Day 22 Springfield to Tuscola (83 miles)

So on paper today was our easiest day, just 83 miles and all flat. That's kind of how it turned out but I think we made it more difficult on ourselves than it should have been. Don't know if everyone wanted to prove something to the new guy Richard, but we left Springfield at a fearsome pace. A seven man paceline each taking a turn on the front before moving to the back. If you dropped a water bottle, or lost the wheel in front for a second, bang you were gone. I managed to stay with it, but it was uncomfortably fast at times. It's as much my fault as anyones, I was pushing it from the front when it was my turn. Going to try and take it more leisurely in the days ahead, but it's difficult to ignore the lure of the paceline with its promise of high speeds and some economy of effort.

Photo shows the lunch time SAG stop. That's Barbara (Mum) putting out the food. She'll give us a slap if we reach for any food without first cleaning our hands with wet wipes and gel. They're very careful about hygene, we don't want some sort of bug going through the whole group. Lunch is make you own ham and cheese sandwiches, bananas (of course) biscuits, fig rolls, peanuts, raisins, pasta, fruit. There's also water with optional gatoraid powder. Plenty to keep us going in the afternoon. That's 'grey' van which Barbara drives and goes ahead to set up the next SAG. There's also 'white' which Mike or Karen usually drives (whilst the other one often rides) which keeps in touch with us throughout the day to take photos a sort out any problems.

The terrain was nothing to write home about, flat open fields. The crops are apparently a few weeks behind schedule because it's been so wet. Normally the corn would be a foot or so high, but all there was, was a few green shoots in otherwise ploughed fields. Roads were single lane or single track country roads. Everything is laid out on a grid system which means lots of cross roads. These are often unmarked, which can lead to an interesting game of 'chicken'. Being the most vulnerable thing on the highway we're always the first to stop.

In the afternoon one guy went off the front and two others got shelled out the back, so we were down to a group of four. This was a bit more relaxed and it was actually a pleasant ride in. Got in at 2pm, so a nice long rest before tomorrow. We're near an outlet mall (discount Helle Hansen shirt anyone?) but little else. Dinner was at the local pizza hut. That's one thing I am getting very tired of, when I get home it's going to be a long time before I go anywhere near a pizza hut or domino's.

At the evening RAP meeting we talked about the arrangements for the final day, getting people and bikes to airports etc. All seems a bit premature, there's 11 tough days of riding still to do, starting tomorrow with 120 miles.