It's Monday, it must be - Indiana.Photo shows Team Kysirium and our young padawan (Sam) entering our ninth state (California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinoi and Indiana.)
Really nice day today both in terms of the riding and the atmosphere. Started out as a seven going along the same gridded country roads as yesterday. Soon two were off the front and one was out the back so we were down to a four, which is about the best number for riding in a group. Less than that and your turn at the front comes around a little too quickly, many more and manouvering becomes a little tricky, especially if there's a side wind. The pace today was just right, an average of just over 18 mph which was fast enough to get the long mileage done, but not so fast that everyone was constantly under presssure. Everyone was taking long turns at the front which is a sure sign that we could all cope OK.
Blue skies all the way today, but not too warm. Apart from maybe a bit too much side wind it was perfect riding conditions. I'd settle for that all the way to the coast. It was a long way to the first SAG (44 miles) which we then missed and had to U turn, so was more than ready for a bite to eat and a refill of the water bottles.
Today saw what I think is our fifth or sixth prison or correctional facility. Wow, they seem to lock a lot of people up here. I know we've done a lot of miles, but how far would you have to travel in the UK to pass six prisons?
Passed into Indiana at about the halfway 60 mile point. You'll see Indiana was Lincoln's boyhood home as opposed to Illinoi which is where he was born. I have this image of him making his way very very slowly to Washington, arriving just in time to be President. We lost another hour as we passed from Central time to Eastern time, so now only five hours behind the UK. That's it though, we're now done with time travel for the rest of the trip. The countryside is subtly different in this state, still very flat, but there are a lot more trees.
Really nice lunch stop. One of the fast guys had mechanical problems and had gone in search of a bike shop and the two behind were quite far back, so our group of four were the leaders on the road by quite some distance. Stopped at a convenience store, Ron's place. A couple of the locals came over to say hello and check out our bikes. No-one can believe it when they pick up one of our racing machines. They weigh about 17 pounds, you can literally lift them with one finger.
With the hour lost we got in at 5 pm. Got to be up early tomorrow, we're going on a field trip, to a bike factory, before the scheduled 106 miles. Yes, really nice day today, several of those 'you had to be there' moments which lose everything in the writing down. Only dark cloud is that I think I have my first saddle sore. Least I hope that's what it is otherwise I'm in serious trouble. Won't be adding 'bum watch' to the loft watch section of the site.
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