lightening. As you can see by my biking attire, I was so ready for that bad weather. Didn't bother me that everyone laughed and thought that I "over" dressed. I'm know for over dressing, ha, ha. By the way my rain pants came off within the first 15 miles!!

The ride today was windy and I don't mean in a good way, no tail winds for us, only those nasty cross and head winds for most of the day. At the first sag in Chestnut, I looked around the corner of the building we stopped at and saw an interesting sight. Built behind a house was a chicken coop. Not something you would see every day in Richmond unless you live in the country or at Meade's house on the James River.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful until after the second sag. About a mile after leaving the second sag it began to rain. it finally happened, our first measurable rain since beginning the trip in California.

I was doing fine until about mile 83 of the 87 mile ride. While riding over a second set of wet railroad tracks that were at a sharp angle, I suddenly took a sharp angle...down! Yep I laid my bike down on the road and ended up with a few scratches on my right leg and one beauty of a egg size bruise on the back of the my upper right leg and a huge bruise on my ego! Oh well I'm in good company two other riders took a spill at the same railroad tracks. I've officially been initiated into the "spill club".

Up to that point I had been riding for 5 hours and 50 minutes at an average speed of 14.2 mph, like I said the wind was strong and against us for most of the day.

One other thing, the "Snake Report" there was one lonely smooched snake on the road today.

Today was a long ride, 107 miles from Quincy to Springfield. The day was overcast so the temperature was perfect for the ride and the roads were good. No shoulders to rate since most of the ride we actually cycled on the road. Because we had such a long ride, I must admit that I didn't take to many pictures for fear I would be "tail hook Charlie" today!

On the route sheet mile 46.2 it read "CAUTION:Narrow bridge over Illinois River, No Shoulder" ..... so here is a picture of that narrow bridge without a shoulder. It was a bit daunting, but I made it over and in one piece! By the way the bridge was over the Illinois River.

At mile 69.1, our second sag stop was at a Dairy Queen, so I knew that I would need substance to make the last 38 miles and got a grill cheese sandwich. It was like pure energy and I was able to ride into Springfield with a little energy to spare. Before getting into town I saw one more sign that I want to share...it was for a bar and grill called Halfway There... from almost anywhere.

I rode today's ride in 7 hours and 3 minutes at an average speed of 15.3 mph. A very respectable day, but I will admit that when I got to the hotel, I was ready to get off my saddle!

Today's "Snake Report" has one more to add to the count, not smooched but it was headless, yikes!!!!

I also want to thank Pete and Sharon for the invitation to their cook out. Sorry I missed it but greatly appreciate the invite!!!!

Just a quite Sunday ride

What a difference a day makes. It was a beautiful day for cycling from Kirksville, MO. to Quincy, Il. Not a cloud in the sky today, the wind was in our favor, very little traffic and the roads were fantastic. Even when we weren't riding on the shoulder. It was like a Sunday ride in northern Hanover County.

Not only did we cross another state line but I reached the 2,000 mile mark in cycling across the country. Oh how time flies when you're having fun!!! Why I remember a week or so ago when I had only ridden 1,000 miles.

We rode through some interesting small towns today, like Knox City, where we had a sag and then just down the road there was an wood carving shop

that was just opening for the morning. Then there was the local Bike Shop in LaBelle, MO. That was a bit scary to think those bikes were all for sale.

It was exciting to ride over the bridge from Missouri to Illinois. The state line was just over the other side of the bridge so it wasn't the best place to take a picture, but I tried my best and got to see the great Mississippi River.

So today's ride was 75.54 miles and I rode it in 4 hours and 30 minutes at an average speed of 16.5 mph. And the "Snake Report" is still open for business, I saw as did everyone else that lovely black snake on the side of the road, at the beginning of the ride. We just can't decide if it was dead or not as it as rather "plump" and not at all smooched. I didn't stop to ask so you decide.

148 hills on the road, unbelievable!

Today was our first day of experiencing rain. I don't think the picture that Doug took on the road this morning does the weather we were experiencing justice, because it was more menacing and the clouds were darker.

It was so bad that we delayed our 7:15 start to 7:35. In addition to cycling today we became "storm chasers" too. We wanted to stay behind the storm and let it roll through. Great idea, but we still got wet and had to stop at mile 25. Yeah, we were riding to fast and had caught up with the storm.

After the storm passed we could concentrate on the 75 miles we rode today. Beginning at mile 25 the fun really started as we rode 148 hills for the last 50 miles. The hills were a bit easier to ride today because you could get a rhythm, at the top of the hill you peddle as fast as you can going down so that hopefully your speed carries you up to the top of the next hill and if it doesn't then you shift down to your granny gear and slowly peddle up to the top of the hill. Try doing that 148 times in 50 miles and you get the idea of what the ride was like today!

My last 8 miles I hit rain again, but at that point all I wanted to do is get to the hotel so I could wash my bike off which was filthy and myself as I was also filthy. If I hadn't had a back flat tire at the sag stop at mile 50 I might have been able to get to the hotel prior to the rain starting up again, but hey you ride in the weather at the time.

So today I rode 75 miles into Kirksville, MO. from Chillicothe in 5 hours and 14 minutes at a speed of 14.3 mph. Based on 148 hills today I am happy with that!!!!

The "Snake Report" had another uneventful day, Barbie I hope you didn't see any either! I did see a lot of smooched snapping turtles and I think armadillos.

We're not in Kansas anymore

The ride today began with climbing and ended with climbing. And we even had some climbing in between. In the morning there were rolling hills which made it difficult to keep a constant pace and in the afternoon hills that were like stair steps and steep. I had no idea that Missouri was so hilly!!!

This was definitely one of the more difficult rides we've had since we started riding on May 9th. I was up out of my saddle to get up the hills in the afternoon and for the first time in the trip wishing I had just one more lower "granny" gear.

Today was also the first really hot day we have experienced. There was also some humidity. When I got in at 1:30 it was 91 degrees, not sure what the humidity was, but I know I was soaked.

Along the ride today I saw a funny sign and then a very inspirational sign. The funny one was at the entrance to a ranch and read "El Rancho Bankruptus". The plaque I saw was located in Lock Springs, MO. and to me optimizes why I wanted to

take this journey.

I had a dream to cycle across the country and as of yesterday have completed half of my dream. At the end of the 86 mile ride today, I've ridden 1,870 miles, cross over seven state lines and every day am amazed at what I've been able to accomplish, especially when I have a day like today!

I'm happy to provide the "Snake Report" today especially since there were none! Zip, zero. It makes me wonder if the snakes have been warned I'm coming so stay off the roads!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!