Monday, May 11th: Tuscola, IL to Lebanon, Indiana! Day 23 on the road. Back home in Indiana!

(Just before crossing the state line there was a

I spent 5 incredible (ok, I changed majors half way through my junior year and needed more time to get out! :))) college years in Indiana at Purdue University during the early to mid 1980's. I've been back only a couple times since then and was looking forward to getting back but a little anxious to see, although this time would be by bicycle, if my feelings for being back in the state would change any....Riding through gave me lots of time to remember back to my Purdue days and reflect on those experiences. I was able to visit with several really close friends Monday night. After getting into Lebanon, I first got to see my college roommate and his wife and then later that night a couple of my closest Cary Quad RA pals and then stayed with one them and their family in Zionsville for the night and was driven back early Tuesday morning for the ride to Richmond. A great time! To the very special people 'from back in the day' at Purdue, others I befriended in South Bend and down in Bloomington, I very sincerely and with a deeply, grateful heart, say: 'Thank you.' My feelings hadn't changed much while riding through.
You can take the Tad out of Indiana, but you can't take the Indiana out of Tad.

 

 

Sunday, May 10th: Happy Mother's Day! Off to Tuscola! Day 22 on the road.

 

(photos courtesy of Mike Munk, Bamacyclist)

 A beautiful (and flat!) day riding today. Our shortest day of the whole crossing at 77 miles. One of our fellow riders, Scott Alexander, is rejoining the group after falling In New Mexico and suffering 2 broken ribs. After some recovery and a doctor signing off on him continuing, we're glad to have him back. Leaving Springfield, it begins the 3rd and final 'section' of our trip. Costa Mesa to Albuquerque was the first, from Albuquerque to Springfield the second and now from Springfield all the way east to Amesbury, MA - the third. The photo below is our cue sheet for the day with all of the directions to get from Springfield to Tuscola. With the rain it's always a challenge but w/ the great help from the staff (Judy), a MacGyver'ed holder between the aero bars allowed me to use the bars and read directions!

Saturday, May 9th: Springfield, IL!!!!

After getting through the very beautiful and MANY rolling hills of Missouri the last few days, we're 'settling in' to a few days through much flatter Illinois. Quincy, Springfield and tomorrow to Tuscola as rain is catching up to us and making for wet, sloshy adventures. Today we all enjoyed our second scheduled day off of the trip in Springfield. I woke to the yearly fundraiser  run in town called the Big Ass 5K. Instead of water tables along the route, there are tables with hotdogs, chips, ice cream and beer! I visited the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, his boyhood home and had the chance to meet up with a very close friend from Purdue for lunch! It was a really great day off. Tomorrow we head to Tuscola come rain or shine!!