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Day 35
Break out the bubbly!  Oh, not that Champaign.

ROUTE:  Springfield to Champaign IL DISTANCE: 102 miles WINDS: Light out of the SW
WEATHER: Absolutely beautiful...high 85 TERRAIN: Perfect for riding...gently rolling to flat TOTAL CLIMBING: 790 feet

DAILY DOINGS: Riding out of a big city can be hair raising, but on a Saturday morning it's a piece of cake.  Our only problem this morning was looking at the Capitol building across the street and seeing the flag atop the rotunda blowing toward the north.  It appeared we'd have crosswinds for the morning...we were really hoping it would be blowing toward Champaign.  I've been here dozens of times and I've never seen the flag blowing toward Champaign...oh well, at least it wasn't blowing toward Quincy like it usually does.

It really turned out to be a great day to ride.  I was in the van for the morning and planned to ride after the first SAG.  I let Karen ride the first 37 miles while I watched over the flock and took photos.  Everyone was moving really well and the winds even started helping after a few miles...life was good.  I think everyone is starting to see the end of the ride looming ahead...only about 2 more weeks of riding left.  And with that thought, everyone is trying to savor the moment...especially when we have such a nice day to savor.

My plan was to take it easy today...maybe a 13 MPH average to spin my legs after sitting in the van so much and hopefully give my back a chance to loosen up.  Well, that idea ended shortly after I started rolling.  I was doing all right for the first couple miles...legs actually felt pretty good and I thought I'd really enjoy an easy day in the saddle...then Steve rode up.  Steve is an animal that only knows one speed...fast.  Before long we were riding side by side and steadily increasing the speed until we were well over my "13 MPH" target...well, actually about twice that.  Before long Steve lowered himself into his aerobars and then any thoughts of going easy were forgotten.  We spent the rest of the day playing with Clarence...all in all it was a fast paced day that really woke me up...thanks guys for a great ride today.

Today was "Poker Day."  Everyone put in a buck and drew a card at every stop today for a hand of 5 card poker...the one with the best hand at the end of the day won the pot.  Bob was the lucky player with three 5s narrowly beating out Sue with 2 pair.  I think the drinks at Chilis exhausted his winnings so the losers were happy too. 

Tomorrow we enter the state of my youth...Indiana.  Looking forward to entering small town America tomorrow.  The route is easy, the day is relatively short, and the weather looks like another keeper.  See you when we get to Crawfordsville.  M

DAILY DISCERNING DIALOGUE:

"OK Clydesdales, time to move out!"
"Where's David?"
"He's over there cavorting with the Shetlands."

Debbie was made an honorary Clydesdale today...a race classification for folks over 200 pounds. 
"But I only weigh 130 pounds."
"After confiding with the other members, we've decided to waive the size and weight requirement, we need some refinement."

"What a wonderful day."

"That Lincoln guy sure got around."

"I hope you got the photo of our pace line when I was at the front."

"It's either breathe or pedal...I can't do both at that speed."
 


 

 DAILY DUH:

After the second SAG, Clarence, Steve, and I were down the road about 3 miles when I got a call from Barbara from the SAG.  "Alan was wearing a hat for the first time today and he rode off without his helmet.  Plus, there are 2 water bottles here that someone left."  I looked at my riding partners and quickly noticed Clarence's bike had no bottles on it..."I know who left the water bottles, is someone bringing Alan's helmet?"
"Yes, Mike and Larry just left with them."
"OK, I'll stop Alan when he gets here and have him wait for his helmet and Clarence will be here when his bottles get here."
I told my partners to stop that we had to wait for Alan...then I told Clarence he'd better take a drink...he reached down and in astonishment just shook his head.  Remember, he's left stuff all over the country...nothing earth shattering here.  He said he intentionally had tried to lighten his bike so he could ride faster...yeah, right. 

It wasn't long before Alan and Jeff came riding up...we stopped them.  I asked Alan to demonstrate the "stop the van" signal which is tapping the top of your helmet...oops.  Not sure who was the most embarrassed, Alan for forgetting his helmet or Jeff for not noticing.  To Alan's credit, he's never worn our ABB cycling cap before while riding...when he left he failed to remember the thing on his head wasn't his helmet.  We all stood there until Mike and Larry rode up with the missing items.  "OK guys...do we have everything now?"
 
"Everything but my mind," replied Clarence.  I think we need to make Clarence a checklist of items he needs to remember everyday but I'm afraid he'd forget where he put it.  I've decided I'm pretty lucky, lots of people pay good money to be entertained...I just have to show up.

DAILY DIGITAL DELIGHTS

This is the goat rendition of "How many college kids can you get into a Volkswagen?"

David was torn by his urge to be a real Bulldog today or to try to get in touch with his more "gentle side" by using the pink pump.  At dinner he was heard to say, "When I wear that jersey and I stop for a bathroom stop along the road, I feel like I need to find a fire hydrant and hike me leg.

Steve has had enough trouble navigating without trying to figure out this confusing intersection.  How many names can roads have?

Clarence just decided he'd had enough after riding with me and Steve all morning. 

Domestics, Larry and Mike, saved the day for Alan and Clarence.  Don't know who we're going to get to watch those two tomorrow.

Bob finally realized he'd made a fatal navigational error after not seeing any other riders or the van in over a week.  With the Andes looming ahead, he thought how could I have missed the Panama Canal.

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