Hey All!
Today was a good ride today. Though it was humid, it was overcast, and we had a tailwind most of the way. Our route today was full of TONS of left and right turns every few miles or so. We first went through a very small town outside of Springfield, and then passed by yet again, lots of farms and corn fields. At times, the corn fields can be a bit more freaky than the open fields I encountered in Kansas. This is due to the fact that the corn is taller out here, and they are both to my right side and to my left side as I bike down these empty roads. Leigh calls them "corn tunnels" and they are! It is freaky!! Today, I attempted to overcome my fear, and actually went to the edge of a corn field, this is one of the pics I have posted. I can't say I am cured of this very odd fear of mine, but at least I am trying! LOL!
The ride was going quite well today. Early on in the ride, Norb and I rode along with some of the faster riders. I couldn't help but wonder, were they just riding slow today? or were they just being nice and decided to ride with the slow-pokes today? or am I really that much stronger and faster? I decided it was all of the above! LOL! However, after a quick snack at the sag stop, Norb and I, along with Zero -- who is another rider (originally from Korea and riding this ride for training for his 1/2 iron-man this year) all got to talking, and we missed our right turn at mile 41. Norb brought this to our attention at mile 48. So, we had to backtrack into the headwind to get back on route! We ended up eating lunch at a convenience store once we got back on track again.
It was only an extra 16 miles that we had to ride. This turned what was suppose to be a 97 mile ride into a 113.29 mile ride. As I said many weeks ago, and it still holds true... after 80 miles, what is 90, or 100, or 110 miles? The body still feels the same by then! So, the pic that I have posted is also of me looking a bit lost. The others are of the lovely corn fields of Illinois, where it looks exactly the same as it did when we were on both the wrong route and the right route. Can you tell the difference? Yeah, I thought so!!!!
After taking a bit of a detour (due to construction) we finally made it to the hotel at about 5:30 this evening (had we not gotten lost, we would have made it to the hotel a few minutes before 4). It was a fun day though. It did rain on us a couple of times, which in this humidity was very welcoming and very refreshing!
Tonight dinner was at another buffet down the street, and tomorrow we eat at Bob Evans - the same restaurant we ate at last night and this morning. I've never heard of Bob Evans restaurants before -- I think they are more east coast, cuz I've heard they are all over in Pennsylvania also.
Tomorrow, we load up our luggage at 6:15 and will be off a little after 7 am (after breakfast). Tomorrow-- ha ha ha-- is a short day -- just 82 miles! Funny, it wasn't too long ago when 82 miles of biking was sooooooooooooooooo long for me!!! Now, I consider it a short day!!! Tomorrow we go to Crawfordsville, IN. That's right! Crossing yet another state line!!! This is going by soooooo soooo fast!!!!! I haven't watched the weather channel yet, so I don't know what the weather is suppose to be like yet for tomorrow. I got new biking gloves yesterday, they made such a difference wearing them today! They are so so comfortable!
Okay, that's all I've got for now! Hope you are all doing well! Talk to you soon!
Meiri.
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