Slow day

Between the excellent hospitality of Jodie and John, the muggy weather, and the reappearance of hills, the fire that was lit under my butt in Illinois seems to have gone out.

On the bright side, I am eating at Sonic for the first time!

Free baseball!

Busch Stadium

Down 5-0 after the top of the first...

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=38.62242359,-90.1914318

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks

Who has two thumbs and is excited for the Cardinals game?

Day off in St. Louis

I'm becoming soft! Only 4 days after my last day off, I'm taking another rest in St. Louis.

This will be fun. I'm staying with my friends Jodie and John. Today Jodie and I are going to some museums around town, and tonight we are going to the Cardinals game.

St. Louis!

Gateway to the West

Somewhere over there is California, radio stations that start with K, and points higher than Mt. Mitchell.

What's that on the horizon?

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=38.6754476,-90.13487069

Killing it

If you're keeping score at home, that's 195 miles in two days.

Happy 4th of July!

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=39.35580229,-89.86848661

By order of the mayor

Quick summary of the rest of the ride.  Towanda was a very small town, but I did manage to get a hamburger at a barbecue outside the gas station and talk to a local cop for a bit.  I blew through Bloomington on a rail trail that went right through through town.  It looked like a few neighborhoods were nice, some were dumpy. Overall probably a nicer-than-average city.

After Bloomington it was a dead sprint to Atlanta.  I had found a campsite a few miles from there, and when I called they said the office would be closed early so they could go to the fireworks in town.  

Fireworks!

So, my plan was to race the final 18 miles to Atlanta, watch the show, then head out to the campground.  But when I got to town, I found that the fireworks were at the baseball fields.  I love camping by the baseball fields!  I looked for a police officer to ask, but was told the only officer was driving around in an unmarked car.  I asked some firefighters, but they said it was a question for the cops.  HOWEVER, they said, the MAYOR would be near the concession stand, and he would be the best person to ask.  So I found him, told him my story, and by mayoral decree, I am camping tonight at the Atlanta, Illinois baseball field.  

Today was really my first day of flat terrain and little wind.  Coupled with an early start, my enjoyment of these towns, and my push to see the fireworks, I covered 101.21 miles today, at an average of 14.9 mph.  That also puts St. Louis only two days away, so my big day saved me a day of my schedule.  

Overall just a ridiculously fun day!

Lexington update

The streak continues!  All I wanted here was ice cream, and the Shake Shack was the first thing that greeted me in town.  And once I told the lady about my trip, she had me sign the wall.  I'm famous forever in Lexington, IL!

Show me what you got, Towanda!  The bar is pretty high!

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=40.64132935,-88.78671063

Heaven on a hot day

AKA, Chenoa, Illinois community pool.  The water is 85 degrees and a stereo is tuned to a radio station playing only songs written for summertime pool use.  WBNQ - you can listen live online!

Overall, this stretch of rt 66 has been so so so enjoyable.  10 miles of semi-agriculture between towns, and nowhere near the desolation of Northwestern Indiana.  The towns are mostly nice, and I've been able to find something interesting in each.  The last one, Pontiac, had a bunch of suspension pedestrian bridges over the tiny Vermilion River, and a statue of a young Abe Lincoln.  This one has the greatest pool ever.  I wonder what the next town (Lexington) will hold for me?

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=40.74667161,-88.72407451

Morris, Illinois

Arrived in town on the lovely I&M canal path and set up my tent in the small campsite in a park on the edge of town.  I had seen a poster that the county fair was going on, so I bikes out to the fair and walked around a bit.  Ate some pizza and ice cream.  Good stuff.

They also had the Granby County racetrack there, and Midget car racing was going on that night. I tried to go in, but the guy at the gate told me that tickets were $15, and they had stopped selling them.  I was sad.  But, I walked around and looked at the livestock section, and learned that a couple nights ago there had been a sheep judging!  Sounds like a Bingo square to me!

Before I left, I went back to the racetrack gate and begged the guy to let me in for just 10 minutes.  He relented, and in I went.  The race was under a caution flag when I got in, so things were pretty mellow.  They waved a green flag, and the cars seemed to speed up a bit.  Entertaining enough, I though.  But then they waved the flag again and OH MY GOD THE CARS STARTED GOING 120 MPH AND SOUNDED LIKE A MILLION BEES AND IT WAS AWESOME.  It was seriously impressive and I cheered out loud when someone manages to pass the lead car.  The race went back under caution after I few minutes and I left.  For at least one night, consider me a race fan.

On the way out of the fair, I noticed a row of shower rooms.  I asked someone what they were for - he said that usually the race drivers or 4-H kids use them, but I was welcome to take a shower if I wanted.  So I did.  So nice to not stick to my sleeping bag.

This morning I had a nice breakfast downtown (cute downtown, btw) and bought some fishing line and hooks for some future fishing.  I went south out of town to historic rt 66, and I've been on that all day.

Morris, Illinois, I will remember you fondly.

A summer of county fairs

Know who gets sick of county fairs?  

Communists.

Suck it, Asian Carp!

This bike path goes between the Des Plains river and the Chicago S&S canal.  The wire fence is to keep Asian Carp from getting into the S&S canal (and to Lake Michigan) when the land floods.  Good luck, I think they'll need it!

Corn Products International

This is where those billions of ears of corn end up!

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=41.77397527,-87.81637533

Bike trip dreams

I've recently had two dreams about the bike trip.

About a week ago, I dreamt that I had finished the trip.  I was home, and when people asked how the trip was, I'd say "great, but I don't remember much between Chicago and California"

Just this morning I woke up from a dream where I had abandoned the trip.  I was home, I went to work, and life was back to normal.  When I woke up (on the floor in Chicago), I wasn't sure where I was, but I was very disappointed that I had given up.  I couldn't even remember where I had left my bike, and considered flying back out to wherever it was to resume the trip.  When I finally realized I was in Chicago I was very happy.

I suppose these are good dreams to have.  If I woke up wishing that I really WAS home, I'd be worried.

Recuperation Station

Ended up taking the day off today. Despite the forecast of 97 degrees, it ended up being rainy and cloudy and overcast all day - equally unpleasant biking weather. We've mostly just sat around Adam's place, which is fine with me. I did some minor bike maintenance, picked up some new tires (I've already used both the ones I brought) and patched a used tube. We went out for lunch, and just made plans to go out for a nice dinner to celebrate the end of our segment together.

I have felt a little antsy today with nowhere to travel and no miles to knock off. I'm excited to get going tomorrow. Turns out there's a bike path that follows the Illinois River from here to Peru, about 100 miles west - I should be in for a pleasant day tomorrow!

Bingo update

Here's the bingo board with my current progress. Can you believe I haven't seen a rainbow yet?