Sunday, August 17, 2008 - One Week After Return

It has been one week since we completed the Big Ride Across America. I was surprised to see that I lost 16 pounds during the ride. This happened even though I ate close to two times what I would normally eat. I had to force myself to eat at times because I knew that I would need the extra calories to burn. Now the goal is to keep the weight off.

I went back to work the Monday after the ride. It was nice to get back to work and back into the swing of things. I also got back to riding. This past week, I rode a little over 200 miles. It was good to get back to “my” riding schedule since I really enjoy being able to go where I want to go and for how far and how long I want to. If I don’t feel like riding a certain amount of miles for the day – like the daily queue sheets dictated - I don’t have to.

The ride was definitely an experience of a lifetime and I will remember it forever. There were wonderful times and there were tough times. I am so thankful to everyone who took the time to read my postings and to those who sent me comments along the way. These comments helped keep me motivated knowing that there were friends out there with me. I also want to thank my wife and kids for being so supportive. Talking to them over the phone along the way reminded me that they were cheering me on and waiting for me to return. Finally and most importantly, I want to thank my Lord Jesus for my safety and for helping me to endure through the good and bad times. There were a lot of prayers during this ride and I know that they helped me get through it all. This ride has drawn me closer to Him knowing that with Him, all things are possible. I know that I would probably be stuck somewhere in Montana right now if it was me on my own.

Thank you all..now on to my next big adventure – whatever that may be!

Saturday, August 9, 2008 – Day 48

Start: Clarksburg, Maryland
End: Washington, DC
Miles: 55.43 Total Miles: 3,508.76 BRAA Total Miles: 3,323.80
Time: 3 hours 49 minutes (avg 14.5 MPH)
Flat tire count today: 0 Total flat tires for the ride: 11

The last day. This morning we had to get up early even though it was a short ride into Washington, DC. The reason was we had to be at the check point by a certain time and then we all had to gather at the lunch stop at around the same time. This would allow us to all ride to the finish line in succession.

As I got closer to DC, the traffic became much heavier and much more aggressive. I knew I was back in the Washington metro area when I got inside the Capital Beltway and the cars stated honking and being very unfriendly to bike riders.

Once we left the street and got on the trail, things got even busier. It was Saturday and the trail was loaded with weekenders. We had to navigate through a lot of walkers, runners and bikers. Really, we had to slow down and realize that we were in the big city and no longer in Montana.

We all met for lunch at the old post office building in DC. A Big Ride alumni from several years back owns a Greek restaurant and provides lunch for the riders each year. Once we were done, we headed to the finish line near the Lincoln Memorial.

My family and a couple of friends were their meet me and welcome me home. It was pretty exciting to see everyone there and to finally be done.

What an experience. One that I am very excited that I took on and completed. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and followed me across the United States. Without you all, the ride would have been even tougher.

Friday, August 8, 2008 – Day 47

Start: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
End: Clarksburg, Maryland
Miles: 49.82 Total Miles: 3,453.33 BRAA Total Miles: 3,270.80
Time: 3 hours 15 minutes (avg 15.3 MPH)
Flat tire count today: 1 Total flat tires for the ride: 11

The day started off with me pumping up my tires before the day’s ride. Since it was still a little wet out, my tires were wet. As I was pumping up my front tire, I saw the air bubbling out of a small hole in the tire. I knew I had a slow leak, but did not want to fix it until I had to. Well, seeing the air coming out of the tire, I decided to repair it. Number eleven for the ride. Hopefully it will be the last.

We left Pennsylvania early on in the morning. About six miles into the ride, we entered Maryland. The road we were on did not have a fancy welcome to Maryland sign, but it did have a marker letting everyone know that we had entered Maryland.

Since the ride was a short one, there were not a lot of opportunities for pictures. I did see a couple of farms in Maryland that I would love to live on – at least from a distance they looked great.

Tomorrow will be a short ride as well and will be the final ride into Washington, DC. We will arrive around noon at the Lincoln Memorial. It should be an exciting day and then back to the old routine.

Thursday, August 7, 2008 – Day 46

Rest Day: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Miles: 0.00 Total Miles: 3,403.51 BRAA Total Miles: 3,221.20
Flat tire count today: 0 Total flat tires for the ride: 10

Today was our last rest day. We spent it in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. I didn’t do too much during the day. I did go for a walk through the town of Gettysburg and looked around at the businesses. Other than that, I hid out from the storms that were passing through the area.

Two short riding days ahead of us left. It is hard to believe that it is almost over.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008 – Day 45

Start: Bedford, Pennsylvania
End: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Miles: 104.30 Total Miles: 3,403.51 BRAA Total Miles: 3,221.20
Time: 7 hours 17 minutes (avg 14.3 MPH)
Flat tire count today: 0 Total flat tires for the ride: 10

The weather forecast at dinner time last night was for nice weather overnight and the following day. Well, we all know that the weather people are sometimes challenged. They included a 10% chance of shower to cover themselves.

At about 4AM, I heard a noise on my tent…guess what it was? Rain. It started raining pretty hard. I had planned on getting up at 5AM to start packing up for the early start we were trying to get due to the long ride ahead of us. The rain continued until about 5:15 when it stopped. This was great because we were then able to pack up without getting wet. The only bad thing was packing up the wet tent. It could have been a lot worse. That was it for the rain for the day.

The roads were wet and messy when we got going. It didn’t matter much since we had to get started. We had over 100 miles ahead of us and we had to climb over the Appalachians.

As we rode, we could see the mountain ridges in the distance. They were not too clear due to the low clouds that were still in the area. Maybe that was a good thing so that we could not see exactly what was ahead of us. Here is a picture I took at an overlook. It was looking back on one of the ridges we just climbed over and was from another we were currently climbing.

We rode through a place called Breezewood today. It is a center of activity for truckers since it is centrally located between several interstates. I have driven through this area many times, but the experience on a bike was much different. It is a very busy place.

Off to the right was a sign that I enjoyed seeing. It shows me that we are getting closer to DC.

After Breezewood, we climbed for a number of miles. We went through a national park which was a wonderful ride. The amazing thing was we kept going up and then we turned a corner at the top and there was a huge lake with a bunch of people swimming and sunning themselves. It was like an oasis. We had our PB&J stop there before continuing on.

The rest of the ride was a lot of rolling hills. It was definitely a long, tough ride, but it was expected since this was the “final exam” of the ride. I guess since I arrived at our destination – Gettysburg – I passed the exam.

Tomorrow will be a rest day in Gettysburg before we ride our final two rides into Washington, DC.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008 – Day 44

Start: Confluence, Pennsylvania
End: Bedford, Pennsylvania
Miles: 80.02 Total Miles: 3,299.21 BRAA Total Miles: 3,119.40
Time: 5 hours 37 minutes (avg 14.2 MPH)
Flat tire count today: 0 Total flat tires for the ride: 10

Wake up time was strange this morning. It was foggy and warm. It had to be because we were in an area surrounded by hills and the weather was kind of trapped in with us. We headed out on the trail that we rode in on yesterday. We were on the trail for another 31 miles. The only difference today was the weather. It was drizzling early on. About half way through the trail, the rain became much harder. It only rained about fifteen minutes, but the bad part was the trail got messy when the rain was added to the crushed limestone. It almost became like cement and it got all over me and my bike. No big deal though, it washed off nicely when we arrived in camp.

There was a bridge along the trail that was very long. When I got on the bridge, I said to myself, “Whoa, Lisa wouldn’t be able to get across this one!” Lisa is my wife and she really dislikes bridges. It was long and it was high up. Good thing there wasn’t any wind or it would have been a little dangerous.

I was riding down the road getting close to our destination for the night and I came up behind a guy in a tractor pulling something. As I got closer, I was even more confused when I saw that it was some sort of building that he was dragging behind the tractor. Dragging…no wheels under the building. He signaled me to pass, but I just had to stop and take a picture. This was a pretty heavily traveled road and this guy was dragging a building.

I know that I have seen a lot of cows along the ride. Today, I saw this guy as I was waiting for others to arrive in camp. He was standing next to where I parked my bike. He was actually a part of the miniature golf course, but I had to take a picture.

Tonight, we will need to get some good rest because tomorrow is what is being called “the final exam” of the total ride. It is scheduled for 100 miles and it will include a lot of climbing. We have to go over the Appalachian Mountains on our way to Gettysburg. It should be fun.

Monday, August 4, 2008 – Day 43

Start: Washington, Pennsylvania
End: Confluence, Pennsylvania
Miles: 91.59 Total Miles: 3,219.19 BRAA Total Miles: 3,041.20
Time: 6 hours 9 minutes (avg 14.9 MPH)
Flat tire count today: 0 Total flat tires for the ride: 10

This morning was a cold start. The temperature was in the mid 50s when we got going. It took several miles to get warmed up. Then the hills started. We had quite a few hills during the first half of the ride. There were two really good size climbs mixed in as well.

We rode through the Mingo Creek Park in the morning. It was beautiful. It reminded me so much of my time riding in the national park in Ohio. It was so peaceful to just ride casually and look at the trees and river along the way.

We were tracking along the Monogahela River for part of the morning. The river is the result of the Ohio River and the Alegheny River meeting. They combine to form the Monogahela River. It is quite a large river.

A little less than half way through the ride, we reached the Youghiogheny River. There is a trail that runs along the river and that was our route for the last 52 miles of the ride. The trail is made of crushed limestone and my mountain bike just loved it. There was basically no grade for the entire 52 miles. It was enjoyable and the scenery was nice as well. The trail is part of the rails to trails project where old railroad routes are converted into biking and walking trails. The trail stretches from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Cumberland, Maryland where it meets up with the C&O Canal trail that can be ridden all the way into Washington, DC. We will not be following the trail that way, but it is wonderful to see a trail that runs for so many miles. Here is what the Youghiogheny River Trail looks like.

Here is a short video of us riding on the trail.

While on the trail, we reached the official 3,000 mile mark for the ride. I say official because I have bonus and other miles that took me over 3,000 several days ago. It is exciting to finally reach the 3,000 mile mark. That means we now have less than 300 miles to go before entering DC.

We know that we have less than 300 miles to go now since while at a rest stop, we saw this sign.

This rest stop was provided by a Big Ride Alum from 2000 named Fred Husak. He provided sandwiches, chips, fruit, and drinks for the riders. To top it all off, there was an ice cream shop in the park where the stop was and we were treated to unlimited ice cream. Thank you very much Mr. Husak. I know we all appreciated it very much.

Finally, we crossed the Youghiogheny River toward the end of the ride. There were a lot of river rafters riding down the river and enjoying the small rapids. We are spending the night in the Outflow Campground. Its name comes from the fact that it is at the point where there is a dam that holds back the river waters. We are staying right across from the point where the water from the dam flows out. It is pretty loud, but I don’t think I will have any trouble sleeping through it.

Sunday, August 3, 2008 – Day 42

Start: New Waterford, Ohio
End: Washington, Pennsylvania
Miles: 63.14 Total Miles: 3,127.60 BRAA Total Miles: 2,952.60
Time: 4 hours 18 minutes (avg 14.7 MPH)
Flat tire count today: 0 Total flat tires for the ride: 10

We were allowed to sleep in an extra hour this morning since the ride was going to be a short one. The only problem was several alarms still went off at the normal time. I guess it didn’t matter too much since I was able to continue resting for a little while longer. The ride was shorter than the average day, but it was a tough one with all the hills we had ahead of us. The real test is still ahead of us over the next few days in Pennsylvania on our way to Gettysburg.

After some good climbing this morning, we came across this sign. This is always a good sign, because it usually means we are headed for a big downhill. Indeed, we had a big, fast decent right after this sign. I was rolling at a maximum speed of just under 40 miles per hour.

Five days of riding in Ohio finally came to an end when we reached Pennsylvania – state number 11. This is the second to last state we will visit prior to riding into Washington, DC. Right before reaching the state line, we got our first look at the Pennsylvania skyline. We have reached the state of nuclear power plants. We crossed a bridge between two power plants and the enormous cooling towers on both sides of us.

Pennsylvania skyline view from Ohio.

It was nice to reach another state, but along with the change to Pennsylvania came the hills – rolling hills and a lot of them. These things continued for the next 40 miles. I guess I should get used to them since they will be with us for the next several days.

I did find a couple of new friends this afternoon. They were eating along the side of the road. They didn’t like me much. When I went to take their picture, they walked the other way.

We are in another camp ground this evening and will only have a few more nights in our tents. There are only six days left before we enter DC and only five of them are riding day.

Saturday, August 2, 2008 – Day 41

Start: Burton, Ohio
End: New Waterford, Ohio
Miles: 62.38 Total Miles: 3,064.46 BRAA Total Miles: 2,891.00
Time: 4 hours 01 minutes (avg 15.5 MPH)
Flat tire count today: 0 Total flat tires for the ride: 10

We had quite a storm last night blow through camp. Right before I went to bed, I was watching the storm coming in from Lake Erie. That was about 10PM. At a little after midnight, it arrived. The thunder and lightning was powerful and the wind was blowing like crazy. There wasn’t a whole lot of rain, but the combination of rain and wind made it seem like a lot. The storm came and went quickly and I fell back to sleep in cooler air.

Today’s ride was a very short one. The mileage was supposed to be just under 59 miles, but with a couple of route changes, it turned out to be a little over 62 miles. Even with the extra miles, it was still a really short day. It only took four hours to complete. We are resting up for our climb over the Appalachian Mountains that we will reach in a couple of days.

During the ride, we passed one of Ohio’s steel mills. The steel industry is a big part of Ohio – or at least it used to be. This plant was roaring away.

I was riding down one of the rural roads and was thinking about the lack of corn. The corn fields have definitely started to decrease. We still see smaller fields here and there. So, as I was riding down this road, I had a flashback to the cornfields of Illinois and Indiana. The only difference was this was a tree lined road as opposed to a corn lined road. Ohio is definitely a beautiful state during the right seasons.

In camp, the mysterious mischievous campers were at it again. The rider with the tent that is large enough to have a party in had some remodeling done to his tent without his knowledge. The tent is so big that someone put a picnic table in it and actually set the table. Needless to say, when he returned, he had to find a way to get the table out of his tent. There was no one taking the credit for the remodeling and no one offering to help take it out.

Friday, August 1, 2008 – Day 40

Rest Day: Burton, Ohio
Miles: 2.80 Total Miles: 3,002.08 BRAA Total Miles: 2,832.40
Flat tire count today: 0 Total flat tires for the ride: 10

Today was our second to last rest day. We spent it in Burton, Ohio. It is a small town of about 500 people. It reminded me a lot of the town that I lived in – Sagamore Hills – when I lived in Ohio.

Yesterday, I went out to mark the route to the fairgrounds where we were camping on the street with chalk for the remaining riders. As I was chalking the street right in town, a city official stopped me and asked me what I was doing. I explained about the bike ride and where we were staying and he told me that next year we need to let him know so he can put out signs directing everyone to the fairgrounds. He was very polite, but he didn’t want me writing on the town streets. He said that in a small town, they don’t take kindly to that kind of thing. Even if it is chalk that will wash away in the next rain.

I also had the opportunity to spend some time with a friend. I was picked up and whisked away to his home for dinner and a wonderful bed for the night. What a treat to have a home cooked meal, a bed and sharing with friends. Thank you Rudolph family. I look forward to seeing you all again soon.

We have seven riding and one rest day remaining until we reach Washington, DC. The only real obstacles in our way are the hills/mountains in Pennsylvania. Hopefully, they will not be too tough. Regardless, we are continuing forward.

Thursday, July 31, 2008 – Day 39

Start: Sandusky, Ohio
End: Burton, Ohio
Miles: 100.04 Total Miles: 2,999.28 BRAA Total Miles: 2,832.40
Time: 6 hours 53 minutes (avg 14.5 MPH)
Flat tire count today: 0 Total flat tires for the ride: 10

This morning’s portion of the ride was spent mostly along the coastline of Lake Erie. There were several parks along the way where we could stop and appreciate the size and beauty of the lake. It is definitely one of the Great Lakes. In addition to the lake, I was amazed at some of the homes that were recently built or in the process of being built along the coast. There were so many and they were fabulous.

Just across the street from the lake about fifteen miles or so into the ride, I saw this strange looking structure and stopped to take a picture. The sign said Atomic Blast Shelter. I was curious if this was still in working condition and if the people who live next to it are preparing for a blast anytime soon? It did look like it was well kept and ready for use.

After a detour that was due to a draw bridge being out of order (I think), we made it to downtown Cleveland. I have driven through the city on many occasions, but it is very different on a bike. I arrived right at lunch hour, so the streets were quite crowded with cars and people walking to lunch from all the offices.

Just down the street from downtown Cleveland was the famous Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It is located right on the lake. What a perfect location. Also off to the left is the Cleveland Browns football stadium. There is definitely a lot going on in Cleveland.

Continuing on down the road, our route was directed onto the Cleveland Lakefront Bikeway. It took us along the side of the lake by the airport and marina. What a beautiful ride and once again the weather was just right. There appeared to be a thunderstorm brewing to the south of the route, but it didn’t affect any part of our ride.

I thought this was funny…it seems like the group of riders stops at almost every Dairy Queen along the route. Today, I saw a Dairy King. I am not sure if anyone stopped there or if it compares to Dairy Queen, but I guess the owners thought the King should get equal time.

We went through an area in Cleveland called Little Italy. As you leave Little Italy, you have to go up a very steep hill. I was stopped at a light waiting to climb the hill and a guy in a car next to me said, "Are you going to ride up that hill?" I told him yes and he asked if I had done it before. I told him this was my first time, but it was just the next hill in a series of hills since Seattle, Washington. It took him a second to realize what I said and then looked at me like I was crazy and said good luck before driving away. It is funny to see the disbelief at times when telling people what we are doing.

The last 20-30 miles of the ride brought us back into rolling hills. It was tough since we have been riding on flat ground for so many days. It was good though since we have more rolling hills ahead of us in Pennsylvania. We needed to feel the burn once again to prepare us. The day's ride ended up being 100 miles due to two detours we had to take. So, add another century to the log.

Looking back on today’s ride was interesting. I used to live just south of Cleveland and we have driven to Cedar Point in Sandusky several times. We used to think that was a really long drive and after a long day at the park, we would say what a drag it was to have to drive all the way home. Well, now that I have ridden my bike that far and a little further, I have a different perspective. Those long rides in the car will take on a different meaning from now on.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008 – Day 38

Start: Napoleon, Ohio
End: Sandusky, Ohio
Miles: 89.10 Total Miles: 2,899.24 BRAA Total Miles: 2,740.00
Time: 5 hours 5 minutes (avg 17.5 MPH)
Flat tire count today: 0 Total flat tires for the ride: 10

We experienced another episode with people near the campground that apparently had too much to drink. It took place at a house across the street from where we were camping. There was a lot of screaming and foul language. It was like watching the sequel to the Coal City experience. The police eventually made their way over and things quieted down.

The morning started a little earlier than I had planned. I was going to get up at 5AM, but at about quarter till 5, I heard a couple of rain drops on my tent. I jumped into action packing my stuff so I could take down my tent before any heavier rain came. I know how quickly storms can move in this area and wanted to keep my tent as dry as possible. Well, those few drops were about all we had. It was no big deal. It just got me going earlier. Throughout the day, we only received a few small rain drops here and there. They were actually welcomed to help cool things down, especially the humidity.

The ride today was fantastic. So many of the factors came together at the same time. We had flat roads that did not have much traffic on them. The biggest factor was that we had a tailwind between 5 and 15 miles per hour for most of the ride. That combined with the other factors enabled us to ride quickly. I averaged about 2 to 3 miles per hours more than usual. For about 50 miles, we were riding at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour with not too much effort.

There are riders on this trek that spend thousands of dollars on their bikes and riding gear. Some bought new bikes just for this ride. I wanted to recognize one of the riders that did not go to any extreme whatsoever in purchasing riding gear. She has ridden over 2,700 miles so far from Seattle, Washington to Sandusky, Ohio in Converse low top basketball shoes. She will finish the ride with them as well. I rode in tennis shoes until the beginning of this year, so I know how much different it is to ride with real biking shoes.

I knew that we were officially in Ohio today when we reached the Ohio Turnpike. I spent many hours driving on the turnpike when I lived in the Cleveland area, so it was like a homecoming to me. Actually, tomorrow we will ride within about 15 miles from where I used to live – just south of Cleveland.

When we arrived in camp this afternoon, there was a baby bird on the ground next to where we were going to setup camp. Someone reached out their hand and the bird jumped right on her hand. It was pretty cool. The bird was eventually put back into the tree for safety, but it came back a little later looking for food. Experiencing things up close is so eye opening.

We are camping in Sandusky, Ohio right next to Lake Erie. About half the riders are heading over to Cedar Point Amusement Park this evening to enjoy the roller coasters. I know they will have a fun time, but I don’t want to be out until 10PM and then have to get up tomorrow morning. Also, I have already been there several times, so I know that I am not missing anything.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008 – Day 37

Start: Kendallville, Indiana
End: Napoleon, Ohio
Miles: 71.37 Total Miles: 2,810.14 BRAA Total Miles: 2,652.20
Time: 4 hours 34 minutes (avg 15.6 MPH)
Flat tire count today: 0 Total flat tires for the ride: 10

Last night after dinner, we checked my back wheel that was a little out of true due to the rough Indiana roads. I thought I had hit a pot hole causing the rim to get a little goofy. Well, when we were checking the spokes to see where the trouble was, we found it right away. One of my spokes was broken. It snapped at the hub. So, since it was late, we decided to put it off until the ride for today was complete. I had already ridden 50 miles on it yesterday and today’s ride was only 70 miles, so I thought I would just wait. As I am writing this, it is being fixed and will be ready to go for tomorrow’s ride.

Before leaving this morning, we chuckled a bit when we said today’s ride was only 70 miles. The key word is “only”. Under any other circumstances, a 70 mile ride would be considered a long ride for most of us. But when the average daily ride is 83 miles, a 70 mile ride is a blessing.

About 25 miles into the ride, we reached the state of Ohio. State number 10! Since we are riding on side roads and very rural country streets, there was no pretty sign welcoming us to Ohio. There was a yellow line painted in the street by one of the support crew and an old faded paint job that said “Welcome to Ohio” that was probably from a prior ride. So, I took a picture of the street sign showing that we indeed crossed into Ohio.

I wanted to sneak this picture in since I took it as we were leaving Ohio. I turned around at the Pennsylvania state line and got it for the record.

Once we headed into Ohio, I thought we might see some different scenery. Well, I was wrong. Corn to the right of me and soy beans to the left. Just like the last two states.

We are staying the night at the county fairgrounds in Napoleon, Ohio. There is a large empty warehouse that we have to hang out in and most will be camping outside. There are a lot of bugs again. This time – at least so far – it is flies. They are driving us nuts. That is the main reason for sleeping in a tent tonight – to keep the flies away.

Tomorrow will be an early start since our destination is Sandusky, Ohio and some of the riders want to head over to Cedar Point Amusement Park. The ride will be a few more miles and getting an early start will be good to attempt to beat the afternoon heat.

Monday, July 28, 2008 – Day 36

Start: Valparaiso, Indiana
End: Kendallville, Indiana
Miles: 111.17 Total Miles: 2,738.77 BRAA Total Miles: 2,582.20
Time: 6 hours 38 minutes (avg 16.7 MPH)
Flat tire count today: 1 Total flat tires for the ride: 10

We got a late start this morning after breakfast. Several of the riders were a little later than others getting to the truck to pack and turn in their keys to the dorm rooms. We were not allowed to get our queue sheets until all the keys were turned in. At this point, it really is no big deal. We knew it would be a long day of riding combined with losing an hour due to the time zone change, so we just accepted it.

We had another “episode of where is the street?” We were following our directions and then we ran into some construction that was being done on the street we were supposed to be on. We couldn’t ride on the street though since it was not there. It was completely torn up. So, we had to find our way around the construction. It was rather comical. There was about ten of us trying to find the next road on the queue sheet. We were riding around in small groups and we kept looking down the streets and seeing each other going in different directions. The funniest thing was that we all came back together at pretty much the same time and at the same location, which was back on route.

Not too long after the construction zone, I got my tenth flat tire. I am not too upset, since I am used to fixing them now. I figure at this rate, I will get two to three more before the trip is completed.

There was a lot of corn once again. The corn is so high on both sides of the road, you can’t see anything else.

I also saw more cows today. This was the first time in a couple of days that I can remember seeing cows. It was nice to see something other than corn for a change.

We also came across a sunflower field. There were hundreds of sunflowers. It was so cool to see them one after another.

Toward the end of the ride today, we came across these guys. They looked like giant poodles since they were apparently just shaved. They were either llamas or alpacas – not sure if these are the same thing. The group I was riding with called to them and they came running over. I think they were looking for food. They were right up in our faces. A little too close for my comfort level.

Tomorrow is a short day. Only about 70 miles into Ohio – our tenth state.

Sunday, July 27, 2008 – Day 35

Rest Day: Valparaiso, Indiana
Miles: 12.73 Total Miles: 2,627.60 BRAA Total Miles: 2,472.50
Flat tire count today: 0 Total flat tires for the ride: 9

Today was a rest day at Valparaiso University. I did pretty much nothing but sit around and attempt to let my backside heal. After riding and sitting on the saddle for seven days, your backside gets really raw from rubbing and really, REALLY sore. I did take a bike ride to do a little looking around the town. I stopped and picked up some stuff for lunch. Later on in the day, I walked to get something for dinner. Other than those two things, I didn’t do much more. The dorms we were staying in were pretty nice. The rooms and the lounges were air conditioned, so spending time between the two was relaxing after camping in the hot and humid campgrounds the past several nights.

Tomorrow will be another 100+ mile day. On top of that, we are going to ride into the Eastern Time Zone, so we will be losing another hour. It will be a long one for sure.

Saturday, July 26, 2008 – Day 34

Start: Coal City, Illinois
End: Valparaiso, Indiana
Miles: 87.67 Total Miles: 2,614.87 BRAA Total Miles: 2,472.50
Time: 5 hours 44 minutes (avg 15.2 MPH)
Flat tire count today: 0 Total flat tires for the ride: 9

So, the big question that we are asking ourselves is, “How can it be that the rolling hills in Illinois (they are quite small) can seem more difficult than the mountains in Washington (Snoqualmie Pass) and Montana (The Rockies)? The past several days have seemed very tough, but I am pretty sure it is because we were fresh and ready to tackle the early rides. This past week has seemed much tougher because of all the miles we have put in with no real rest time in between.

I just have to bring up the activity at the camp ground we stayed at last night. It was a really nice camp ground that you supposedly have to be a member to be able to use the facilities. Things went fairly well until around midnight. A couple of the campers obviously had too much to drink and a verbal argument ensued. It went on for what seemed like hours. The comment that we all remembered best this morning had something to do with the wife/girlfriend not being too pleased with the husband/boyfriend’s “Internet girlfriend”. It was pretty hilarious.

Today’s ride was a nice one. The weather was great and we had a northwest wind that helped us along most of the way. I guess it was also a nice day to go fishing. Considering it was Saturday, fishing in the morning is a nice thing to do. These guys were out having a good time, I am sure.

We passed a restaurant today called the Launching Pad. I am not really sure the point of the guy standing in the parking lot, but I thought it was a neat picture. He was very large and obviously caught my attention as well as several others.

We made it to state number nine today. A little more than half way through the day, we reached Indiana. The funny thing is due to our route, there was no welcome to Indiana sign. So, the support crew painted a state line on the street where we actually crossed over into Indiana. When we reach our next state – Ohio – I will turn around and hopefully be able to get a picture of the welcome to Indiana sign from the other side of the state.

That was it for the day because as soon as we reached Indiana, the streets quickly deteriorated and I could barely think about anything else since my brain was being shaken every which way from all the bumps and holes in the road. From what I was told, the residents of Indiana are proud of their terrible roads. We were told that the roads will not get any better during our time in Indiana. So, more shaking to come.

Tomorrow is a rest day in Valparaiso, Indiana. We are staying at Valparaiso University in the dorms. Once again, a well needed rest day. Especially after about 650 miles in the last seven days.