All I can say is WOW! ...... and how can we taper down from 6000 calories a day!

Total Miles 595 (3453 miles for the entire ride)
Total Climbing 28,276' (150,540' in total) Approximately equal to six times up Mt Everest from sea level!
Motor Tabs 28 (170 since LA) and a couple of hundred gallons of GatorAde, Water and Dr. Pepper
Flat tires 0/0 (Final totals - Rich 9, Laura 1) Laura was amazing - only 1 flat!
Beers - I think enough has been said about our problem!

I thought I would be more sentimental than I was today because it was the last day. In 18 miles this journey would be over and we were all going to go home. Back to reality. Back to civilization. We would leave this little rolling cattle drive and have just our memories to share and cherish. But in many ways I wanted this to be over. Not because I hated the ride but because I was road weary. My legs were spent and I needed a rest from the bike. 18 more miles was all I/we had to do.

We gathered outside the hotel to get instructions from Tracy and to do our final sign-out. It was weird not to have to pack bags and bring them to the truck! We actually had more time this morning than we ever had! WOW! I could eat a little more breakfast today! Outside, Tracy gave us the final pep talk and told us all to rendezvous at the 13 mile mark. From there we would ride in mass the final 5 miles to the beach. Off we went. What a sight we were, too! All of us with those silly flag poles on our bikes and everyone wearing the official Crossroads jersey. And into the morning traffic we rode.

I cannot say that I was any too happy to be with the big group. Unfortunately many of the riders couldn't get it through their heads that we weren't the only people using the road. We were a rolling critical mass and I wasn't wanting to be a part of it. It only takes one angry driver to take out a few riders. And we wonder why car drivers dislike bicyclists! But I will get off the soap box now.

At mile 13 we all met up to ride the final 5. Tracy had one Crossroads' van in front and the other behind the last rider. If we got separated by lights or anything, we would stop and re-group. For the most part all was going well. Then the police came. Actually, one police car came, pulled over the last van and I thought, "Oh, boy, we're getting into some big trouble". Some states make you have a "parade" permit for groups over a certain size riding in mass. But as luck would have it, we caught this police officer in a favorable mood. So much so that he called a couple more cars and we got a police escort the rest of the way to beach! It was a blast stopping traffic legally!

As we rounded the corner to the beach, all the friends and families of the some of the riders that had come to witness the final assault were there clapping and yelling it up. That's when the tear or two came. It finally hit me that it was over. We made this journey with total strangers and came to beach with friendships that will last for years to come. It was just one of those goose bump moments. We kicked off our bike shoes, carried our bikes across the sand and to the water front. Some people took a swim but I found the water a bit cold for me. It was such a sight to see. People were in the water with their bikes but none stayed. We thought George might do away with his "Iron Donkey" but he didn't. He did take an ocean plunge though.

So there you go. 3400 miles. More stories and pictures than you can imagine. Friends that will be in our hearts forever. I want to thank my P.E.O. sister of Chapter KY for all the love and support they gave me during this adventure. The cards I received and a big poster were more than they could imagine. I love you all. To my coach Shawn Heigen, who I will forever be in her debt. You kicked my butt all winter long and made this ride possible for me. You rock, sister! To all my friends and family that followed us across the USA, we felt your love and encouragement every pedal of the way. Thank you all for sending us your thoughts and prayers. To George's family and friends in the UK, we love you guys and we ADORE your husband and father. I will NEVER forget him and his courage and strength at 72 to do what he did. He got a standing ovation at the dinner when he received his certificate. Well done, as Brenden would say.

I am not sure what is next. I am anxious to go home and reconnect to my flute, my cats, my friends and my own bed. I told my sister, Kerri, that I don't think I would do anything this epic again. She laughed!? She said, "I don't believe you for a moment. You say that now but you wait". I guess I will have to wait for all this to sink in. This is for certain: Find a dream and chase it down!

Richard here. The last two days were among the hardest on the ride, because of road conditions, traffic, climbing 6000' each day' and weather. I was surprised at how well I rode at this point in the ride. What really caught me by surprise was how hard the last 18 miles were. I think that after the two monumental days to finish the ride, I felt it was finished and both physically and mentally I was empty, leaving me without anything to finish with. Short hills that usually were climbed with ease the previous two days burned my legs and annoyed my brain. But then as we rolled the last couple of miles I started to think of the various riders with us and what each had accomplished in his or her own way. We had all completed an epic journey, most for different reasons and in different ways and for each a special triumph.

Only six of our 35 +/- riders were EFI (Every Freekn' Inch) at the end of the ride. Our good friend Darryl, Alex and Achim from Germany, Damien from Ireland and Janie our adopted Otter, who really became a rider during the course of the trip, did every mile. Many should have been, but for a twist of fate. Our good friend Jim gave up a day of riding to go to the hospital and stay with Ron the day he crashed. Jim will always be EFI in our memories. Mechanical problems, food poisoning, early in the trip fatigue and weather did in the rest of us in one way or another. Every rider had a heroic adventure and I hope the same sense of accomplishment that Laura and I have!

Of course this is post blogging as usual. I am still amazed at what we have done and am still trying to come to terms that this ride is all over. But before we go into all that, let me tell you about the last day of riding. We woke up rather early because of all the anxiety of the last day of the ride. These last few days had been marred with bad traffic, less than stellar road conditions and just trying to be safe and make it to the end without incident. I passed George on the ride today and he looked rather nervous. He told me he just wanted not to have an accident. I think that is what we all felt. We had made it this far and now the end was within our grasp.

The weather was kind of iffy as we rolled from the hotel on Thursday, June 26. The chance of rain was the most it had been the past few days, so I made sure I had all the gear. My back pockets were stuffed and from the side view, with my jacket on, I looked like I weighed 200 pounds. Did I ever tell you how flattering bike clothes were?! But I was prepared for anything. And off we went riding towards the end.

We knew it was going to be another day of climbing. New Hampshire is home to the White Mountains and mountains mean climbing. But we are buff, full fledge riding machines now and nothing, and I mean no stinkin' New Hampshire hill can bring us to our knees. (Okay, maybe just one or two.) Exactly 2.4 miles from the hotel we cross into New Hampshire, take the obligatory pictures and continue on down the road. We are on this awful Rt. 119, with bad shoulders and way too many cars. Luckily we got breaks now and then when there was a parallel road. We passed some picturesque rivers and lakes along the way but had really to pay more attention to the road than what we wanted.

We began some of the climbing around mile 10 or so but the real killer was on Burnt Hill Road. We had started to reel in some of the other riders by the time we got to the hill and soon discovered why. What lay before us was a monster of a hill with not one hump but two. In other words, we got to the top of one climb only to be met face on with yet another that was shorter but steeper. I wish we could have taken a picture of all the riders crawling their way to the top. By the time I got to the top there was a group of riders off to the side trying to come to terms with what they just did. It was probably one of the hardest climbs of the trip. I know my legs were burning.

Rich, Darryl, Jim and I all broke up after this climb. Darryl had taken off like a madman, I followed in a lame attempt to keep up with him and Rich and Jim followed behind me. Now it was just survival mode because the hills just kept coming. I thought my legs were tired yesterday, now they were just plain spent. I tried to keep my mind off the miles on the computer, so I would play games like can't look at the computer until the song on the ipod is over or don't look until you pass that tree. Stupid mind games. That is what this trip has come down to?! But we were 49 days into a 50 day cattle drive across the USA and I was tired.

Okay, enough of tired. I made it to the SAG stop at mile 36. Darryl and Janie were there and asked if I wanted to ride with them. They took off and said they were going to "soft" pedal. I took off after them but never did catch them, mainly because it started raining and I stopped to put on my pro-active rain gear. The next 25 miles were rather lonely. It is the price you pay by being towards the front of the pack. I was glad to have my ipod with me but I must say that after 49 days of listening to my ipod, I was getting real tired of the tunes! I think I've memorized the lyrics to all of them now! By the time I got to the second sag, the rain was just a drizzle. I picked up Meredith, from Kentucky (and a BIL) and off went for the last 25 miles to Burlington...or so we thought! I misread my cue sheet and took us on a 6 mile detour. No very happy about that!

Back on the route and happy to be there, we picked up Peggy, from Arkansas, and we rode the final miles into Burlington together. I cannot say it was a great ride. The traffic was horrendous and the roads were very narrow. Peggy said that Rich had left the second SAG with Jim before her, so I knew he was ahead of me and I knew when he got to the hotel and I wasn't there, he would be nervous. I was right. I heard my phone ring about two miles from the hotel and knew it was him but I really couldn't stop because of all the traffic. And I didn't want to stop because I knew I would be right there. And we made it safe and sound. All the Otters were waiting for me as I pulled in and we took pictures and hugged. We made it!

Richard's back. Today we rolled out of our hotel, across the Hudson River and spent the next seven miles climbing out of the Hudson River Valley. These were steep climbs in city conditions with a lousy shoulder. Fortunately we then moved into beautiful rolling countryside and crossed into Vermont. After our first SAG our cue sheet indicated a 7.1 mile climb to a ski resort in the Green Mountains which turned out to only be part way up. Rolling step-ups went on for another 5 miles before we finally got to the top. The views, streams and mountain lakes were among the best scenery we have had on the whole trip. Unfortunately drivers in Vermont get a grade of "F" as we had several unnecessary honks and "get off the roads" The downhill off this climb was a really hairy one, mid 40's dodging cracks and pot holes!

Rolling terrain in the mountains and another great climb up to the top of Hogback Mountain capped most of the day's climbing. The vistas of the Green Mountains from the top were something to behold and the downhill on a great smooth road allowed us to let the dogs out. Laura went the fastest she ever has, 42 mph, downhill!

We rolled into our next to last hotel after 80 miles and 6300 ft of climbing in plenty of time for a good pizza and beer lunch and some exploring of Brattleboro. Tomorrow we cross through New Hampshire and finish in Burlington MA.

I am not sure but New York might be my favorite state. But then Missouri...well, you know it gets harder and harder to decide. I like the color green but lots of time I like red and purple, too. That is the way this trip has been. There are bits and pieces of every state that I have liked and disliked. Today I disliked the traffic but I pretty much dislike traffic all the time. My mom's dream was to retire, sell all her worldly possessions and travel the USA by motor home. God rest her soul, I understand what she meant. Government and politics aside, we have one darn good looking country and I wish that everyone could see the beauty that surrounds me everyday. The good far out weights the bad.

We have been riding in the Mohawk River Valley the last couple days and I must say it is truly some of the most lush farmlands I have ever seen. What is a little disappointing are the little towns that we ride through that are so depressed. I sometimes wonder what keeps the people living there? Or how far they have to drive to get to work? It is a real shame that most of them are becoming semi-ghost towns. And you can tell by the magnificent houses that line the steets that these were once real thriving towns in their hey day.

One could spend the whole day stopping and reading all the historical placards along the routes these past few days. There is so much history here and we are headed into even more as we ride towards Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. It is hard to believe that there are only three more riding days including the final 18 mile ride to the beach. I try not to think about it too much because it makes me too anxious. I am torn between wanting and not wanting to end this epic adventure. My knees would like a rest but my heart would like to continue. I am not sure where I would go but in some ways I'd just like to keep riding. And then I wake up! What was I thinking? Like 3400 miles isn't enough?!

The last couple days have been some rather easy riding. Less than 80 miles each day. We now call those days recovery rides. Back home we would call them long rides but here they are recovery rides and truly recovery rides if you do less than 3000' of climbing each day, which we did. Kind of funny how our outlook on riding has changed so much after 3000 miles. 3000 miles! It is hard for me to wrap my head around that number.

We landed in Syracuse, NY on June 22 and my sister's son, Andre, picked Rich and I up and took us to his house for a home cooked meal. He rents a coach house behind one of these magnificent stone farm homes with a "widow's walk". Be sure to check out the pictures. His landlord is a great guy and even gave us a tour of the house. Andre is a great cook, a talent he got from his mom and not me. Actually, I am not sure what happened to me. Two of my sister can cook like gourmets and the best I do is make reservations! It was very nice to have a home cooked meal and meet Andre's friends and girlfriend, too.

We have been pretty lucky with the rain, too. It rains like the devil here at night and then by morning it is semi clear. I take my rain gear with me anyway because I am paranoid about getting caught in a downpour. If it is a warm downpour like Indianapolis, then it is okay. But if it is cold and ugly like Santa Fe, then it totally ruins the ride. Thus, I carry all my rain gear in my back pockets. I am not sure the jersey's were designed to have that much stuff in the back pockets but we always need to remember that a happy Laura is a happy ride for everyone! :)

Tomorrow we ride into Vermont. It is going to be a good climbing day through the Green Mountains. I love days like this even if my legs are getting a bit tired. There's also not too many turns so I don't have to worry about George getting on the interstate by mistake again! On our ride into Syracuse, George ended up riding 8 miles on I-90! Now someone always rides with our Georgie boy. He is such a hoot and we just absolutely love him. I wish you could all meet him. Heck, I wish you could all meet everyone! We are a trip!

So off to bed I go. My bags are packed, the clothes are laid out until tomorrow when I decide to wear something different and I have to unpack everything! I won't miss the daily packing and unpacking for sure! Thanks for "riding" along with us. Hugs to all and this time next week I will be sitting at the Sushi House having some most excellent food. Love and miss you all!

Many moons ago my sister, Kerri, moved from our beloved Chicago to New York. At first she hated it and really missed Chicago. Today you couldn't tear her away from the state. She loves it and the more we ride through it, I understand how she feels. New York is beginning to inch its way close to the Missouri favorite state spot. On Saturday, June 21, we rode from Hamburg to Canandaigua. It was a beautiful, warm summer day and we had a very slight tailwind. Perfect in my book.

The Otter flag was flying high today as we rode out from the hotel. It was going to be a nice semi-slow day but because of all the hills we ended up riding separate for most of the day. And the hills began pretty early. I was still feeling the effects of yesterday's sprint into Hamburg and as I climbed my first hill it became only too obvious I wasn't in the mood. My legs were crying and Darryl was anxious to push the tempo. I told the group not to wait for me and hey, they didn't! Team spirit at its best?! But I could tell Daryl was itchin' to ride and I never want to hold anyone back. Once he got going, he was burning up the road.

Interestingly enough, about 15 miles in I began to get my climbing legs back. We had this one really, and I mean really, steep hill with an immediate steeper uphill. If you aero tuck the down, you could almost make it up the other side free of charge. As I came up on the scene there was carnage everywhere and I was getting ready to go down. People were bailing on the uphill or dropping their chains with missed shifts. Please just get off the road or out of my way was all I could think. And I prayed to God that there would be no cars coming either way. Come to think about it, it was a rather dangerous situation all around and it all happened so quickly. Down and up in a matter of moments. Just keep your wits about you and be ready. It was a blast and I only had to pedal a few strokes.

From there on out the ride was endless hills. Long ones with just enough pitch that it made you wish you ate fewer potato chips the night before and steep ones that reminded you how many gears you didn't have on your bike. It was a great course. And the scenery. Did I mention how beautiful the countryside of New York is. All the hills with farm houses and vineyards. And the lakes! Oh, my, Gosh! I could live here. I've thought about it. I've thought it would be nice to buy a few acres and build a little house and learn to cook and play my flute on the deck. And then I remembered how much I hate to cook and love the theatre and opera and fine dining! So maybe a two week stay at a little house would fulfill my need for tranquility!

But I digress as usual. Tracy's course today was magnificent and suited my skills rather well. I was having a blast running up and down the hills trying to catch as many people as I could. Reel them in is what we call it in biker's lingo. Usually we catch most people at rest stops because we get there, sign in, eat a few munchies and take off. Sounds kind of unsociable but on a 98 mile day, I gotta ride. Plus, I was trying to catch Darryl. At the second SAG stop, he was 15 minutes ahead of me. Damn! Probably too far to catch but I went after him anyway. Maybe he will be hurting and I could capitalize on that. Aren't I nice. Very team spirited.

About mile 90 I though, "This isn't fun anymore. I would like the hills to stop, please". I knew we were going to be staying near the lake so I had to come down and quit this going up stuff. I think my knees are about shot now. I will probably have to go for replacement surgery when this is all over. And I did pay for all this fun! Yes, there was some relief in the last few miles. I saw the sign for Canandaigua and immediately felt better. Darryl got in before the luggage truck and I got there just after. None of the rooms were ready so we headed towards our most favorite restaurant in the whole world...Appleby's. Rich came in about 15 minutes after me and Jim had stopped earlier fearing there would be nothing to eat near our hotel.

Tonight's dinner was at Wegmans. Now I did not know Wegmans because it is a New York chain. But when I heard we were going to eat at a grocery store, oh, my God, I was calling for a cab to take me somewhere, anywhere for dinner. But then I found out that it is like a Whole Foods on steroids. It had a fabulous food court and we were like locusts swarming the food bars. It was rather pathetic looking. Sort of like we hadn't eaten in weeks. It was rather good and I got a great cup of java to boot. 98 miles with 5151' of climbing in 6:12:10...life is good!

Erie PA, our last rest day before the end of the ride. This was one of the toughest segments of the trip, or maybe we are just getting tired from the day after day after day of riding. We did 625 miles in 7 days, almost a century every day. Some of our steepest climbing was to be found in Ohio, yes Ohio! Who would have thunk!

Total Miles: 625 (2858 since LA)
Total Climbing: 2197 (122,264 since LA)
Motor Tabs consumed: 28 (142 since LA)
Flat tires: 0/0 ( Totals Rich 9, Laura 1) Rich is finally paying attention to where he is riding!
Beers: One of these days we are going to have to start tapering off. Oh well, maybe next week!
Food: We are starting to find more good local restaurants and are gravitating away from the chains.

Oh my gosh, I am actually blogging on the same day that we rode! Alert the media! I must say we are getting a bit road weary. As much as we are enjoying, I know we are ready for the familiarity of home. I am afraid that once we get home I am going to get up every morning and pack a duffle bag! I hope I can keep this fitness level that I have achieved because I know how it is for me, every day life seems to get in the way of exercising. I've made lots of promises to myself that are easy to keep here on the road. I will have to see how I do when I get home.

Anyway, the ride today was just great. In Erie, the four of us got Erie Otter flags and are now flying them on our bike flag poles. The Erie Otters team is part of the local Canadian Jr. Hockey League. We just liked their logo and like I said, we are all getting a little silly these days. We had an extra flag for the honorary Otter and would have to see who the lucky person would be to receive it. We started out a bit leisurely today because we only had 78 miles to go, which meant at least 80 by my computer. We had a very nice route along the lake on SR 5E and passed by many wineries and vineyards.

Ugliness met us about 5 miles from the New York border. The road was a bit wet from last night's storm and the road was a bit rocky. One of the riders, Paula from California, hit a ridge and went down. By the time we came upon her she was being well taken care of by the staff. We learned later on that she had lots of road rash and a mild concussion. Her helmet really saved her life. We have had four accidents thus far and all have been saved from real serious injury by the helmet.

We picked up Janie from the crash site and she rode with us for the rest of the day and became the honorary Otter. She flew the flag with pride...so she says. We passed several people with flats today and I am happy to report that so far, knock on helmet, I was safe once again. Actually, all of were. Rich is very good at taking care of our bikes and checking the tires each day and night. There is so much you cannot see that can be picked up by these tires. Lots of glass today. After the state crossing and pictures we kept to SR 5E and saw more of the water. We even saw a light house for sale! It was in pretty poor shape so there is no need to worry that we would be moving any time soon. Our first and only SAG stop came at 41 miles and I was so glad to see it because that meant food and I was getting hungry. We always have some pretty good eats at the SAGs.

There is a little competition with one of the riders to be the first to the hotel every day. When we passed him having a small mechanical on the road, we made a bee line for the SAG and made it a quick one. We wanted Janie to be the first to sign in for the day. Janie has turned into a great rider and today we were her domestiques. Darryl had Janie and I go ahead and Rich, Jim and he were going to hold off Don if he came by. So far the strategy was working but we were 30 miles from the hotel. Anything could happen in 30 miles. I wasn't sure I could pull Janie for 30 miles by myself. I wasn't sure Janie wanted to be in the race to begin with. We just thought it would be grand to have her sign in first.

When it didn't seem like Don was going to make a move, the boys reeled Janie and I in and we rode in a nice civilized pace line together. Whew! It was nice to get a little help since we were now riding into some headwinds. Then at about 65 miles we caught up with George. George?! What was he doing way out in front. The Otters stop for George, especially since he had his bike upside down and seemed like all the parts scattered on the road. Turns out he has a flat and was out of tubes. It was his 3rd flat of the day and he was still ahead of us. He would have signed in first had he not had the flats. And wouldn't that have been the real kicker!

Rich and Jim stayed behind to help George so that we could continue our push to the hotel. Janie began to feel more comfortable and she helped with the pulling. We took one mile pulls and were at the hotel by 12:30. 80 miles in 4 hours and 45 minutes. Not too shabby. Rich and Jim came in about 10 minutes behind us. We did the Otter cry and laughed our heads off. Well, not really but you know what I mean. We showered and went for the traditional post ride lunch of beer and some kind of food. Today was Italian. Life is good and getting better!

On June 18 we rode into Pennsylvania for the day. It started out as a pretty ugly ride as usual. We have all decided that Ohio is no longer our favorite state. And they sent us off in foul weather to boot! I am not sure at what point the rain began but once it did we were pretty soaked in moments. I am not sure why I did not have my full rain gear with me but I didn't and I was rather cold. To me there is nothing more miserable than being cold and put wet into the mix and you have a very unhappy Laura. I began thinking that maybe I would take a bump in the truck once we reached it. That would have been disappointing since the last bump I took was in New Mexico, several states and weeks back. You know they say that it is 10% motor and 90% mental. The mental thing was beginning to weight in at this point.

We tried forming a pace line to help with the wind that had begun to creep up on us. We met up with some other riders and few of them tried to hang with us but either the pace or the rain had them falling off the back. Unfortunately, this was not the time for waiting. We usually aren't that callous of riders but most of us were very cold and very wet and the rule is if you join the line, you have to take your turn at the front.

AH! The SAG stop finally came and the rain had died down but we were still wet. I think Tracy saw how miserable I was and suggested getting clean socks from the luggage truck. Brilliant idea! And I wasn't the only one with that idea. That is what is so nice about a ride this small, we were able to get to our bags and get dry clothes and it made all the difference in the world for me. I put on new socks, rain booties, rain shorts and changed out gloves. I was drier, warmer and MUCH happier. And we all know a happy Laura makes for a happy day on the bike for everyone! :) Rich added a wind vest under his rain jacket and arm warmers over his UnderArmour base layer and he was toasty warm as well.

Believe it or not, the rest of the day was rather nice. It did rain again for a little bit here and there. The four amigos and Peggy had a very nice pace line going and before we knew it the next rest stop was right around the corner. Peggy wanted to stop for lunch but we explained that we don't stop until the end and we were going on. The rest stop was at this nice little root beer stand, so we hand a mug of soda, took some pictures and headed towards Pennsylvania.

Just a few miles down the road we crossed into Pennsylvania and sunshine. See, even the weather Gods don't like Ohio! Really! Sunshine in Pennsylvania, rain in Ohio. We were there. We have pictures! After taking the obligatory state crossing pictures, we ran the rest of the miles into Erie, PA. The final leg into town was non-stop traffic even though we were on the scenic Lake Erie Coastal Road. I thought we would ride closer to the lake but we could only get glimpses from afar. Our hotel was rather old and musty but we found a local pub that had decent food and beer. I also got the second best massage on the trip thus far. A rest day and then seven more days of riding until Boston. Say it ain't so!

Ohio has slipped from the "My Favorite State" category. The last two days have been miserable riding. I know not every day can be idilic. I know that not every road is going to be like the last two days but I must say, these last two days have been less than stellar. I say that because at the end of the day and you can't wait to get off your bike then it wasn't good. And it wasn't good. Too much traffic, crappy road conditions and some foul weather make for some miserable riding.

Now don't get me wrong, it wasn't all bad. There were a couple miles of bliss hidden beneath way too many miles of misery. I think the Germans had the worst of the lot. Leaving the hotel on June 17, from Wooster, we had to climb several long grades filled with morning traffic. See, if we could just stay out of cities, life would be much easier. But then we would have to camp and then life would not be so grand for Laura. Laura's idea of camping is Motel 6 or Best Western. So unfortunately we must go to cities with hotels large enough to accommodate groups our size.

Back to the Germans. We came upon them stopped at the side of the road just a few miles out from the hotel. Their back wheel was rubbing on the frame. we stopped and Rich and Darryl tried to see if they could figure the problem. Looked like the tire was seated wrong, maybe? they got it working and everyone was off again. A couple miles down the road and there they were again stopped. This time one of he crew vans were close and so we went on ahead. Later we heard the whole story. Turns out the whole back wheel was trashed. A pickup truck stopped to see if he could lend a hand. He took the Germans to a bike shop about few miles away. The shop owner build them a new wheel and the pickup truck took the Germans back on route so they could finish the ride. They reached the hotel at 7 p.m. The kindness of strangers. With all the crap that is going on in the world and here a total stranger holds out his hand and says "How can I help you?". It really restores faith in the human race.

Now on the other hand, we were all out there slugging away at 94 miles of Ohio roads. Rich and Darryl were being pokey-men. I would ride ahead and then wait. Ride ahead and then wait. I was getting annoyed. Jim was miles ahead. He took off before us and then with helping the Germans, he was nowhere in sight. I got to the first SAG before Rich and Darryl. By the time they got there I was ready to leave again and they said go ahead. Today was their recovery ride. And that is okay. I wasn't ready for that SLOW of a pace so I moved on and rode by lonesome all day.

That could be a good thing and a bad thing. The solidarity of riding alone is refreshing. No one to keep track of. No pace lines to manage. Lots of thinking. The downside is being alone. Did I make the right turn? How fast am I going? Do I want to stop? And then to top it all off, it was a two page cue sheet day. So many turns and then mileage was so far off from my computer that it was becoming difficult to keep my place. Jim experienced that as he made a 20 mile wrong turn. So what was a 97 mile day was a 117 mile day for him. I was hoping that someone had George in their sights because of all these turns! I was hoping I had me in sights!

Today was all about pounding out the miles. I was really having difficulty not sinking into despair. I was kind of mad at Rich for not riding with me but knew that on a ride this long, we were bound to have days like these. I started thinking too much about finishing the whole ride and getting home. I really am starting to miss so many things and people. But I LOVE being on my bike! And now I was getting hungry and I really wanted to get to the hotel. As I turned onto SR 46 there was this farm stand with a sign about delicious, sweet cherries. Since my stomach was now chewing on my back bone, I turned around and bought a bag without thinking of how I was going to get these things to the hotel. I put the bag under my jersey and tied my rain jacket around my waist to help keep the bag from falling out the bottom of my jersey. I had about 8 miles to go and hoped there were no more hills to climb or I was going to spill cherries all over the road. It really was kind of comical to see.

As I pulled into the hotel, I noticed that there was a Starbucks, Chipotle and Borders bookstore right across the parking lot. I was in heaven. A good lunch, a great cup of joe and a new People magazine to devour! :) Rich, Jim and Darryl came in about 30 minutes after and had lunch with me. We all agreed that we were glad today was over!

I really think that Ohio has now moved into the "My Favorite State" slot over Missouri. Missouri was great and beautiful but Ohio. Oh, my God. It is just drop dead gorgeous. Tracy has found the best roads and despite a little morning traffic and an occasional must use busy road, the route was yet another perfect century. Oh, yeah, did I mention that we would be doing three centuries in a row? Lord, I hope there is a massage therapist is Erie, PA!

Today is June 16 and we are headed to Wooster, OH, home of Jim's beloved Rubbermaid. Now I am not sure why Jim loves Rubbermaid but he has been talking about the home of Rubbermaid for several days now. We are all going to the Rubbermaid factory when we get into town. Ohio is also home to a "buggy" load of Amish. Yesterday and today we encountered a bunch of Amish and their buggies. Since yesterday was Sunday and their meeting day, there were a lot more than today. I really wanted to take some pictures but it is against their religion to have their photos taken and I respect that. But oh, the little kids in their Sunday best riding in the buggies or the whole family on bicycles we passed. There was even a young man on a unicycle!

Today we also encountered the GOBA (Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure) Tour. There were 2500 riders of all sizes and ages. Lots of recumbents and tandems. I even saw at least two 3-seaters. They were going in the opposite direction as us and I was pretty happy about that. Some of them even told us we were going in the wrong direction. Of course we knew better and just smiled. It got a little hairy on the road with so many bicyclists and then add auto traffic to the mix. Always interesting what races through your mind when you have a car coming right at you. But if gas prices keep soaring as they are, it may come down to having more bicycles than cars on the road. Wouldn't that be an interesting twist of events?!

At route rap we were told about all the climbing that we were going to encounter on this day and even by the second SAG stop at about 75 miles, we were wondering when it was all going to begin. Had we just become monster riders that hills were now negligible? Are we so strong that now we eat hills for snacks and ask for more? Well, Tracy and crew saved the best for last and these hills made us remember that we are from the flat lands of Illinois and we can forget that we know anything about hill climbing. Some of these hills brought us to our knees or at least the lowest gears on our bikes!

Leaving the 75 mile SAG stop we looked across the road to see what was in store for us.. Oh, my, my legs were already calling 911 and I wasn't even on my bike. But we knew we had to do it because George was already on the hill and he was doing it and I wasn't going to let him make me look like a sissy! Off we went and soon found out that the first hill was just a warm-up. HAH! Over the top we came and staring us right in the face was another climb steeper and longer than the one we just did. Ugh! I am not sure I have enough granny gears to make it.

Then, damn, Darryl passed me. No way, I say and we spent the next 20 miles chasing each other up and down the hills. It is so funny because some of the hills were so steep and the backsides are so fast and I could see Darryl's flag but not him and then that would disappear over the top. I was shifting like a madman and luckily never lost the chain. I could see riders out ahead of me when I got to the tops of the hills. They looked like little ants moving slowly across the landscape. I could see Darryl out in front of me and I would think that he wasn't too far away and then the road would drop out from under me and soon I was creeping up the other side of a hill trying to catch the flag in front of me. Roller coasters without seat belts.

Just outside of Funk, OH I saw Darryl and knew I could catch him. I almost thought he was toying with me by stopping and waiting just long enough to make me think I could get him but I doubt it. Just two more hills and a flat and he was all mine. I was gaining on him. Just as I was about to make my move he waved and an Amish farmer with horses and some farm equipment came out of a field right in front of me. I slammed my breaks and laughed out loud. Not just because Darryl got me but because chasing behind the farmer and his horses were two of the cutest, most adorable like Amish boys, in their blue jumpsuits and straw hats. Oh, what a picture. One that I will cherish because no camera could ever capture that moment.

Rich and Jim were having great days of their own. Riding hills like these is a lonely and rewarding challenge. Everyone has to ride their own pace and everyone has different experiences. Rich had a buggy pull out in front of him on a wonderful downhill. And you know on downhills, you take it for all it is worth because yo earned it. He was going about 40 mph and had to go out into the oncoming lane in order not to hit the buggy. Luckily, no cars were around.

We all regrouped just outside of Wooster and traveled to the famed "Everything Rubbermaid" store together. Little did Jim realize that Rubbermaid had stopped manufacturing in Wooster several years ago but the store remained and Jim's lust for Rubbermaid was satisfied. All he really wanted was a t-shirt but they didn't have any because they make plastic products not cotton! Bummer.

Another fabulous Ohio century! 98 miles, 6 hours and 5224' of climbing. Time for a shower and a brew!

I know I am several days behind schedule on the ol' blog. It has been a long, hard ride since I last updated. I want to say "hello" to George's wife and friends who are following this diary across the country in order to understand what George has been up to these past few weeks. George is an amazing character and every day I have new respect for him. He is like the energizer bunny. He just keeps going and going. Up and down these Ohio hills with the best of us. Someone needs to teach him how to dismount though because he usually does the ol' Benny Hill fall. It's rather comical and doesn't seem to phase George one bit. I will have George stories for years to come.

But really, back to the ride. We left Indiana at Richmond and rode two miles to the Ohio border on June 15. It was going to be a long 106 miles so some of the riders left about an hour earlier than most. Some say it was because they are slow. I say it is because they have more sense and are enjoying the ride instead of blasting through like we do sometimes. It was a brisk morning and I wished I had worn arm warmers or my rain jacket. I knew it was going to be hot so I left without anything. A bunch of riders missed the first turn out of the hotel and did a few extra miles and on a 100+ mile day that can be quite annoying! A lesson to be learned for sure...never aimlessly follow the rider in front of you.

I have to say that Sunday rides are my favorite because there is little or no traffic and right from the start today was great. We left the hotel and were immediately on some great country back roads. This is what I imagined the ride to be from day one. There is nothing better than winding back roads with scattered farms and beautiful, rolling countryside. And Ohio has it all. Cattle farms, horse farms, old farm houses, new palatial farm estates, rolling hills and then the occasional killer hills that make your heart stop...or at least make you think it was going to stop.

I wish my eyes could take pictures of what we are seeing because I know my camera cannot, especially when you leave the battery charger a hotel room. Now I have to rely on Rich to take pictures. I take select pictures because I only have what battery power is left. I have also left three toothbrushes, shampoo and two razors behind. Our biggest expenses on this trip are replacing my toiletries! Could you imagine coming home from a 7 week trip and people ask you what did you buy and you have to say toothbrushes and razors?! Charming.

Anyway, Ohio was a feast for the eyes. Darryl caught up with Rich, Jim and me around the second SAG. He was going to spend the day chasing down Don but I think he was also mesmerized by the beauty of Ohio. Leaving the SAG we found a few rollers that they talked about in route rap. Not sure if we are just so much stronger but none of them were really that hard. Darryl passed me on one of the hills and the chase began. We dropped Rich and Jim and barreled through the countryside. Then from nowhere came Rich. He found his climbing legs and came past me like I was standing still. I had a hard time just trying to stay on his tail. It was a blast and I was glad to see Rich doing so well. These roller were just his cup of tea. Short enough to power down and roll up the other side. I don't have enough gravitational pull down to get any "freebies" on the up side.

Finally the pace let down, as did the hills, and we regrouped and slid into Marysville around 2:30. Not too bad. It was probably one of the most enjoyable centuries I have ever done. We rode 106 miles in 6-1/2 hours with 3168' of climbing. It was a great day on the bike!

We made our way straight across Indiana in three days. Today we rode 84 miles from Indianapolis to Richmond and it was a blast. From the moment we left the hotel to our ill-fated lunch stop, we hammered across the Indiana roads like maniacs. I think it was the chicken on my back that got the morning started. I still have the damn chicken from helmet decorating day. I paid 20 bucks for the chicken and I'm going to carry it all the way to Boston now. We are trying to figure a name for the silly creature but the best we have is smokin' chicken because it has a cigarette hanging from his beak. Be sure to see the pictures!

Crew member Clark rode in our speed demon pace line up to the 40 mile mark. Of course I had to endure 15 miles of chicken jokes but I did set myself up for it. Come on, strap a chicken to your camelbak and it was open season on Laura and her chicken. At one gas station, a lady wanted to know if it was real. Now come on, how many chickens do you know smoke cigarettes?! Maybe it was the heat index?! Maybe just because we are in Indiana? Was it real? Whatever. The jokes did stop...finally and we settled into a civilized pace line.

After the 40 mile SAG stop we dropped off Clark and picked up repair man, Rick. We like Rick because he is strong and pulled our sorry butts down the road almost 10 miles. I am not sure why he did that and more important, why we let him. But we did. 10 miles of complete bliss. We are such wheelsuckers. We thanked him for the pull and stopped for a quick Dr. Pepper. He rode on without us and was probably glad to be rid of us.

I must say, Indiana wins in the quaint town category. Very nice little towns and just some beautiful farms. And I love barns. I should have been doing more photographs but when you are in a pace line, all attention is to riding. We might have to re-evaluate some of our riding. I fear it is getting to be more goal oriented instead of smell the roses oriented. I think we need a balance and that balance came in the form of a bad decision...stopping for lunch.

Coming into Centerville, we saw several bikes parked outside the "Blue Monkey Bar and Grill". We though, "Hmm, only 6 or so miles to the hotel, yeah, let's stop for lunch!" And what a wonderful lunch we had. I was so hungry by that time that I ate everything on my plate. Bad idea. Back on the bikes we went and SLOWLY headed for the hotel. Six miles seemed like a lifetime as my body had to make decisions to digest food or power my legs to the hotel. No more lunch unless we are in sight of the hotel. And that would mean that the restaurant would need to be connected to the hotel or across the street.

It was a fun day and it seemed to go by so fast. We powered the 84 miles in at just over 5 hours with 2472' of climbing. Our second lunch or pre-dinner was at the Steak and Shake across the street from the hotel. Tomorrow is a long day...103 miles. We will need to drink a lot of beer to carb up for tomorrow. And we also cross into Ohio! 11 more riding days. Hard to believe!

It is Friday the 13th for sure. We woke to sound of pitter patter and not of tiny feet but rain. UGH! Can I call a cab? I know it is only 68 miles but in the rain makes it more like 168! Whine, whine, whine. Life should be so hard. Personally, I would rather stay away from big cities because they generate too much traffic and are difficult to navigate but we go where we are told and today we are off to Indianapolis and home of the Major Taylor Velodrome. At least we would have something to look forward to.

For just a bit, the skies looked like they might clear but the humidity was at an all time high. Actually once the rain began, it was a welcome cooling from the humidity. It was a real nice warm rain and a soaking rain, too. There was really no use putting on the rain gear because then it would be like a sauna if the rain stopped. Leaving the hotel, my legs were itchin' to go so I soon found myself ahead of the group. The head and cross winds were bothersome but I kept going. Before long Darryl caught up with me and we started rockin'. We reeled in all the riders and found ourselves out in front. We actually missed a turn because a street name changed but lucky for us the SAG vehicle was just behind us and honked, otherwise we would have been halfway to Chicago. Hmm, not a bad idea either!

No matter how far ahead of the crowd you think you are, you're not really. I kept looking in my mirror and saw no one but by the time I checked into the SAG, Darryl, Jim and Rich were only a few minutes behind. We have to sign in at the SAG stop so the crew can keep tabs on where we are and it has created a bit of a competition. We laugh about it and it is all in good fun but it is fun to be the first every now and then. Whenever we get in to a SAG or the hotel we always look to see if we are far behind or close to the top. Reminder to self: This is not a race and there are no prizes for first.

There were lots of twists and turns today and with the rain it was kind of annoying. Probably only because of the rain. We were pretty soaked by the time we hit Indy. And where the heck was this velodrome? We never found the unmarked roads listed on the cue sheet (probably because they were unmarked?!) and maybe this was the "underground" velodrome? We finally flagged down a cop car and personally thought he wasn't going to stop even while I was feverishly waving my arms. But he did and gave us directions. It was worth the effort once we got there because not only did the boys take a lap but we got t-shirts and two of Jim's friends met us there and carried our treasures to the hotel.

Since we had gotten lost getting to the velodrome, we asked the workers to give us a direct route to the hotel. It all worked out fine and before we knew it, we were standing in the hotel lobby dripping water all over their floor. When I took off my shoes, my toes looked like prunes from being wet all day. Once again, it is amazing how a nice hot shower, dry clothes and a cold beer can make the hardships of a day melt away! 84 miles, 2472' climbing and a 16+ average speed made it a good day on the bike. More to come!

Today it was warm and sunny and should have been a piece of cake. But as fate would have it, the wind Gods decided that after a couple days of tails, we needed to be reminded that this journey of ours should be more than a cake walk. Maybe it was the wind. Maybe it was the beginning of the end. Not sure but I was a pretty cranky cyclists today. And yet it all started in a rather nice fashion because today was "helmet decorating day". Everyone was hilarious and super creative. You will see by the pictures that everyone was very creative.

We rode in a big group all through Champaign and I must say I think we added a little spice to most the motorists' morning commute. Even the construction workers we passed stopped to take a look. After we got outside the city the group began to split up and the wind kicked up to remind us how much we missed it these last couple days. The chicken on the top of my helmet was beginning to irritate me and cause a ton of wind drag that I didn't appreciate. About 15 miles out I stopped to take chicken-man off my helmet and was immediately relieved. Didn't stop the wind but made me a lot more comfortable and isn't that the most important thing? Me being comfortable?! :)

I think Rich was the most comfortable with today's route. Nice and flat. I was glad to have a couple hills to change up the pace. I was laughing with Rick, the repair guy on the trip, that our cables have stretched the most because in Illinois we don't shift, at least never out of the big chainring. But Rich was having a good day and a good ride. I on the other hand was getting pretty grouchy. I was blaming it on the bike because I would never blame the engine! With a terrible cross wind it is almost impossible to do any drafting due to the narrow roads and non-existent shoulders. So it was every man for himself today.

We did ride through some very nice little towns, which also gave us some wind shield. Some of the towns were so pretty, I though it might be nice to live in them. And then I remembered how much I like going to the theatre and fine restaurants and then these little towns lost their appeal. But for just one moment...

I took my coach's advice and when we we got to the hotel, I sat in the pool for a good hour. I am not sure why it has taken me 2000 miles to figure that one out but now I know I am going to do that more often. It was either the pool or an ice bath in the hotel room. The pool was more inviting. Well, we crossed into Indiana and now the ride is beginning to wind down. More and more the chatter at night is about the end. People are talking about getting home and family members meeting them in Boston. Hard to believe sometimes that we have come this far. Thanks for following us down the road.

Seven more days and now we are in the home stretch. I have always had a great deal of admiration for stage racers. They get up every day and race day after day in an incredible show of stamina. This admiration has now turned to awe as we continue on this odyssey. We are traveling shorter distances per day and at significantly slower speeds than the pros and it is a real challenge to get up every morning and do it again and again in rain or shine, warm or cold. Stage racers are incredible!

Now our stats for the last 7 days:

Total miles 635 (2233 since LA)
Total climbing 27445' (100,357 since LA)
Motor Tabs consumed 28 (114 since LA) We switch to GatorAde and Dr Pepper in the afternoon.
Flat tires: 4 for Rich 0 for Laura ( Totals Rich 9, Laura 1) I guess Rich should start to look where he is riding!
Beers: Anyone know a good detox center?
Food: We have switched to Steak and Shake, our third most favorite restaurant in the whole wide world!

We now have our sights set on Indiana our 9th state.

I think most of us were pretty pumped to know that today was the last day of riding before we got a much needed and deserved rest day. Tracy says that the group dynamics change around this time because the end is in sight. After the rest day we will have 14 more days of riding before we all throw...I mean dip our wheels in the Atlantic. Say it's not so!

Today's ride was going to be a nice leisurely ride. No hurries, no worries. At least that is the way it started out...until Jim's friends from Kankakee came along for the day's ride. We left the hotel later than most. I still can't believe how early some of these guys get ready in the morning. It is all I can do just to drag myself to breakfast at 6:15 a.m.! And then most everyone is already dressed for the ride. Heck, I put on my shorts at the last possible moment and then they are the first thing to come off after the ride. But then again, most that know me, know I am NOT a morning person. Anyway, back to the ride.

We pulled out and just spun for the first few miles out of town. It is always a bit more challenging to get out of the larger towns we go through. Morning traffic must really love all these bicyclist on the road while they are running late for work in the morning! After we got far enough out of town, Rich, Darryl and I formed a nice little pace line and found ourselves spitting out the miles. Darryl started complaining about the speed and his legs getting tired but every time he got to the front the pace seemed to notch up a couple mph. Hmmm. We also passed Jim's friends but never seemed to be able to drop them. The worst part was that these two ladies were on cross bikes with tennis shoes and keeping up with us! Just not fair! We came to this long hill and they tried passing me but I wasn't going to have any of that. I didn't just ride for the last 30 days and some 2000 miles to have two mountain bikers pass me on a hill. Aggressive Laura took over and marched up the hill, dropping everyone like hot potatoes. Hah! And then everyone caught back up on the flat and we were friends again. Nice, sweet, gentle Laura came back to ride. :)

We had two detours due to construction that turned our ride into an almost century. Both were bridge construction and luckily no flooding. And there was lots of flooding in the fields and the rivers were running very fast. Luckily, we have managed to stay just behind the terrible rains because there is no fun in riding in real bad rain. We've done it and I would hate to have to do it again. Of course there are plenty of barns to harbor in if you know how to swim!

With the magnificent tailwind we managed to reach Champaign in record time. Darryl was once again the maniac. I need a couple more hills on the ride to even out the playing field and I am just not going to get that in Illinois. Remember, a Category 1 climb in Illinois is over an expressway and we only went over a couple today. 94 miles in 5:17:39, including a stop at a local bike shop. We only climbed 1933' in all those miles so you can see I was at a disadvantage over powerhouses Rich and Darryl.

Tomorrow Rich is going home to have our bikes checked out but mostly to see his brand new grand-daughter, Reese Marie born yesterday. She weighed in at 7-lbs, 3 oz. and 20 inches long. He's going to take a bunch of pictures for us to see on his return. I thought about going with him but I didn't want to break the momentum of the trip. I think I would have wanted to stay and play with my cats and hang with friends that I am missing dearly at this point. So thank you all for following us and we will write again soon. We're off to Indiana! Hugs!

Before I get too far ahead of myself, I must tell you that we are in Indiana as of today. We crossed into the new state and rode to Crawfordsville. But I must tell you about the day preceding because it is all so good. On 9 June we rode from Quincy to Springfield...in the rain. UGH! But the rain Gods said, "Hey, these guys have had so much to deal with these past 30 or so days, let's make it a nice gentle rain for them and cool them off!" We were so grateful because actually, it was a very nice gentle Spring-ish rain and we had a great ride.

Of course Tracy found the only mountain range in Illinois for us to ride. The first 30 miles or so were like we never left Missouri. Yee, gads. Thanks, Tracy. But that is okay because it levels out the playing field for me against Rich and Darryl on the flats. I do everything to keep up with them on the flats and they watch me disappear on the hills. Let me tell you, there weren't enough hills today to keep me ahead of the game!

Rich and Darryl are in a new competition...for the most flats. Not in one day but overall. At first Ken Zika was doing his best to stay ahead and then came Rich and Darryl. I believe they both have 9. As always, there is someone that must be one up and that is Randy Evans from California. I believe he has about 14 now. I saw him today on the side of the road with yet another flat! Rich had three today and Darryl had two. You know I hate talking flats because I have only had one and my day is coming, I know! In Kansas, we put on new tires and I am hoping that will keep me safe. Sometimes in the rain there are loads of flats. One of the crew members said it is because the rain churns up all the junk on the road. And since we ride in the shoulder, that is where most of the junk is located!

Springfield to Quincy was 109 long miles and about 2975' of climbing. Not too bad, just long. We decided to stop and eat lunch at a DQ around 70 miles. Not sure that was a good idea but we were hungry. About 10 miles or so out of Springfield, Darryl got a bug up his pants (at least that is what we are thinking) and decided to rev up the nice little pace line we had going to about 25+ mph. We were screaming down the street. That is what pretty much accounts for our average mph. Loads of fun but hard to keep on the wheel.

In Springfield I called up our good buddy, Dick Westfall, from Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources. He is a great supporter of GITAP and bicycling in general. He was kind enough to come to our hotel, have a beer with us and hang out for a while. So a lesson to be learned at the end of the day, never fear going out in the rain because it might just be more fun than you thought!

I used to think that New Mexico was my favorite state but now that we have had two days riding in Missouri, I LOVE Missouri. I'm not so sure everyone would agree with me but we have had two fabulous days of riding. I think the midwest has had some extremely beautiful countryside. As much as I did not like Kansas (and am happy to be gone, thank you), the eastern edges are beautiful, just like Missouri. I even heard Damien, from Ireland, say how lovely the landscape was. The horse farms and cattle ranches are spectacular. Rolling hills spotted with small ponds or lakes. And we have crossed many rivers, too. I even managed to get across the Missouri river without falling apart! I do think that Missouri has been particularly hard on the reptile population. Frogs, snakes and turtles, lots of turtles, have been the main roadkill since entering the state.

The best part of riding in Missouri has been the hills. It has been a roller coaster of a ride. Yesterday we rode 87 miles and climbed 5983'. Today we rode 76 miles and climbed 5945'. It is rather hard to ride in a group on these kind of hills because everyone climbs differently. Do you remember the candy at Christmas that looked like ribbon? That is what the roads look like here, just in black and white though! It is fun to get to the top of a hill and then see all the rollers out in front of you. Now I do say it is fun, and it its, but sometimes after several miles of this up and down, it gets pretty hard on the legs. Not all the descents bring you to the top of the next hill. The ones that are the worst are the fast descents and then there is a two or three tier climb on the other side. One of the crew members says that a hill qualifies as a hill only if there is a descent following, otherwise it is not a hill. I don't see eye to eye on that one. As long as I am shifting down, and I mean all the way down, standing on my pedals to make it to the top, then it is a hill!

I have a lot of respect for all the people doing this ride, especially people like George and Brendan from England. I am not going to say they are old because that will get me into so much trouble. But everyday they are out there pushing up and down those hills. They might come in later that most but at the end of the day, they have done it. They are amazing to watch and even more fun to talk to. George has a very interesting English accent and when he gets going I need an interpreter! Brendan is very proper and so much a gentleman. He even brought polish for his street shoes. We tease the folks from "across the pond" that this trip must be free for them them due to the dollar/euro/pound exchange. Lots of fun banter.

Tomorrow we ride into Illinois. I am glad we are not close to home because I would be tempted to go home and then I probably wouldn't finish. So Champagne is the closest we will get and I am scheduled for a nice long massage. I am beginning to really miss home and even had a dream about the cats but I won't bore you with that. I know what we are doing is rather large in scale and I have never been away from home for this long. I am beginning to feel the need to get back to what I know. John Mallon joined us yesterday and came out this morning all perky saying what a beautiful day it was and all. I reminded him that if he was going to join a ride half way through that he would have to tone down the perky! It is interesting to see the changes in the group. We don't all get right out of bed fast and down to breakfast. We are not all clamoring to sign out and get on the road. Everything is just a little slower. All in all though, once I get on my bike it is all okay because I get to look around and see this absolutely beautiful country and feel very lucky that I have had this opportunity to do something like this. So when I feel bad, I just remind myself that I could be punching a time clock! Twenty days to Boston!

I won't tell you what a wonderful, absolutely, heavenly day of riding we had because then you will think we have been making up all this other stuff about headwinds and heat. The wind was there again, 25-30 mph out of the south-southeast. We were traveling east. The heat was there along with 180% humidity. The hills were in abundance, all 107 miles we did today. But I must say, that even though we were on our bikes for 7 hours, 24 minutes, 14 seconds (but who's keeping track!), it was a rather pleasant day. By now we can hardly feel the wind beating unmercifully against our bodies and bikes. We are now concentrating on the amount of sweat pouring off our bodies that is going to erode the chains of our bikes or peal the paint!

Leaving the hotel this morning, we had some rather interested Amish folk watching us pack up and leave. Several of them would stop to talk with us and ask us about our adventure. There were two girls, high school age I am guessing, that chatted with me for several minutes. They were quite impressed with our travels. I wanted to take a picture of them but I know it is against their religion and I respect that. We waved them a goodbye and pedaled off towards Topeka.

It wasn't long into the ride before we were introduced to the Flint Hills of Kansas. At first nothing very steep and then, ugh, plodding up and down the hills. I have learned about all my gears. You cannot ride in areas like this without a good feel for gearing. Now I do not know anything about the ratios but I do know when I need to get something easier or harder and usually easier! I've also come to have a deep appreciation for car windshields because I was one today. I was hit with so many bugs and grasshoppers. I have even had the chance to taste a few of those bugs, too. Little ones of course.

I must say that the landscape of eastern Kansas is so, so beautiful. At times I thought if there were a few castles or watch towers on the surrounding hills, we could be in England or even Ireland. The rolling hills, the cattle farms, the horses, the buffalo and even the some elk. I stopped to take a picture of the buffalo and a bunch of them even came close to me while I was standing there. Very vain these buffalo. And then a few miles down the road we found a road sign for the North Pole. Sure didn't feel like the North Pole today!

The four of us, Darryl, Rich, Jim and I, played cat and mouse up and down the Flint Hills of Kansas and pretty much enjoyed every moment. Just outside of Topeka there was some road construction but we were able to get through even though the road the was closed. I am not sure at that point I could have dealt with a detour, especially because detour means more miles. 107 miles and 5175' of climbing was enough for me today. We cross our sixth state line tomorrow, Missouri, and are on the official backslide to Boston. Seems like just three weeks ago that we left LA. Oh, we did! Thanks for following us across the USA!

Nine straight days of riding. WOW! It is hard to believe that our rest day in Abilene is over and we will be back on the road tomorrow. Here is what we have so far:

Total miles: 685 (1598 cumulative since LA)
Total climbing: 24,414 (72,912 cumulative since LA)
Motor Tabs: 36 (86 since LA)
Hammer Gel: Lost count - too many I'm sure
Flat Tires: 1 for Rich only (6 total and we still don't like to talk about them)
Beers sipped: PLENTY!
Blakes Lotaburgers consumed: 0 - we're out of New Mexico - Lookout MO Laura's on her way in search of Jack in the Box!

We had a great day off in Abilene. Some good food, some body pampering, plenty of beers and laughs.

Now off to bed as tomorrow is 106 miles.

This was to be our ninth straight day of riding and we were all looking forward to the rest day at the end of our ride. We started out in hot sticky weather looking at dark clouds on the horizon. As usual we were heading East and we had a strong 90° crosswind to deal with. For 22 miles we slugged it out, the three of us in our usual train doing a nice echelon whenever the road or shoulder allowed. Then nirvana arrived as we turned North! A tailwind! What a strange sensation, no wind roaring in our ears, we could actually hear birds chirping and pedaled along enjoying the rural scenery for eight miles to our SAG stop. We stayed around the SAG for a little while and left thinking we would just enjoy an easy last 32 miles into Abilene.

Unfortunately this wasn't to be the case, as we started to ride we found the wind had switched to a cross wind. As we rode further on the wind moved to our most understood position, on our noses. We ended pacelining the rest of the way into Abilene watching as the mother ship of all grain elevators grew larger and larger in our eyes. The dark clouds that had been all around us were kind and we never had any bad weather. This was good as we later learned that Manhattan just north of us had softball size hail! On the ride from the rest stop Rich finally got a little revenge on Billy Goat Laura and Park City Darryl who have been punishing him in the hills. In the easy rolling terrain I got my big steam engine rolling and I was at last having a little fun. Riding into Abilene we were ready for lunch and found a great little pizza place for pie and brew. Nine straight days of riding ended with filled stomachs and a smile on our faces. Now off to explore Abilene.

It's getting kind of scary when we look at 64 mile days as short! The day started out with a light delightful breeze. This could be good. Laura, Darryl and I just cruised along easily at 15-16 mph enjoying the green farms, oil and gas wells, as well as the ever present grain elevators. We can usually see them 5-10 miles out in the distance and use them as mileage markers. Darryl decided to document all the grain elevators that we passe today and I tagged on to his idea as you will see from today's picture post. We cruised into the SAG stop and hung around more than usual as it was in a delightful shady park. Eventually we had to leave.

Now the usual fun started. While we were sitting around, the Kansas winds had arrived and of course they were in our face. We started out in a four person pace line with Linda K. After about 10 miles Linda dropped out and we picked up Kankakee Jim, who has become a regular member of our train. We were doing half mile pulls and it really helped suck up the miles. As it turned out we chewed up the 44 miles from the rest stop pretty quickly and rolled into McPherson to find an Applebys restaurant across the street. A good lunch, a couple of drafts and life was again good. Applebys has become our new most favorite restaurant in the whole wide world. It is interesting that a chain restaurant has reached this pinnacle in our eyes and the cuisine of Middle America. We had dinner with the group and went back to Applebys for desert, preceded by a couple more recarb brews.