Day 44 - We ride again... Niagara Falls to Henrietta NY

Day – 44 Niagara Falls to Henrietta (Rochester NY suburb)
Richard Pauls takes a hit.

Euphoria Meter (1-10): 10
Tailwinds joined the blue skies, 67 degree temperature, my fresh legs and the French Silk pie (Gerard's recipie for fast legs) to make this as perfect a bicycling day as you could imagine.

I still have never kissed a camel, but this one came close. I couldn't get him to say "I-O" after my "O-H", but I tried.

Ride Stats:
Distance: 86.1
Riding Time: 4:05
Max Speed: 35
Average Speed: 20.3 J
Total Miles traveled: 3,153
Miles to go: 476 J

Weather:
Perfect…Honest to God perfect. I could not script better weather. I have tolerated some pretty good headwinds in exchange for no rain and nice temperatures, but today we finally get tailwinds to join our beloved blue skies and nice temps!

Incidents and Rider Report
Richard Pauls, the wonderful chemist from Oklahoma took himself out of the ride today. Unbeknownst to me, when he peddled in to Niagara Falls his knee was hurting badly. He spent the rest day nursing it. Mike Munk said Richard couldn’t sleep and it didn’t feel any better today either. He was unwilling to take a day and ride in the SAG Wagon. I am sure Richard was committed to “ride every inch”. We all miss him. You may recall, he was the good Samaritan who stopped to assist me when three others would not. (I think the others didn’t hear me right or didn’t feel they could really help and were just being nice by asking). I guess this morning he at breakfast today in his civilian clothing. Not many people knew he was leaving. Richard we miss you, best of luck with the knee and a speedy recovery! L
Also today Bob Frame departs on a planned departure. His neice is getting married in Rochester and his wife is coming in tomorrow. Rich and I along with all the others will miss Bob too.
Mike Munk reported tonight we’ve lost seven riders. Three to injuries and four others to planned early departures. Today we added four new ones. Larry and Rick Schwartz of Boston MA (no relation to one another), a new fellow named Mike from Delaware who is friends of Russell, Jen and Brett. Barry is here chasing Marianne and rode today for the first time. He expects to finish the ride. Marianne said she wants him to ride a few days with Gerard and I, but if I was Barry I wouldn’t even think about it. I think it would be tough to join in this group at this stage, but we seem to be a pretty welcoming group and I’m sure they’ll all have fun.

I did do a little better leading this group in an Ohio State cheer. Pretty good eh? From left to right, Janet, me, Barry and Marianne. This is actually Steve Flowers Yoga class, but I got you thinking didn't I?

How I Feel (1-10): 10
Physically I don’t think I am capable of feeling any better without medication. Emotionally I long for my wife, family and friends.
Stuff that happened:
Basically a great bicycle ride. Started slow and social with Bob Frame, then Ma and Pa Miller (Mike and Bernice). After that Larry and Rick Schwartz kept me company a bit. I sort of expected to see Gerard but he got delayed at breakfast. Steve Bennett and John Knapp roar by after the first 12 or 15 miles and I hop on their tail to the sag stop. Shortly thereafter Gerard shows up with Daco. The second half I ride pretty hard with Steve Bennett and Gerard. We end up first at the hotel after just barely catching Cindy. Her daily riding pal was Bud. The three of us notice that without him Cindy seems to have picked up the pace a bit. She’s a strong rider, but did not want to play in our pace line. Shortly behind her were Montana Denise and Tucson Debbie. They also ride along at a brisk pace.

When you get to the hotel early (11:30 today) you beat the box and all your clothes. We decided to take a quick shower and get some lunch at the best place we can find. We end up at a very crowded diner called “Margies”. Behind us is a table of twelve and we need to scoot a few of them around to get our table of five seated. One thing leads to another and we find out that this is a group of “Guardian Angels” who at first describe themselves as a motorcycle group, but then confess to being a prayer group. They are dining at Margies to honor Sister Barbara, who is dressed in civilian clothes. When they find out that we are riding our bicycles across America they can’t believe it, but promise to pray for us. I assured them that I could use all the prayers they were willing to offer and I do appreciate those.

Rich told me today that he rode with Marvin of San Diego. Marv rides a recumbent bicycle really well. I guess today Marv came very close to getting wiped out by a pick ‘em up truck. Gerard and I saw Marv and Fred almost get taken out by another frustrated driver early one morning when we were leaving the hotel. There were two lanes of traffic going their direction. Fred and Marv were single file on the far right side. A car pulls up behind them, changes to the left lane while another car traveling fast in the left lane changes abruptly, swerves way to the right to speed around the first car, just in time to almost clobber Fred and Marv. One other time when I was with them in Portland (I didn’t tell you this one on purpose mom, but now turn up the prayers to the next level) the three of us were about to go through an intersection where the traffic light had been green for a while. Fred saw it first. The intersection involved two five-lane roads. On our left was a stopped line of traffic in the right hand lane. The left hand lane (again on our left) that also had the red light was open. However, this driver of an 18 wheeler felt the need to put the peddle to the metal and blast through the intersection without touching the brake peddle or the down shifting. This truck runs the light, right in front of us at a speed I would estimate to be at least 55 mph. Thanks to Fred we were all able to hit our brakes quickly enough to avoid him. We all count our blessings and pray we finish this ride as successfully as we’ve done it so far.

Day 43 - Niagara Falls Rest Day 7/30/07

Day – 43 – Day off in Niagara Falls July 30, 2007

I get a surprise call from my good friend Ray Sansouci.

Euphoria Meter (1-10): 9
This was a special day off. It started with Rich and I going to Starbucks at the terribly late hour of 7:30 am. Later I toured Niagara Falls with a small group of folks that I previously had not spent much time with. The experience and camaraderie was quite enjoyable. The day ended with a delightful dinner a “Top of the Falls” on Goat Island overlooking the falls and a wonderful sunset. During dinner I received a call from my long – time friend Ray Sansouci (see photo of me talking to Ray over the falls). It was great catching up.

Ride Stats: n/a
Distance:
Riding Time:
Max Speed:
Average Speed:
Total Miles traveled:
Miles to go:

Weather: As nice as you could possibly imagine. I think the temperature peaked at 94 degrees.

Incidents and Rider Report – n/a

How I Feel (1-10):
I think I could have used a nap mid afternoon when I got a little sleepy, but otherwise I felt wonderful.

Stuff that happened:

The day really started with at Starbucks. Rich was in hog heaven because he finally had a good cup of coffee again. The conversation, music, nice furniture and ambiance of Starbucks was a welcome change to the buffet line and elbowing for food. No need to use my old basketball boxing out skills this morning. Rich, Alan and I had a pleasant morning conversation. Lois and Topper joined us, showing us their maps of lower Ontario, explaining the roads they intended to follow to bicycle backwards to Detroit together. So we said goodbye again to them.

After our beverages and muffins were gone, Rich and I returned to work a bit on our blogs. I had a date with a tour guide at 11:00 so I said goodbye to Rich and took off. He had made plans to have conference calls for a big chunk of the day for work.

The tour was more interesting that I thought. Jim Emshoff from North Carolina, Tuscon Jan, Mount Mitchell Mike from North Carolina and I were met by Marnie our guide. She takes us in her van to pick up Julius and his wife from San Francisco who turn out to be a bit older, not highly mobile, but very chatty. Their presence ends up turning out 4 hour tour into something closer to six hours. At the end of the tour, the four of us from the bike tour end up abandoning ship, hop out of the van and walk back. The tour guide had us wait for over an hour while Julius and his wife did some shopping and were missing in action…ie did not report back to the van at the appointed time. That wasn’t much fun, but what we saw was nice and the tour guide did a good job.

Jan, Jim and I in the Falls tunnels getting sprayed.

The highlight of the tour was the Maid of Mist highlight experience. Luck was on our side. The four of us ended up positioned in line so we had our pick of the positions on the boat. We ended up sharing the bow of the boat together. The view of the falls, the sensation of extreme turbulence that the water creates, combined with the horrendous spray/rain of water and the thunder that 20% of the worlds fresh water supply creates when it falls 185 feet straight down at 100 mph is incredible. I would do that ride again in a heart beat. I would do it even if I had to share the experience again with 582 strangers on the boat (not including the crew).

A view of the falls from the bow line hole in the bow of the Maid of the Mist.

After we made it back to the hotel we made dinner reservations at a restaurant called the “Top of the Falls”. It was well located on the U.S. side with a nice view of the falls and the mist. We started out just Jim Emshoff and I making the arrangements. Jana ends up joining in, then we call Rich and Bill on the cell phone. Along the way we pick up the “San Francisco Treats”…Donna, Penny and Jan. Once at the restaurant Marianne and her new boy friend Barry, who has chased her across the country, join us for pre dinner beverages. Barry and Marianne try to delicately opt out of dinning with us to enjoy a romantic dinner together. They were given an appropriate hard time by our group, but stuck to their guns.

Barry and Marianne during their brief visit at our table.
(I don't know why Barry even came near us personally)

The dinner conversation was really one of the highlights of the day. We end up having a round table discussion about the top 3 things that we’ve enjoyed about the trip. Everyone had different perspectives. Mine were 1) Getting to know the various interesting people who have come along on this experience, 2) The bicycle riding itself. I really have enjoyed getting my heart rate up, riding for all I can ride, trying to keep up with other good riders and seeing what I am capable of. 3) Doing something that very few people will ever do. This really is an experience that is hard to explain to others. When you mention it to people you see this look in their eyes of bewilderment and confusion. Getting your arms around it and trying to understand it is very difficult. I feel like I am just now starting to understand and still have more to learn.

Niagara Falls, much to my surprise, is really one place I would really like to come back to again. It was much more fun and interesting than I expected. I say that even though I’ve been here twice before. Once as a child and once with my children. I think it would be a nice, romantic place to have a two day or long weekend kind of experience. That is especially true if you could guarantee weather as nice as we have had. But, having said that, apparently the falls can be quite the sight and spectacle to see in the winter when the ice flows over the falls in large chunks after breaking off from Lake Erie.

Above, our dinner party at the Top of the Falls. From left to Right, Chapel Hill Bill, Jana, Jan, Penny, Angela (our server...boy I have really appreciated the few times we have been served) Steve Flowers (Yoga Steve) from Dallas, Donna my Italian buddy, Rich Simpson, Jim Emshoff and yours truly.

Out of the dinner conversation came a realization that this trip allows all of us to see ourselves, our relationships and lives just a little more clearly. It tests us in many many ways. It is in those tests…physical, mental, emotional, relationships, etc. that we learn more about ourselves, our capacities and our priorities. Although we near the end, we are hardly finished. Mike Munk has cautioned us that most of their trouble happens in the first and last weeks of the trip. I continue to keep my mantra in the front of my thoughts… “All my attention all the time”. (I am not just saying that mom, I really mean it).

Day 42 - Brantford Ontario to Niagara Falls NY

Day – 42 – Brantford Ontario to Niagara Falls, NY
A challenging ride with a great finishing reward


Click above for a slide show of the day

Euphoria Meter (1-10): 9
Today was a fun bike ride versus a “tour”, but in the end we were rewarded with a special way to view one of the wonders of the world…from our bicycles.

Ride Stats:
Distance: 75.55 miles
Riding Time: 4.25 hours
Max Speed: 40.3
Average Speed: 17.1
Total Miles traveled: 3,073
Miles to go: 556!

Weather:
More severe clear skies, nice temperatures and no rain. Headwinds continue to haunt us along with some humidity that causes me to sweat profusely. All in all however we continue to be amazed by the string of perfect weather we’ve had.

Incidents and Rider Report:
This group seems to have it down. Almost everyone made it, Marilyn, the tri-motor. Tucson Jan took a day off with seat issues.

How I Feel (1-10): 10

Stuff that happened:
The box was loaded at 7am and the group then took a short ride to a breakfast buffet and then off for the day. Gerard and I got started about in the upper third of the group today. Early we pass Bob Frame who is riding solo and decides to join us. Shortly thereafter John Knapp in a spunky mood today (after riding all day yesterday with Marilyn) catches up with us and the four of us enjoy a nice pace and conversations for the first 35 miles to the first SAG stop. John’s ride with Marilyn sounded like a very nice experience for both him and Marilyn. Marilyn, age 65 school teacher did no training to speak of for the ride. She has ridden almost exclusively by herself. John seemed to enjoy the opportunity to get to know her better and keep her company. I am sure Marilyn enjoyed the company and the companionship. Yesterday John spent three extra hours on the bike as a result. That is a different type of challenge and experience.
After the SAG Gerard and I continue with only Steve Bennett ahead of us. Steve has days when he hits it hard and days when he takes it pretty easy. Gerard and I are not sure what kind of day today is, but Steve seems to be in a hurry. About 20 miles to go we slowly catch up with Steve and the three of us ride into Niagara Falls together.
As we cruise down the streets of the Canadian side, with no sign of the falls in sight, we are being “rained” on from the mist of the falls. It turns out we are three blocks away and the wind is blowing this tremendous mist to us. We are now “off route” exploring different vantage points to view the falls. The three of us ride up the river and find a route the takes us by huge parking lots where families and tourists of all kinds flock to see this wonder of the world. We eventually stop at a very nice Canadian restaurant and have a delightful (and expensive) lunch on a second story terrace with what seems to be “the” view of all three falls.
From our perch with my digital camera I get some nice shots of fellow bikers viewing the falls as they roll in (unbeknownst to them). Eventually we get moving and check in to the hotel.
One of our old basketball buddies and a law partner of Rich’s, Gordon Litt calls us to report that he is in Niagara falls with his family. Unfortunately our schedules didn’t mesh well and we couldn’t meet, but another example of the tiny world we live in.
Above...Gerard and I after we cross the bridge back into the USA.

At route rap we meet Marianne’s boy friend Barry who is coming with fresh legs to ride the last 7 days into Portsmouth. He seems like a great guy and a nice addition to the group. Today we loose a number of riders…Topper, Lois (who are biking back along Lake Erie to Detroit), Bud, Sarah and David. Tomorrow is Bob Frame’s last day. The ride is coming to an end and Rich and I are excited about finishing. We remind each other that we must stay focused, give it all of our attention all the time and not let our guard down. It is hard to believe that we have put in collectively roughly 230,000 man-miles with no serious injury or incident. Everyone wants to keep it that way to the end. Wish us luck and thank you for those of you out there praying for us, especially you Mom!
Isn't this a nice picture? I can't believe how good my little Panasonic Lumix camera can be!

The day ended in somewhat of a festive fashion. We had a long, but delightful dinner at Denny’s which exceeded most of our expectations. The food was great, the companionship and conversation delightful. Afterwards most of the group moved to the park overlooking the falls a short walk away and watched the light show and fireworks over the falls. Fun!

Day - 41 London to Brantford, Ontario...Ginseng

Day – 41 London To Brantford, ONT
We ride through corn fields and by ginseng tents. This could be Ohio continued….

Euphoria Meter (1-10): 5
Today felt like we were doing time, putting miles in to get the job done. At this point in this adventure, the days have become routine. The scenery has been very Ohioish (ie nothing new and exciting). But, I have come to enjoy the concept of being on a mission to cross the country on my own power and to enjoy the pleasure of a good day’s ride each day. The pattern seems to be the same for the last several weeks. Somehow I end up hooking up with Gerard each day. We never really talk about it, it just seems to happen. We start out at a slow, social, warm-up type of pace. Sometimes people hop on to draft behind us. For the first 30 or so miles, or up until the first sag stop we ride side by side sometimes talking about things like birds, bridge, what we did the day before or some story from our past. After the SAG stop we are typically just the two of us and we then start trading places pulling. Somehow the pace continues to sort of “inch” up as we roll along in these flat lands and into the headwinds. We usually start out at 16 mph or so and end up cruising between 19 to 22 mph on the last half of the ride.
Speaking of headwinds, I am not complaining, but just here to report that this West to East ride has been mostly headwinds. Out of our 42 days experience we have had less than five days where Mr. Tailwind has shown up. Those were definitely fun days. Mike Munk says that our glorious weather has been partly to blame on the headwinds. Some of us are now hoping for a little bad weather if it could come with a tailwind.

Ride Stats:
Distance: 66 miles
Riding Time: 3:41 hours
Max Speed: 32.5
Average Speed: 17.9 mph
Total Miles traveled: 3,001
Miles to go: 628

Weather:
Same old, same old…. Unbelievably great bicycling weather. Pleasant, sunshine, light breeze from the east (headwinds), but we will take the headwinds in exchange for the wonderful weather.

Incidents and Rider Report:
Everyone made it.

How I Feel (1-10): 10
Both physically and emotionally I am really enjoying this.

Stuff that happened:
I was kissed today by two females. The first was the hot Italian Donna from SanFransisco who came by to say good morning and thank me for a copy of “Bon Voyage” I gave her.

The second came from a friendly female horse named Sally. Sometimes it’s the little things in life that really matter.

The ginseng fields were one of the most unusual things we saw today. We bicycle past acres and acres of 4 foot high tents that cover these delicate plants. People have said that it takes somewhere between 8 and 40 years for the roots to develop. We also see a few unusual things in Brantford. There is a home or two with very unusual yard decorations.
One thing I saw today really highlighted the enormity of this trip. When we started, we rode by budding corn plants. Today we rode by trucks with harvested corn ears in them. It hit me that we have been riding long enough for corn to grow from buds to harvest. Wow.
Tomorrow, Niagra Falls!

Day 40 - Port Huron to London Ontario

Day – 40 – Port Huron to London Ontario
Over the Blue Water Bridge we go!

Euphoria Meter (1-10): 8
Everyone was really anxious this morning. Even me. I’m not sure why. I woke very early. I really wanted to get on the bike. Maybe it was the idea of “biking internationally” or having the freeway sized 3 lane bridge closed so our group could peddle across in formation. Whatever it was, it was real and I felt it in the whole group. The bridge crossing was the highlight of the day. The ride was a good bicycle ride with very limited sight seeing, especially the way I’ve been riding lately (head down and cranking most of the time)


Ride Stats:
Distance: 80 mile route but we did 95
Riding Time:
Max Speed:
Average Speed:
Total Miles traveled:
Miles to go:

Weather:
The weather channel said the entire lower 48 would be wet today. We saw threats of it but stayed high and dry once again. Most of the ride was even sunny. Pleasant temperatures, some headwinds again and some nice tailwinds too (27 mph in stretches on the flats!)

Incidents and Rider Report
Everyone made it without incident.

How I Feel (1-10): 9
A little tired today, but not bad. Had trouble sleeping all night…bad air conditioning?

Stuff that happened:
The bridge crossing was really a neat experience. The idea of the freeway being closed for just you, and you are riding a bicycle, not being hauled in a casket, is pretty special.
We had a nice lunch in downtown London. Steve, Gerard and I got in ahead of most of the riders and extended the ride to tour the town. London is pretty impressive. A college town with a vibrant downtown. It felt very artsie. We ate at a authentic looking Italian restaurant named “Amici’s” that served a nice bowl of pasta, soup and Chianti. Afterwards we found a bikepath and a Pat Benatar concert (that we couldn’t stay up for). Tomorrow Credence Clear Water Revival comes to town too.

In London these two crazy Puerto Rican's approach us and wonder what we are doing. When we explain that we are riding our bicycles from Oregon to New Hampshire, they ask for clarification... (they didn't know where those places were). Then when we told them it was basically from coast to coast the one in the black exploded saying, "Man that is some crazy ass Forest Gump #$%! DUDE!!". We couldn't argue.

My previous experiences in this part of the country have been by boat and airplane. We have vacationed in the Great Lakes by boat stopping in both Port Huron and Sarnia to eat, fuel and dock for the night. Now I’ve been under, over and on the Blue Water Bridge. It is a spectacle.

Day 39 - Birch Run to Port Huron MI 90 miles

Day – 39 – Birch Run to Port Huron, MI
A nice day for a bicycle ride through the country, this big wide country of ours.

Special thanks!
Just a note to let all of you know how much I appreciate the comments and feedback on the blog. It really helps me feel connected to friends and family and makes it all that much more fun to keep this up. Again, your comments and names are really appreciated. Special thanks to Russ Morgan, my long time biking buddy who has been the most prolific commenter. I wish you were riding this with me Russ. It really is your kind of ride. I am glad you are at least enjoying it vicariously.

Euphoria Meter (1-10): 6
It is a good thing that I enjoy riding my bicycle. I am getting a lot of it. It is difficult for me to feel euphoric (an exaggerated feeling of elation) when the days start to feel like deja vu all over again. Today was another flat, corn and soybean field day of 90 miles starting with no wind to a brisk headwind half way through the ride. Most felt the ride was a pleasant rolling recovery type of a ride. As a group I think we are getting pretty good at this, for whatever that is worth.

Ride Stats:
Distance: 90 miles
Riding Time: 5:19 hours
Max Speed: 27.4
Average Speed: 16.9
Total Miles traveled: 2,858
Miles to go: 771

Weather:
I am getting nervous writing about this anymore. It would be hard to script a better bicycling day. Starting shortly after dawn with a hint of “chill” in the air…66 degrees and a little humid. We rode through some fog and thick, humid air. The sky was overcast but cleared up as we rode. The sun peeked in and out of the clouds and it never did rain on us, although it felt like it wanted to. Gerard, the bird watcher pointed out the the sparrows were flying low, a sign of impending bad weather. Cows were laying on the ground, another such sign(?). However, it never did rain on us and the only negative was a brisk headwind for the second half of the ride. I’ve decided headwinds are a worthwhile price to pay for such glorious weather. Thank you God!

Incidents and Rider Report
None known… Tri motor and everyone else made the ride uneventfully as far as I know.

How I Feel (1-10): 10
It is almost embarrassing to feel this good! We took it a little easier today than the two previous days, but I still felt like I had plenty of reserves. Maybe it was the 16” x 10” x 4” high plate of mushroom pasta I finished off completely yesterday at Tony’s in Birch Run Michigan. What they lacked in quality pasta they made up in quantity!

Stuff that happened:
Last night I finally got through to my wife Cindy who is on vacation with some girl friends. It was good to hear her voice again after a two day hiatus. It was especially good to hear her laughter, know that she’s having a good time and know that it is only 11 more days until I can see her and hold her in my arms again. I miss you honey and can’t wait to see you again!
This morning we had breakfast in two shifts. Shift one started at the hotel at 5:00am. We all loaded at 6:00am. Those that ate at 5:00 could take off. The second shift eaters began eating a nice sit-down served breakfast at a nearby establishment. The food was very good, but the service was hard to explain. About twenty of us took this option. Those that showed up and ordered first got served last. It’s the second time this phenomenon has occurred on this trip and it is hard to understand. In any event the second shift eaters all departed at roughly 7-7:15 for the long flat ride to Port Huron.
My good riding buddy Gerard and I hooked up at the restaurant and rode side by side today for almost all of the 90 miles. The roads were pretty quiet and we were able to chat about all sorts of things. He has been studying bridge for the last few years. Gerard and his wife belong to two regular clubs; play in tournaments and he plays at least 3 times a week and periodically on line to stay sharp. Bidding strategies, technology tools, bridge unions, and many other aspects of the game were shared by Gerard. We also discussed the privatization of the City Bus Company that Gerard has worked for in Nimegan Holland and the role he played in that conversion. For years Gerard drove a bus and shared what a great job it was because he was able to read almost 4 hours a day and learned all sorts of things and read many many books which he enjoys doing.
It is nice having company for 90 miles with someone who rides along at your pace. Gerard has been a very nice companion for these rides. We seem to help each other when needed and the companionship makes the ride seem to go pretty quick. Thanks Gerard!

Tomorrow we get to ride across the famous “Blue Water Bridge” to Canada. The really exciting part about it is that this very busy bridge will close temporarily so that we may cross as a group, in unison, all 75 of us with a policy escort.

Day 38 - A Good ride Mt. Pleasant to Birch Run MI

Day – 38 – Mt. Pleasant to Birch Run MI
A nice “run” on the bike through Michigan

The most interesting thing observed so far in Birch Run Michigan was a touching reunion between John Hubert and his mother who surprised him with a visit here. John had a surprise visit yesterday from two of his sisters. He and his family grew up in Michigan; John you may recall is an airline pilot who now lives in Connecticut.

Euphoria Meter (1-10): 7
Flat, no wind go hard bike ride… if there was interesting scenery, I missed it.

Ride Stats:
Distance: 74 miles
Riding Time: 3:59
Max Speed: 26.8
Average Speed: 20.6
Total Miles traveled: 2,771
Miles to go: 858

Weather:
Guess….If you guessed blue skies, 70 degrees no wind, you were right. Yes, another glorious day made for riding your bicyle!

Incidents and Rider Report
None known.

How I Feel (1-10): 10+
It is getting a little spooky to hop on the bike, ride like crazy for 74 miles and feel so good the entire way. I think I am now really in shape for this kind of thing. It is fun to be able to enjoy it.

Stuff that happened:
Today’s ride started out a little social. We had a late load of the box, 7:30 am. Rich snuck out of the room to have breakfast this morning. He thought I was asleep and I thought I heard him go into the bathroom and shut the door. As a result I lay in bed, waiting for him to come out. When he returned to the room from breakfast I realized what had happened and finally got out of bed. I didn’t realize how late it was until then. Breakfast had been scheduled at the hotel from 6:00 to rap time of 7:15. I scurry to get dressed, pack and down to 7:15 rap…with no breakfast. After rap I load, and bump into Gerard who says he’ll wait a minute for me. The good news is that all of the bikers had now left the building and were getting on the road. I had the Comfort Inn breakfast buffet all to myself! Now I scurry back into the hotel, pour a glass of waffle mix onto the open waffle iron (something I’m not used to during normal breakfast hours), crack open a bowl of raisin bran (recently restocked now that the biker locust, chow piranha have left the building). It takes 2:30 minutes to cook a waffle. I down two glass of orange juice, a banana (also just restocked) just before the timer goes off. At the buzzer I grab the waffle off the iron and walk out the door eating it. Hoping on my bike, putting my gloves on and starting to roll now I enjoy my fresh waffle as best I can.
Gerard and I start out easy, greeting fellow bikers as we ride along. We pick up SanFrancisco Jan Medina who drafts behind us as we continue to slowly come up on other riders. Several others hop on as well. Gerard is on my left and I am riding the white line. Jan asks him after a while if he intends to get in a single file line or not. Gerard replies that he will when Ralph starts going fast enough to justify doing so. I think that was Dutch humor. Up unit this point we’d been riding socially at about 18 mph. Now the pace picks up little by little. Next thing you know Jan has dropped off and now it is Gerard, me and John Knapp. The three of us go to the first and only SAG together and end the ride together as well. John wasn’t real eager to pull today, so Gerard and I traded off. The ride was flat, some pretty rough road in places, but we were able to average 20.6 mph which is the second fastest I we’ve done for the trip. In case you are interested, the fastest average was 22 mph from Burley Id to Blackfoot ID over a distance of 112 miles. That was pretty fun too! (see day 13 for more details)
I don’t really understand completely why I like to go fast on the bicycle. I am not really fast in the big scheme of things or even relative to other riders on this trip. But I like going fast relative to my own range of abilities. It is fun to sweat, breath hard and feel the rush of the endorphins kick in. Trying to keep up with the good riders like Gerard and Steve Bennett is a fun challenge for me. It is all part of the riding across America adventure.
Today Gerard, John and I happened to be the first ones back to the hotel. Shortly thereafter Steve Bennett arrives. We all agreed that we missed the company of young Derek Miller who broke away yesterday from his family to ride with us for a while. He has lots of potential to be a very strong rider. My guess is that if he could spend some time on this ride with Gerard he would learn a lot that could help him.
Steve Bennett talks Barb into letting four of us unload the box… usually she waits for half the riders to arrive but Steve wants to get his clothes to change into. We start the job and about half way through are joined by Daco, Bud and others. We shower, go to lunch and I retire to my room to get the blog updated. I haven’t heard of anything interesting in Birch Run. If I find anything later this afternoon or evening I’ll let you know.

Steve and Molly Dutton from our neighborhood and athletic club in Columbus join us in Birch Run Michigan for an adult beverage while on their way driving to vacation in Northern Michigan.

Day 37 - Ludington to Mount Pleasant - 115 miles

Day – 37 – Ludington to Mt. Pleasant, MI
A great riding day with Gerard, Steve Bennett and cameo appearance from Derek Miller. The three of us managed to hook up (Steve and Derek caught Gerard and I at the first sag stop) and rode out in front all the way to Mt. Pleasant at a very pleasant clip. Derek took a rain check on the last leg at the last sag stop and Gerard, Steve and I rode the rest of the way in.

Euphoria Meter (1-10): 8
Not because of the scenery, although it was very nice if you had to be in Michigan. The 8 was because of the fun ride at high speeds due to some tail wind, the level terrain and great riding buddies who pushed things along. It is also kind of exciting because we now have less than 1,000 miles to go!

Ride Stats:
Distance: 115 miles
Riding Time: 5:45 hours
Max Speed: 34.6 mph
Average Speed: 20.0 mph
Total Miles traveled: 2,696 miles
Miles to go: 933 miles

Weather:
Well, today it finally happened. I counted them all. A total of three drops of rain hit me today while riding. I got hit with more sweat shrapnel from Gerard and Steve Bennett than I did rain, so I don’t think I can count today as a rain day. It was overcast. It did rain around us. We did ride on some wet pavement for an hour or so. But, the beginning of the ride was no-wind for the first hour and a half. Headwinds were on us for the next hour, but they were mild, less than 10 mph. The balance of the ride was glorious tail winds that pushed us along between 20 and 30 miles per hour.

Incidents and Rider Report
Tucson Jan was having seat issues and sagged. Derek Miller was thinking about it, but a good breakfast caused him to rally. The tri-motor took a day off and Will rode his single bike. Rich Simpson said he took a low speed tumble. He was stopped in soft sand, people were looking at maps and Rich’s ego took the biggest hit. Peaches suffered no injuries; Rich scraped his leg just a bit but was otherwise ok. All other riders seemed to have a good riding day today.

For some of the things I saw in Manitowoc, click this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdIi2ltzgqM

How I Feel (1-10): 10+
I think I am in the best shape I can be in now for a ride like this. I woke up feeling good both physically and emotionally eager to ride. My rear end did not bother me a bit. Today I only donned one pair of shorts and I’ve switched to just body glide and that seems to be doing the job nicely. All boils are in remission.

Stuff that happened:
Not really much to report, just a fun fun ride. Gerard and I started off together and rode pretty much side by side for the first 30 miles to the first sag at a fairly brisk, but easy pace. At the first sag stop, while we were lally gagging around Steve Bennett and Derek Miller came in 10 minutes or so behind us and they were not going to let us leave without them. Steve is the master of the quick sag stop. At each stop you may recall, we are obligated to 1) Remove our gloves, 2) wash our hands, 3) sign in, 4) eat as much as possible and 5) fill our water bottles with gator aid and water. All of that takes Steve about 1.5 minutes. That makes a big difference when you are trying to make up time on a long ride. Riding at zero mph really hurts your average mph rate.
A day like today gives you a lot of time to think… You get to concentrate on all of the issues of the pace line, staying within inches of the wheel in front of you, watching for cars, riding at the right pace when your turn to lead comes up (pushing a little but not killing yourself), drinking enough, etc. etc. But in between those moments I get to think about my family and friends that I miss and how much I look forward to getting back into the swing of the “normal” life I left behind for this amazing event.

Day 36 - Manitowac to Ludington MI- The Badger Ride

Day – 36 Manitowoc to Ludington, MI
A little biking, A tour of Ludington Maritime Museum, a wedding and a big boat ride. A relaxing, busy, fun day. We did ride, but barely.

Euphoria Meter (1-10): 7
This was a fun, “feel-good” day that was really a break from our forced march across America.

Ride Stats:
Distance: 10 miles
Riding Time: ?
Max Speed: ?
Average Speed: ?
Total Miles traveled: 2,581
Miles to go: 1,048

Weather:
Severe clear, pleasant perfect temperatures.

Incidents and Rider Report:

I only learned of one incident from Ernst, the Governator of Idaho. On the deck of the Badger he shared with me an injury he sustained while doing battle in one of our food lines. Look closely at the photo below, it is not easy on this trip!

Above our bikes are stowed for the 4 hour journey across lake Michigan.

How I Feel (1-10): 10

Stuff that happened:
I am not quite sure what happened, but the night before I fell asleep at the computer around 8pm, leaving a row of kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk’s on the screen. After repeating that a few times I decided to hit the hay early. I proceeded to sleep for a most of the night. I did not hear Rich get up at 6:30 am to go to breakfast. He wakes me up when he comes back at 8:00.
We pack up, load the box and Rich takes me over to have a nice breakfast at Starbucks! It was relaxing, we got to eat outdoors and enjoy the beautiful day.

Afterwards we toured the town a little and got to spend a few hours in the Manitowoc Maritime Museum which was surprisingly interesting. They have a WWII submarine on display, floating in the river adjacent to the museum. They happened to have a sailor to talk with us who actually loaded and fired torpedoes on that very submarine.
After the tour we pick up a sandwich to go from a local restaurant and hop on board the “Badger”. The largest car ferry maybe in the world or at least the great lakes. It was big. It was built in 1953, had state rooms, a cruise director, restaurant, etc. etc.. The ride took four hours but it went fast. I spent most of the time on the upper deck outdoors enjoying the stories and company of fellow riders, Gerard, Lenny, John Knapp, Joel Paine, Ernst, Russell and others who came and went.

Once on land again we managed to have a nice dinner at “Lucciano’s” in Ludington MI. A very nice experience with the Mendelshons, Knapps, Gerard and I. Rich high-tailed it back to the hotel and got his blog updated. Sorry Mom, I got distracted by a nice meal Forgive me please!

Day 35 - Fond du Lac to Manitowoc - Colleen's Ride

Day – 35 – Fond du Lac to Manitowoc, WI
Chicago Colleen breaks away

Euphoria Meter (1-10): 5
Today was a very pleasant day, cooler temperatures, some headwinds, some tailwinds. Rolling terrain with very prosperous looking farmland. The trip was accented with a trip to John Hubert’s high school alma mater, a Franciscan seminary school, a 3 city fireman’s parade we participated in and our first view of lake Michigan.

Ride Stats:
Distance: 60.6 miles
Riding Time: 3:52 hours
Max Speed: 33.3 mph
Average Speed: 15.6 mph
Total Miles traveled: 2,574
Miles to go: 1,055

Weather:
Hard to believe…. Our 35th day in a row of perfect bicycling weather. Not a hint of cloud or rain in the sky. The winds were mostly cross and at our backs 10-15 mph. There is bad weather around us we see on the weather channel each morning, but wow have we been fortunate!

Incidents and Rider Report
I may have forgotten to mention that Max Mendelson ran with the Gerard pelaton yesterday and at the very end broke his chain and was able to coast in to the sag stop for repairs. Colleen fell yesterday while riding at a decent clip. She was trying to take her rain jacket off without dismounting her bike but did not succeed. Fortunately she wasn’t hurt badly but did draw blood. Her four year old nephew is very interested in the blood part. Although Colleen’s injuries are now a day old and pretty cleaned up, here’s how the hands looked after 24 hours for little Matthew’s benefit:

How I Feel (1-10): 10
I felt really good today physically. All systems were a go. There were a few times my rear end complained, butt for the most part it felt pretty good. This week was full of very long rides, four centuries in four days and we’re still riding. These were not flat, tail wind days either. What amazes me is the stamina and extra resilience I seem to have on these long rides. I do get worn down but seem to bounce back after a little food, gator-aid and/or rest stop. That is bounce back to riding with zest and enthusiasm.
Emotionally however, I am starting to really miss the companionship of my wife, family and home life. Now that I only have 15 days remaining, I am getting eager to complete this big goal that I set. This is a long time to be away for me. The longest ever n my 30+ year relationship with Cindy. For 35 days now I’ve been doing the same routine over and over and over again. Tonight Bob Frame and I broke away from the buffet line to treat ourselves to a big night out at Applebees and be served. It was a nice treat. The thing that keeps me going on this trip is kind of like the Balucci in Animal house and his sense of a “mission from God”. That mission is my desire to propel myself from “sea to sea” on my own power and bicycle. The different city every day definitely breaks things up. The people I am riding with and rooming with are all great travel companions. They are interesting, fun, adaptable adventurers all interested in the same goal, to ride “every inch” of the Northern route across America. This is what keeps me going now.

Stuff that happened:
The ride today was brief and pleasant. We were able to sleep in, we didn’t have to load our bags until 9am. Everyone was ready at 8:30, but the box didn’t open til 9. Everyone took off shortly thereafter. John Hubert took Colleen and I to his High School alma matter, St. Lawrence. This was a prep school for seminary life. He went there for two years and enjoyed the experience, but wanted to complete his education in a public school system. John is now a first office for American Airlines and lives in Connecticut. It was interesting being with him as he wandered around the small campus explaining the purpose of each building. The buildings were closed for the summer, but he did meet a brother and a maintenance fellow who both talked with us at some length about who still taught there and what had happened to various people John knew thirty years ago when he attended the school.
From the campus of St. Lawrence we road to the town of Mt. Calvary. The town was preparing for what looked to be a really big event in a really small town. Through the 2 mile main street lawn chairs were lined 4 rows deep filled with people who eagerly awaited the fire trucks, bands and who knew just what else. We figured the only way out of town was through that street so away we went. Little did we know that we were to become part of the Parade! It was kind of fun, people waving at us and cheering us on. We are easily amused.
After this little bit of fun, John Hubert took off and I had the pleasure of riding with Colleen Brier. She is a young teacher in Chicago who is a strong rider, but doesn’t realize her potential just yet. I had fun getting her to ride with me at a faster clip. She hadn’t been used to drafting and did very well at it. She encouraged me to go faster so she could get more of a workout! It was a fun day getting to know her and John better.

Day 34 Dells to Fond du Lac Wisc

Day – 34 – Wisconsin Dells to Fond du Lac, WI
Gerard takes the ride to another level.

Fond du Lac lighthouse

Euphoria Meter (1-10): 10
The weather and the riding today were fantastic. Gerard pulled an amazing 21 mph average for 33 miles.


Ride Stats:
Distance: 84 miles
Riding Time: ? 5 hrs
Max Speed: ?
Average Speed: 18.5 mph per Gerard’s computer
Total Miles traveled: 2,517
Miles to go: 1,112

Weather:
52 degree start, a little chilly, but very nice for cycling if you are dressed properly. 10 mph headwinds. Crystal clear visibility and skies of blue.

Incidents and Rider Report
I lost my computer magnet and don’t have complete stats for today. Lenny from Leipsig Oh needs a new wheel. No other issues that I am aware of.

How I Feel (1-10): 10


Stuff that happened:
Gerard rode like the wind today. After the second sag he and I caught up with Steve Bennett who joined us. The three of us worked hard together and ended up making it in to the hotel first today. We showered, went to a nice bike shop, had lunch at a Mexican restaurant that was very slow serving us.

Fond du Lac had a sidewalk sale going on in their downtown where we stayed. It made the area a bit more festive for our arrival. The streets were all closed to traffic. I then took a walking tour of the Northern end of Main Street. This led to a very beautiful lakeside park on a fantastic day. I had fun talking to people at home on the cell and taking some pictures of the area. See my slide show for more if you’d like.

Thanks again for all the nice comments. It is fun to know that my family and friends are peeking at this and staying in touch. I appreciate it. Even though the blog allows anonymous comments, thanks for letting me know who is who.

Tee Shirt swap event after
dinner...

click above for slide show

Day 33 Tunnel Vision 400

Day – 33 – LaCrosse to Wisconsin Dells
Tunnel Vision 400.

Tunnel Vision because we got to experience tunnel vision in three big ways today as we biked through three very dark, long (3/4 mi) dripping, cold tunnels with no lights whatsoever in them. 400 because that is what they referred to this section of railway. It was 400 miles between Minneapolis and Chicago and the train could do the trip in 400 minutes! Sometimes exceeding 100 mph! It seemed like a good allegory for our week… In 4 days we are doing over 400 miles. I think we’ll end up doing over 600 miles in 7 days. All personal records for yours truly.



If it wasn't for the tunnels, we would have had to climb over all of the peaks above. With the tunnels we avoided 3 of the 4. Gerard wanted both experiences, but sadly only time for one...the tunnels.

Euphoria Meter (1-10): 9
A great day of riding side by side with Gerard. Rich and Sarah rode with us for a while. Great scenery, first 40 all flat on a rail to trail bike path through 3 exotic old railway tunnels, followed by rolling hills and headwinds on a beautiful day. All that followed up with two nice boat tours of The Wisconsin Dells.


Ride Stats:
Distance: 97 miles (lets round up to 100)
Riding Time: 6:00 hours
Max Speed: 42.7
Average Speed: 16.0
Total Miles traveled: 2,424
Miles to go: 1,205

Weather:
Clear, blue skies. No hint of rain. A chill in the air for the morning (57 degrees). 10 mph headwinds from the North East most of the day. We have only had a few days with nice tail winds. The headwinds are winning.

Incidents and Rider Report
Everyone seems a bit tired from the big week of riding and it is not over yet.

How I Feel (1-10): 10
This week is basically four century rides in a row. I am amazed how good I feel and how much fun I am having doing this much riding day after day. Every now and then my rear end complains with some pain signals, but most of the time I find a position or two that feels very comfortable and I am able to just peddle away for hours and hours, enjoying the scenery or talking and/or talking with fellow riders.

Stuff that happened:
The ride today started out with Gerard and I catching up with Sarah and Rich. We rode with them for a while and then Bud and Cindy caught up with the four of us. Then the six of us rode the bike path to the first sag pretty much together. Somehow Gerard and I ended up leading the group. It was a nice social roll on a limestone hard-packed gravel path. The gravel slowed us a bit, but was a welcome change from playing dodge-em with semi’s.
The last section of the ride ended up being just Gerard and I. He put me through my paces and we ended up at the hotel almost before the box. The rooms were not ready and the box was not ready to be unloaded. So, Gerard and I decided to tour the Wisconsin Dells and find out what they are all about. They were very interesting. We took two boat tours. One by a traditional tour boat of the upper dells. The second was a very enjoyable ride on an amphibious “Duck” boat of the lower dells….both the woods themselves and the waterways. I have some nice pictures you might want to check out in my slide show below.
This is the photo that made the Dells internationally famous. Taken not by me, but Henry Hamilton Bennett in 1890 or so. The significance of the photo is that it was taken with the first "snapshot" lense, invented by Bennett. Prior to this invention all photo's were of still images. No one believed Bennett until he captured this shot of his 18 year old son jumping across Stand Rock adjacent to the river. It took 18 tries to get it right! Now that have trained German Shepard dogs that make the leap with a net under them, which Bennett's son did not have. This photo, when distributed internationally put the Dells on the map.

From our Duck boat we are show this sandstone formation that looks like a Hawk. What do you think?

We come back, clean our bikes, get ready for dinner, eat, blog, talk to wives and go to bed.



click on above for Slide Show

Day 32 - Rochester MN to LaCross WI

Day – 32 Rochester MN to LaCrosse WI
Russel comes out to play

Russel riding strong. Russel typically rides with Jen and Brett, his friends from Delaware. Today he had a change of pace and spent the second half of the ride with me. I enjoyed his company and his riding style, while learning about the State of Delaware, where I don't think I have ever been!




Euphoria Meter (1-10): 7
Today was a long but fun day filled with unexpected twists and turns.

Ride Stats:
Distance: 107.3
Riding Time: 7:34 hours (yikes)
Max Speed: 44.2 (nice decent)
Average Speed: 14.1 (a lot of putzing)
Total Miles traveled: 2,349
Miles to go: 1,280

Weather:
No sign of rain again. Cooler temperatures 67 to start, rising to 85 degrees but lesss humid. Headwinds still out of the North East 10 -15 and more at points.

Incidents and Rider Report

In LaCross I was able to meet briefly with Brent Welch and his lovely wife Marianne. They drove over to see me at the hotel. It was great seeing both of them again. We spent six years serving The International Forum's board togethe in the late 90's. I regret that I forgot my camera!

A scene from our big 8 mile detour today. They all ran up to their gate as I peddled by baaaahing loudly.

Mariah took another hit today. Riding up a 1 mile steep hill young speedster Derek Miller wants to sprint against me to the top (why me?). We take off and I’m right with him, pulling away and Mariah’s chain snaps. I crest the hill, dragging the chain on the ground behind me and coast a half mile to the bottom. Russel from Delaware stops to wait with me for help. We can only reach the voice mails of the SAG wagons (good thing I wasn’t in a serious accident). Twenty minutes go buy and the Good Samaratian, Richard Pauls from Oklahoma stops to see if he can be of assistance.

It turns out that Richard has traveled extensively by bicycle. Most of his trips he has been “self supported” (no SAGs) and he really knows how to be prepared. He whips out exactly what we need to McGiver Mariah back into action. With his multi-tool that included an appropriate chain tool we were able to remove the bad link, shorten the chain slightly and put Mariah back in the game. We finished the ride uneventfully (a few gears I couldn’t use, but otherwise just fine.) So thus far I’ve not missed an inch of the ride.

Russ and I were able to catch back up with the Miller family after our 40 minute hiatus and get into town ok. I thought I would stop at the suggested local bike shop but they could only refer me to another shop farther away. I made it there and they had a new chain and helped me get the bike back in great working order. I also replaced a water bottle that bounced out somewhere along the ride unbeknownst to me.

How I Feel (1-10): 10
All systems are go.

Stuff that happened:

Rich Simpson and I prepare for a big descent with a big view.



A bike ride with a big view!



We crossed the Mighty Mississippi today, climbed up to a really high scenic overlook. We rode about 40 miles on a very nice rails to trail path that wasn’t bumpy unlike most of the other roads we’ve experienced in Minnesota.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp8IWgno9Fg


Click above for a slide show the things I saw that I was able to capture on my camera.

Day 31 - Mankato to Rochester MN

Day – 31 – Mankato to Rochester, MN 989’ elevation

Bennett blasts off...

Mankato Sunrise

Euphoria Meter (1-10): 4
A pretty tough day. Lots of hills, all cornfields and a few little towns. If there was good scenery, I missed it. I hooked up with Steve Bennett and Gerard today. Steve was in a saddle blazing mood today.

Ride Stats:
Distance: 100
Riding Time: 5:50 hours
Max Speed: 32.6
Average Speed: 17.2
Total Miles traveled: 2,349
Miles to go: 1,280

Weather:
MUGGY, high humidity, 90 degrees, East winds at 10 mph (headwinds) but still no rain. I was praying for rain quite a bit today. Actually it did rain, or might as well have rained sweat. I was soaked from head to toe. My shoes and socks felt like I was peddling in a swimming pool. All this from the sweatiest I have been. I drank 12-32 ounce bottles of water and gator aid on the ride and it wasn’t enough.

Incidents and Rider Report
Mariah and I took a hit today. Steve, Gerard and I were navigating through a small town. Steve is leading and sprints ahead, I follow suit and then decide to look down at my route sheet fixed on my handle bars at the same time that Steve decides to slow down and do the same while a large truck is roaring up behind us. I look up to find myself about to collide with Steve who decided to cut left and I go down on the pavement.

Damage to Brake shifter.

Damage to arrow bars

Knee injury.

I have a little mantra I try to play in my head regularly, which is “All my attention all the time.” I took my eye off of Steve for too long and the bike and I paid the price. Fortunately, the truck behind us was the “Box” hauling our luggage driven by our ride leader’s wife Barbara. Don’t worry mom, beyond my ego, I was not the least big hurt. Miriah however picked up a few battle scars and needed a slight wheel adjustment, but she made it through the rest of the ride without any further issues. I was the talk of the dinner tonight.

I really have to hand it to Steve today. He put on a very steady pace, would not let me or Gerard lead early on at all. Gerard dropped off from our little group, probably because he was bored with riding in the back and wanted to let Steve have his fun. I decided to see how long I could ride with him.
We ended up considerably ahead of the pack and finally Steve lets me pull him for a few miles. I eventually get dehydrated and fall apart around mile 90 where the hills got steeper and the wind got stronger, but Steve slowed down a bit for me and pulled me and Miriah into our new Holiday Inn.
Rich made it in ok, but he said the ride took a lot out of him. He went solo from the second sag stop and only had two people pass him, John Knapp and Rich from Seattle. It was a very challenging day, especially after the last two days. We have three more big days and then things ease up for one day and THEN we get another rest day.

How I Feel (1-10): 10 at the start, 6 at the end of the ride.
Today I ordered room service in my Triple A rated motel for the first time! Two turkey sandwiches, soup, two chocolate milks (recovery drink of choice on this trip) and cole slaw. I then filled the tub with cold water, got a trash can full of ice and filled the tub with ice and got in to soak my legs. I took a 45 minute nap and now my legs and the rest of me feel pretty good. Apparently this technique is used by tour riders and NBA players and works pretty well. As a result, I think I am back to a 10.

Stuff that happened:
Today was really all about the ride. Not many photo’s sorry, nothing caught my eye. We did go by the Mayo Clinic which appears to dominate the town of Rochester. It is a BIG place with buildings that go on and on, buses that apparently haul workers and visitors to and from parking lots.

Day - 30 Worthington to Ma

Day – 30 – Worthington to Mankato
I spend the day with John Knapp

Euphoria Meter (1-10): 6
I only picked a six because I felt good and had a nice ride with John. The ride itself was nothing but corn fields, grain elevators and very small towns we pass through. Not much inspiring to take photograph.

Ride Stats:
Distance: 103 miles
Riding Time: 5:47 hours
Max Speed: 32.9 mph
Average Speed: 17.8 mph
Total Miles traveled: 2,160
Miles to go: 1,469

Weather:
Another fantastic biking day. Tempuratures started in the high sixties, ended near 90 and very humid now. It was the kind of biking that a guy like me from the Midwest really enjoys. You start sweating before you get on your bike and you don’t stop until you get out of your shower and relax in an air conditioned room.

Incidents and Rider Report:
Today was a pretty calm day. Big Mike is still waiting on his new bike. He hopes to get it today. Alfredo, the tri-motor, John Hubert and everyone else were out there getting the job done today.

How I Feel (1-10): 10
All my systems seem to be working just fine. That is, despite everything hurting just a little. I think I am now in shape for this ride and I am doing well.

Stuff that happened:

Last night at dinner something really unusual happened. Steve Bennet and I ended up being fitst in line for the buffet! This only happened after we jogged for a 1/2 mile to beat the line of hungry bikers that were chasing us on foot and in shuttle vans. It is the little things in life some times. Odly enough, although I was first, the garlic bread still tasted like it had been sitting out for 3 hours.

The photo on the right is of the line of folks behind Steve and I. They were deep in the restaurant and lined up way down the sidewalk outside!

We started pretty early today. The sun rising over our hotel parking lot below.


Blow this up or click on the link below for a great article by the Worthington Daily Globe about our ride:

The most interesting thing that happened today was opening the Worthington MN daily paper, the “Daily Globe”. On the front page was a great photo of yours truly and my riding buddy Gerard. It was accompanied by a long, very detailed article about our group and the ride. It was my 15 seconds of fame. Here is a link to the article:
http://www.dglobe.com/articles/index.cfm?id=5722§ion=homepage&freebie_check&CFID=44084675&CFTOKEN=86780088&jsessionid=883035687d7a7151273e

I made a tactical error at the beginning of the day. I awoke early but decided to take the breakfast at the hotel instead of the one down the road at the buffet. Only four others made the same choice. We were forced to wait a half hour until they opened the restaurant and then we were served behind a group of customers who came after us. Anyway, it delayed departure by an hour. I ended up having to take a serious trip to the little boy’s room and I start out all by myself.

.
Here is a pretty view I had of Lake Heron on our way to Mankato today.

Eventually I catch up with some others. John Knapp rides at a good clip that is similar to mine. We hook up after the first sag stop and ride together for the rest of the ride.
John is a very interesting person. He lives in Minneapolis, he has extended family in Maine and San Diego. John now teaches math in high school, but had a previous career in the restaurant business. One of his children recently graduated from the Air Force Academy. He rides strong and we work together to ease the effort of this long hot day.
The Holiday Inn we are staying at in Mankato is one of the nicest hotels we’ve stayed in since the Kah-Nee-Ta resort in Oregon.

Above is a scene that was repeated over and over on our ride. Large fields of corn and periodic grain elevators that seemed enormous. The entire ride reeked of farming prosperity.

Tomorrow we get to go for another century ride that everyone is anxious about.