So many years ago
Yesterday was our anniversary. Cindy and I have been married for forty years. I can’t believe it! I feel terrible that we had to be apart. However, hopefully we’ll have a nice bottle of wine and a great dinner in Fargo to celebrate. I did have a little celebration with the team in a small tavern in Iroquois, Illinois but of course without Cindy it was just another team dinner.
A toast to Cindy and myself
We didn’t have internet or cellular service last night in Iroquois but we had a great cafe. After a dinner of fried delights we peacefully slept in the community park. We were really tired after the 95 mile day in the heat. Again I felt like a jinx. Luke, Bernie, Jade and myself were navigating our way through a newly graveled road when Jade fell and re-injured herself. She was able to get to the first rest stop bloodied and bruised but her day was over. Gravel is a bikers’ enemy and can cause a biker to go down in an instant. I decided I’d ride the rest of the day alone and listen to music. I’m glad I did because the group I was riding with rode a blazing pace and struggled today in the 90+ heat. I was fine and had two good day despite the intense heat.
Riding through Indiana and Illinois is interesting. The roads are flat and long with large farms and wind generators lining the roads. There are corn and soy fields as far as the eyes can see. The hot wind out of the west is constantly in our faces making pedaling difficult. Tomorrow the temperature is expected to hit 100 degrees and the team is nervous, as they should be. I‘m usually ok in the heat. I believe it’s because I do yard work and golf when it’s really hot. And in the summers during my college years I worked around the large coke ovens at the Clairton US Steel Coke Works. I also know a few tricks that help me beat the heat when on a bike. A wet towel at the nape of my neck really helps to cool my body plus wearing a white helmet is a big help. I also load my water bottles with electrolyte tablets. However, even with all of these tricks, nothing is full proof and I need to respect the elements.
Tomorrow’s ride is only 55 miles and we’ll be camping in Henry, Illinois. Easy days can be hard.
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