Day 35 Coal City, IL to Valparaiso, IN - 84mi

Did not see much of the scenery today, though what I did see was nice.  Soon after I left camp, I jumped on the Tim train behind Kendall.  I ended up riding with them all day, which was quite a workout for me to keep up, and only possible because they waited for me to catch up after the hills I fell behind on.  What nice gentlemen!  I really appreciated them letting me tag along, since there was a headwind for us today and this made things much much easier for me.  We were done with 84mi by noon.  The rough roads added to the fatigue factor.  We get to stay in air conditioned dorm rooms today.  Cushy beds and laundry facilities!  Great for getting ready for the next few days.  Early to bed for tomorrows 110mi day.

The Gemini Giant!

Kendall and Tim - my riding buds for the day.

Day 34 Belvidere to Coal City, IL - 106mi

Corn tops.  Yes, that is the shadow of my arm and head at the bottom.

Another century, and then some.  Today was just beautiful riding.  More rural scenery, but the weather was nice, and the wind usually favorable.  Rode through another enormous wind farm.  I had no idea these huge projects existed, I just knew about the ones in Eastern washington.  Luckily the wind turning them was at our back today. Yea!  I got my 10mi-itis on this ride.  Those last miles were hard.  This ride presents many challenges to mentally tough out.  Our camp is very pleasant.  Apparently it is a private resort that was a coal strip mine years ago that has been reclaimed.  It is now grass, many trees, and a lake with fish.  We ate dinner in camp, very yummy good food thanks to great shopping by Charlton and Lynn.  Fell asleep watching fireflies and listening to Saturday night campground noises.

Wind turbines.  Look closely and you can see several all across the horizon.  Many more were visible in the distance, but they don't show up in the picture.  The other side of the road was the same way.

Day 33 Madison, WI to Belvidere, IL - 94mi

It really felt good to be on the move again.  I started out early today, since we had 94mi to go and there were heat warnings out for the day.  It did get warm, but a stiff SW breeze helped make it seem a bit cooler.  Even though,  I did feel like I was getting sunstroke or something towards the end of the ride, so I took a 10min break in the shade 8mi out from the end and it seemed to help.  I was able to manage the last few miles after that.  Towards the end of the ride, the "breeze" became a fight, robbing me of speed.  Blah.  We are staying the night at a campground east of Rockford, IL.  We ate at a bar/grill across the street.  Food was mediocre, but acceptable, and it was kinda fun.  Soon after dinner a small storm blew up and soaked everything.  Not much thunder.  I am hoping a more intense storm will come through tonight.  Storms are entertaining, and they would help cool things off!

more wildflowers!

Country roads..take me home, to a place I.................oh wait...Countrree roads, take me to Deee Ceee.........

OH NO!!!!
Must have taken a wrong turn.
Now I have to start all over?
(Whatcom county people will understand)

The Rock Bottom Bar and Grill.....for dinner and drinks.

wet camp

I am back with the Big Ride group!  Got into Madison last night and used the "rest" day to wake up my legs on a ride this morning.  I rode about 39 miles around the beautiful lakes and neighborhoods of Madison, then showered and found some breakfast.  After a 2 hr nap, I took care of some business and went to one of the local bike shops to get a new helmet mirror and some more Hammer Nutrition products that I was running low on.  Riding around this town and the surrounding area is amazing.  This town is bicycle crazy!  Almost every street has a bike lane, or a separate path.  Many of the paths are even separate from the pedestrian paths, strictly for bicycles.  And there are cyclists galore using them all.  After some dinner, the two Jeffs and Olivia and I went to the waterfront, ate ice cream, and dipped our toes (though Olivia got right in).  A very nice, warm, glowing evening.  Now to bed to rest up for a 94mi day tomorrow!

These three pics are of a big natural area I rode a dirt trail through.

All around the trails and parks are many tallgrass prairie wildflowers.

By Lake Mendota

Some of Madison from across Lake Mendota

Across the lake to Madison

Wisconsin Badgers

Most of the bike racks looked like this, and there were many, many more!

The truck parked behind Chadbourne Hall.  We stayed on the top floor!

Day 26 Rest day in New Ulm

Well people, unfortunately my Big Ride will have to be interrupted for a few days.  My uncles services and funeral are just too important for me to miss.  I want to support my cousins and aunt with their loss.  I am off to Grand Blanc, MI to meet up with my sis, then attend the services in Windsor, Ontario.  I will meet back up with the Big Ride group in Madison, WI next week (WED) to continue my ride to DC.

Day 25 Tyler to New Ulm MN - 86mi

More wind all day as we made our way to New Ulm, Minnesota.  The wind was hitting more as a crosswind than the day before, but one still had to hold tight to the bars and fight the gusts all day.  By the end of the ride, my arms were very tired, and so was the rest of me after 6 straight days of riding.  One neat thing about the wind, it makes interesting and pretty patterns in the different crops, mostly corn, hay, and soybeans.   I made a couple short videos to capture this, but it doesn't show up well.  The effect is actually like looking at a rolling seascape.  In New Ulm, Laura and I caught a ride into town and went to a fun bar for a drink.  The bartender was nice to take us back to the college and gave us a short tour on the way back.  After dinner we rode over to a country club nearby and enjoyed more food and drink on the patio.  The summer weather here is actually very pleasant (off the bike) as the breezes keep things cool yet it is still summery warm.  And the landscape is very nice.  I do like it here.

Unfortunately the day ended with finding out my uncle with emphysema has died.  Sadness.

Day 24 De Smet, SD to Tyler, MN - 77mi

As we set out the scenery changed from wide open farmlands to rolling farmlands with more trees and wetlands.  More than once the road would go right through a small lake.  The winds have picked up today, and really became noticeable as we came closer to Minnesota.  I understand the wind is almost always blowing in southern Minnesota, but thankfully it was more of a crosswind with just a bit hitting us in the face.  Right after crossing into Minnesota, we rode through the largest wind farm I have ever seen.  There must have been hundreds of turbines along a couple of ridges, which we climbed and crossed.  Apparently, I missed a turn today, which ended up being a shortcut so I rode about 3mi less than the other riders today, tee hee.  Finished the ride at 2:00 with a hamburger and a chocolate shake at the local food place that also catered our dinner and fed us breakfast the next morn.  Spent the night listening to the wind flap the rainfly on my tent.

wetlands and more trees

beautiful blue skies

A new state!!
Wind turbines in background

turbine - more in distance

breezy camp