Hello from Pueblo, Colorado! We arrived in Pueblo this morning and can now see the mountains ahead of us! We spent last night at the Sugar City Baptist Chapel in Sugar City, CO where they provided us with an amazing dinner of spaghetti and garlic bread along with ice cream and popcorn for dessert and then an amazing breakfast this morning of biscuits with sausage gravy and pancakes! Thank you to all the people of Sugar City for your wonderful hospitality. Sugar City may be a tiny town but I will not forget it!
Today's ride was another short one (57 miles) however I did manage to get lost in Pueblo and add another eight miles onto the ride with a tour of the northern edge of the city. Luckily I ran into Anish and Jon on my way back toward the southern side of town and after asking for directions a couple of time we were able to find the library where we were meeting for lunch. (Also where I'm blogging from right now!)
Tomorrow we hit the mountains - our first real climbing since the Ozarks in Missouri! I'm excited for the challenge right now however time will tell if I feel the same way 10 miles into the climb! That all to report for now.
Till next time,
Sandra
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
A few photos...
And now for some photos since this computer is uploading my photos at a fast speed...
Alex and Jon from atop the lookout tower!
We were stranded at a closed store in the middle of a storm!
Hey Hunt Brothers want to sponsor us? (Drew, Alex, Nick and Jon)
James Goodbye Dinner at Time Out Pizza in Ash Grove, Missouri. (James and Nick)
We were stranded at a closed store in the middle of a storm!Hey Hunt Brothers want to sponsor us? (Drew, Alex, Nick and Jon)
James Goodbye Dinner at Time Out Pizza in Ash Grove, Missouri. (James and Nick)
The group at Time Out Pizza! Thank you to Time Out Pizza of Ash Grove, Missouri for a wonderful dinner!
Video III
This was at Hedrick's Bed & Breakfast Inn and Exotic Animal Farm just outside of Hutchingson, Kansas. Here Sehee is teasing an Ostrich.
Thank You!
As I know my donors have not been update since early May, I would like to thank the following people for making generous donations to our cause!
Sport Tech of Oneonta, NY
Medical Coaches
Carol and Brian Drew
Nan and John Moxley
Loyal Order of The Moose 465
Cavanagh-Wright
Pickett Building
Emipre Toyota
Les Grummons
Weigel's Auto
Otsego Automotive
William Shue
Len Reynolds
The United Methodist Men - Davenport, NY
If there is anyone I have forgotten just drop me an email and I'll add you to my list.
Sport Tech of Oneonta, NY
Medical Coaches
Carol and Brian Drew
Nan and John Moxley
Loyal Order of The Moose 465
Cavanagh-Wright
Pickett Building
Emipre Toyota
Les Grummons
Weigel's Auto
Otsego Automotive
William Shue
Len Reynolds
The United Methodist Men - Davenport, NY
If there is anyone I have forgotten just drop me an email and I'll add you to my list.
Colorado
We have reached Colorado!!Yesterday we crossed the Kansas/Colorado border and have officially reached the mountain state! I'm kind of excited to see the mountains after a week of flat corn and wheat fields. Yesterday morning started with another wonderful breakfast of Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches before hitting the road at 7AM! About 18 miles into the ride we reached the Colorado border and stopped to take photos next to the Welcome to Colorado sign. Shortly after reaching Colorado we found our support van stopped along side the road at a elevator for a water break with many team members checking out the view from above.
Riding through the plains you see many grain elevators as they are often a sign of the next town along with water towers. I did not climb as high as some of my teammates but did go up for a view from above.Our ride consisted of just 59 miles (yes, 59 miles is considered a short day!) so we reached our designation - Eads, CO by lunch time and ate once we reached the Community Center/Fair Grounds where were are staying.
The people of Eads have been amazing as three churches combined to put on dinner last night at the community center serving a pot luck type of dinner of lasagna, pork, potato salad, along with many other delicious foods and desserts. We were able to spend dinner talking with many of the local residents getting to know a little about them and telling them about what are doing.
This morning we awoke to a delicious breakfast of Chocolate Chip pancakes, eggs, bacon made by Mark, Mike, Jon and Nick. It is always nice to get a hot breakfast on an off day after having peanut butter and jelly most mornings.
After breakfast I went to check out the local Art Gallery and then headed "downtown" where I visited a few small shops and stopped at the post office to send somethings I have not used home, before heading to the grocery store to buy English Muffins, cheese and tomato sauce and make English Muffin Pizza for lunch.
We are off to Ordway, CO tomorrow before we reach Pueblo on Saturday where the mountains start!
Till next time,
Sandra
Monday, June 25, 2007
Scott City, Kansas
Hello from Scott City, Kansas! It's hard to believe that we are already in western, Kansas! Today we rode 87 miles after a 98 mile ride yesterday. We are staying at the Holy Cross Lutheran Church here in Scott City tonight after camping in the small town of Rush Center, KS last night. (Rush Center has one stop sign intersection and about 100 people.) It has been very hot the past couple of days but other than that the riding has been going good. I got to take a garden hose shower last night and wash my hair for the first time since Toronto Lake! (Eww, I know but you learn to live with a little dirt and salt after a month on the road.)This morning we came across another cyclist - Stephanie from Michigan who was pedaling from San Francisco, CA to Virginia solo with the support of her mother in a car. I can't imagine doing this journey solo especially where we are right now with the flat Kansas farm lands going on for miles. We passed her mother early on in our ride and then came across them both later on when Stephanie got the first flat tire of her trip - we stopped so Nick put on a tire changing clinic!
In random news my new discovery is that bike pockets were made to hold Pop Tarts and that they have FRENCH TOAST POP TARTS!! You have no idea how excite I am to discover this as now I have a different flavor to mix in with my Smore Pop Tarts. You get more calories for the $$ than with Granola Bars too! (Speaking of French Toast - Thank you Lauren for the recipe, I plan on making overnight french toast soon after I get home!)I'd write more but my computer time is almost up and I need to wash up because riding 87 miles in 90+ degree weather has left me gross!
Till next time,
Sandra
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Sometimes I get lost...
Day 30: Hutchingson, KS
Hello from Hutchingson, Kansas! Today’s ride was a quiet one as Alex and I got lost about 50 miles into it. We actually just ended up taking a different route after missing a turn but what’s a day without a little adventure?!
We were awoken early this morning by the sound of rain. It was nice out when we headed to bed last night so many left their belongings outside scattered about the area of the park where we had set up camp. Sometime amid the early morning darkness the rain began to fall. Alex, Nick and a few others were sleeping in the small gazebo in the center of the park and worked their way into tents while Anish, Andrew, a few others and I tried to gather our teammate’s belongings and throw them into the van to protect them from the rain. As it was still dark out it was impossible to see if we had gotten everything however we did the best we could. Andrew then climbed into the van to sleep while the rest of us headed back to our tents.
When we awoke again it was still early, but daylight had broken and we were greeted by cold damp air to start the day. We rolled up our wet tents, packed our stuff, consumed a few sandwiches for breakfast and hit the road to begin the day.
About five miles out of Cassoday we passed some rather stranger looking clouds where a warm front was passing over a cold front. Being in a rather remote area at this point I was just glad they were not twister clouds – as we all know what they are and the destruction they can do.
After passing through the town of Newton, Kansas where we had our second water stop of the day, Alex and I got separated from the group we were riding with when two passing cyclist flagged us down to ask about our ride. After talking with them for about 15 minutes we continued on and ended up missing our turn as it was mislabeled. After having ridden awhile and not seeing the road we thought we were looking for we stopped to ask a man who was outside mowing his lawn. He told us to continue on for about two miles and we would find the road we were looking for. Two miles later we realized we had gotten incorrect information and flagged down an older couple who told us that we had actually gone around Heston (the town where we were suppose to meet the team for lunch). They advised us to go to Buhler which was the next town as we would be backtracking if we went on to Heston. At that time Anish called to see where we were and if we were alright as everyone else had reached Heston. We confirmed that we were a bit lost and hungry but that we would survive on the Pop-Tarts I had in my back pocket until we reached Buhler and eat there.
Twenty miles later we arrived in Buhler where we met Anish and the support van for water. After filling our bottles Alex and I went and ate at a small café/coffee shop/deli called The Mustard Seed. I had a half of a chicken sandwich with cheese, pickle and a bowl of pasta salad. The food was good however it was rather pricey, we also split a berry tea smoothe which was also very good.
After finishing our food we headed toward Hutchingson to meet up with the rest of the team at the Library. Along the way we kept ourselves entertained by adding to my list of “You know you’re a member of the Illini 4000 when…” - at some point I hope to type it all up and post it. When we reached the Library the rest of the team was already there and had set up tables out front to try and find people to talk with about the portrait project. As we wrapped up at the Library I checked my email and purchased the book Seabiscuit for .50 cents before heading to the church to unload our stuff and get ready for dinner.
I must say tonight’s dinner was one of the best we’ve had in awhile as we ate at Cici’s Pizza where it was all you could eat Salad/Pizza/Dessert bar and we all ate very well for just $5.00 apiece. I decided to ride to dinner in the van (it cost us .50 cents to ride in the van) and was glad I did as we left the place stuffed! On our way back to the church we stopped at the store and bought groceries for the next few days as we will be in rather remote locations. I also bought a Reeses Fastbreak bar for the morning as the extra sugar seems to help give me a boost to start the day. Mark had rented The Big Lebowski and some of the team watched it while others including myself headed to bed.
Hello from Hutchingson, Kansas! Today’s ride was a quiet one as Alex and I got lost about 50 miles into it. We actually just ended up taking a different route after missing a turn but what’s a day without a little adventure?!
We were awoken early this morning by the sound of rain. It was nice out when we headed to bed last night so many left their belongings outside scattered about the area of the park where we had set up camp. Sometime amid the early morning darkness the rain began to fall. Alex, Nick and a few others were sleeping in the small gazebo in the center of the park and worked their way into tents while Anish, Andrew, a few others and I tried to gather our teammate’s belongings and throw them into the van to protect them from the rain. As it was still dark out it was impossible to see if we had gotten everything however we did the best we could. Andrew then climbed into the van to sleep while the rest of us headed back to our tents.When we awoke again it was still early, but daylight had broken and we were greeted by cold damp air to start the day. We rolled up our wet tents, packed our stuff, consumed a few sandwiches for breakfast and hit the road to begin the day.
About five miles out of Cassoday we passed some rather stranger looking clouds where a warm front was passing over a cold front. Being in a rather remote area at this point I was just glad they were not twister clouds – as we all know what they are and the destruction they can do.
After passing through the town of Newton, Kansas where we had our second water stop of the day, Alex and I got separated from the group we were riding with when two passing cyclist flagged us down to ask about our ride. After talking with them for about 15 minutes we continued on and ended up missing our turn as it was mislabeled. After having ridden awhile and not seeing the road we thought we were looking for we stopped to ask a man who was outside mowing his lawn. He told us to continue on for about two miles and we would find the road we were looking for. Two miles later we realized we had gotten incorrect information and flagged down an older couple who told us that we had actually gone around Heston (the town where we were suppose to meet the team for lunch). They advised us to go to Buhler which was the next town as we would be backtracking if we went on to Heston. At that time Anish called to see where we were and if we were alright as everyone else had reached Heston. We confirmed that we were a bit lost and hungry but that we would survive on the Pop-Tarts I had in my back pocket until we reached Buhler and eat there.
Twenty miles later we arrived in Buhler where we met Anish and the support van for water. After filling our bottles Alex and I went and ate at a small café/coffee shop/deli called The Mustard Seed. I had a half of a chicken sandwich with cheese, pickle and a bowl of pasta salad. The food was good however it was rather pricey, we also split a berry tea smoothe which was also very good.
After finishing our food we headed toward Hutchingson to meet up with the rest of the team at the Library. Along the way we kept ourselves entertained by adding to my list of “You know you’re a member of the Illini 4000 when…” - at some point I hope to type it all up and post it. When we reached the Library the rest of the team was already there and had set up tables out front to try and find people to talk with about the portrait project. As we wrapped up at the Library I checked my email and purchased the book Seabiscuit for .50 cents before heading to the church to unload our stuff and get ready for dinner.I must say tonight’s dinner was one of the best we’ve had in awhile as we ate at Cici’s Pizza where it was all you could eat Salad/Pizza/Dessert bar and we all ate very well for just $5.00 apiece. I decided to ride to dinner in the van (it cost us .50 cents to ride in the van) and was glad I did as we left the place stuffed! On our way back to the church we stopped at the store and bought groceries for the next few days as we will be in rather remote locations. I also bought a Reeses Fastbreak bar for the morning as the extra sugar seems to help give me a boost to start the day. Mark had rented The Big Lebowski and some of the team watched it while others including myself headed to bed.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Day 29 continued...
Day 29: Cassoday, KSTonight we are camping at the city park in Cassoday, Kansas. Despite camping out last night we departed camp early this morning and were on the road by 7:00 a.m.
Twenty miles into our ride we reached Eureka, Kansas where we stopped to pick up groceries, visit the library and Alex, Mike, Andrew and I headed to the Prairie Grass Steakhouse & Saloon for a warm second breakfast. For a decent price I enjoyed two pieces of French toast, a scrambled egg and bowl of oatmeal along with coffee! I have nothing against eating peanut butter and jelly for breakfast and have gotten rather creative with it however given the chance to have French toast, I couldn’t pass it up!
After finishing our food we headed back to the library where we used the internet, made phone calls to future churches and hung out before heading back to G.W. Foods (the grocery store) to buy food for lunch. As I had just eaten an hour before I wasn’t all that hungry but I knew that I needed calories to hold me the remainder of the ride and had a Boston Cream yogurt, a banana and an Almond Joy bar. With only 40 more miles to cover we decided to take our time and napped in the gazebo across from the store while waiting for Alex and Drew to return from the pool.
When we finally got on the road it was mid-afternoon and without a cloud in the sky the sun beat down on us the entire way. We made one last stop, taking a 20-minute break in Rosalia at ‘The Old Hat’ where we signed their travelers guestbook enjoyed cold water and soda and chatted with the owner before heading on our way. By this point the land had flattened out a lot from earlier in the day and we enjoyed our ride into Cassoday playing numerous games. Nick found a blue ball along the side of the road so we played catch for awhile before turning to a game of cracker toss with the crackers Nick had left over from lunch to finish the ride. Cracker toss is a game where the rider in front (i.e. Nick) tosses crackers up in the air and the rider behind him tries to catch them while riding.Our group consisting of Anish, Nick, Alex, Andrew, Drew and I were the last ones to reach camp for the day and when we pulled into Cassoday (which I must add is the Prairie Chicken Capital of the World according to the signs) we found camp already set up in the city park. Some of the team was talking to two guys from Massachusetts who were riding west to east while the rest of the group was lounging around. Nick, Jon and Keith set up the stove on a picnic table and made the team pasta for dinner. After helping clean the dishes from dinner Drew and I walked to the convenient store up the road where I bought a .85 cent ice cream sandwich and a 2/.99 cent pack of vanilla cream cookies along with a snickers bar for the morning. We also took advantage of the bathroom facilities with running water as the park only had outhouses and a water spicket.
Kansas Update
I'm currently blogging from the Library in Eureka, Kansas where we are stopped for a little while. We are in the middle of our ride today which will take us to Cassoday, KS where we will camp tonight.
Yesterday we spent the night camping at Cross Timbers State Park on Toronto Lake in Toronto, KS following a 92 mile ride. It was a nice night for camping as the weather was dry and warm. Some of us enjoyed a swim in Toronto lake - which was by far the warmest water we have swam in so far, while some of the guys made us ugali for dinner.
This morning we woke up and enjoyed a peanut butter bread breakfast topped with cereal before hitting the road around 7am. Our ride today is only 50 miles which is why we are stopped at the library in Eureka as it is the last time we will see a large town in a few days. After a stop at the local grocery store to restock my Pop Tarts (road food) Alex, Andrew, Mike and I all headed to Prairie Grass Steakhouse & Saloon to re-fuel on some warm breakfast food. I had hot oatmeal and french toast. (Yes, French Toast is one of my favorite foods if you have not figured that out yet!)
I think others need to use the computer so I'm signing off.
Till next time,
Sandra
Yesterday we spent the night camping at Cross Timbers State Park on Toronto Lake in Toronto, KS following a 92 mile ride. It was a nice night for camping as the weather was dry and warm. Some of us enjoyed a swim in Toronto lake - which was by far the warmest water we have swam in so far, while some of the guys made us ugali for dinner.This morning we woke up and enjoyed a peanut butter bread breakfast topped with cereal before hitting the road around 7am. Our ride today is only 50 miles which is why we are stopped at the library in Eureka as it is the last time we will see a large town in a few days. After a stop at the local grocery store to restock my Pop Tarts (road food) Alex, Andrew, Mike and I all headed to Prairie Grass Steakhouse & Saloon to re-fuel on some warm breakfast food. I had hot oatmeal and french toast. (Yes, French Toast is one of my favorite foods if you have not figured that out yet!)
I think others need to use the computer so I'm signing off.
Till next time,
Sandra
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Girard, Kansas
Hello from Girard, Kansas! In the last week we have passed through Illinois and Missouri and crossed into Kansas.
After leaving Champaign we headed to Springfield, Illinois where we spent the night at the University of Illinois campus at Springfield. It was nice to sleep in real beds for a change and get showers! From Springfield we headed south to Edwardsville where we camped at the outdoor recreation center at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. It was a nice night so I chose to sleep under the stars but woke up the next morning covered in dew! There was a pool at the outdoor recreation center in Edwardsville so after arriving on campus we swam, had a sponge water toy fight and just relaxed until heading off to dinner.
Our next stop was in Chester, Illinois on June 14th. Chester is the home of Popeye! Prior to dinner a few of us rode our bikes to the Popeye sign along the side of the road entering town and climbed it to take photos. Chester is on the border of Missouri along the Mississippi so we crossed into Missouri first thing the next morning (June 15th). It was pretty amazing to cross the Mississippi by bike and beautiful with the morning mist and sunrise.
Crossing into Missouri was a surprise for some of us who had forgotten that Missouri is not flat. I had forgotten about the Ozarks, which we hit right after crossing into Missouri and were like a rollercoaster of up and down hills for the next few days. Our first stop in Missouri was in a small town called Ironton where we spent the night at the First Church of the Nazarene and met with their Youth Group. From there we headed to Eminence, Missouri where we spent the night in the gym of Eminence High School and enjoyed Ice Cream at the Dairy Shack! For those who don't know Ice Cream has become a major reward on this ride as we are consistently seeking out ice cream stops at the end of the day!
June 17th landed us in Hartville, Missouri. Personally it was a rough day on the bike as my right calf was in a giant knot all day making it hard with all the hills. Riding with the Caboose we made a number of stops first at a scenic overlook then we climbed the Flat Rock Lookout Tower where we were able to get an amazing view from above the trees. After lunch we hit a storm and sought shelter at a closed store where we got creative and used pizza signs and crates to keep us dry. (Photos to come - stay tuned!) Once we reached Hartville we enjoyed a dinner of Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup along with many cookies and baked goods from our host the Hartville Church of God.
As my calf was still bothering me I drove the support vehicle on the 18th, catering to the other riders and making a trip to Springfield, Missouri to visit a bike shop and pick up some things my teammates needed.
Yesterday's ride into Girard was a good ride and the day off on Monday helped my legs, as they felt fresh! We covered 84 miles in 5:23 averaging 15.62 miles an hour. The first part of the ride was a little hilly before it flattened out as we approached Kansas. We stopped for lunch in Pittsburg, Kansas and are now at the First Baptist Church of Girard. Alex and I made a Chilly type meal with cornbread for dinner last night and Dan, Sehee and I made French toast and scrambled eggs for breakfast this morning!
I want to say hi to Mr. Shue and Mr. Tuthill's fifth grade classes at Valleyview Elementary School back in Oneonta who I talked with on the phone this morning. Thank you for all your support and I hope you all have a safe and fun filled summer!
I will try to post some photos later today if I get a chance.
Till next time,
Sandra
After leaving Champaign we headed to Springfield, Illinois where we spent the night at the University of Illinois campus at Springfield. It was nice to sleep in real beds for a change and get showers! From Springfield we headed south to Edwardsville where we camped at the outdoor recreation center at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. It was a nice night so I chose to sleep under the stars but woke up the next morning covered in dew! There was a pool at the outdoor recreation center in Edwardsville so after arriving on campus we swam, had a sponge water toy fight and just relaxed until heading off to dinner.
Our next stop was in Chester, Illinois on June 14th. Chester is the home of Popeye! Prior to dinner a few of us rode our bikes to the Popeye sign along the side of the road entering town and climbed it to take photos. Chester is on the border of Missouri along the Mississippi so we crossed into Missouri first thing the next morning (June 15th). It was pretty amazing to cross the Mississippi by bike and beautiful with the morning mist and sunrise.Crossing into Missouri was a surprise for some of us who had forgotten that Missouri is not flat. I had forgotten about the Ozarks, which we hit right after crossing into Missouri and were like a rollercoaster of up and down hills for the next few days. Our first stop in Missouri was in a small town called Ironton where we spent the night at the First Church of the Nazarene and met with their Youth Group. From there we headed to Eminence, Missouri where we spent the night in the gym of Eminence High School and enjoyed Ice Cream at the Dairy Shack! For those who don't know Ice Cream has become a major reward on this ride as we are consistently seeking out ice cream stops at the end of the day!
June 17th landed us in Hartville, Missouri. Personally it was a rough day on the bike as my right calf was in a giant knot all day making it hard with all the hills. Riding with the Caboose we made a number of stops first at a scenic overlook then we climbed the Flat Rock Lookout Tower where we were able to get an amazing view from above the trees. After lunch we hit a storm and sought shelter at a closed store where we got creative and used pizza signs and crates to keep us dry. (Photos to come - stay tuned!) Once we reached Hartville we enjoyed a dinner of Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup along with many cookies and baked goods from our host the Hartville Church of God.
As my calf was still bothering me I drove the support vehicle on the 18th, catering to the other riders and making a trip to Springfield, Missouri to visit a bike shop and pick up some things my teammates needed.
Yesterday's ride into Girard was a good ride and the day off on Monday helped my legs, as they felt fresh! We covered 84 miles in 5:23 averaging 15.62 miles an hour. The first part of the ride was a little hilly before it flattened out as we approached Kansas. We stopped for lunch in Pittsburg, Kansas and are now at the First Baptist Church of Girard. Alex and I made a Chilly type meal with cornbread for dinner last night and Dan, Sehee and I made French toast and scrambled eggs for breakfast this morning!
I want to say hi to Mr. Shue and Mr. Tuthill's fifth grade classes at Valleyview Elementary School back in Oneonta who I talked with on the phone this morning. Thank you for all your support and I hope you all have a safe and fun filled summer!
I will try to post some photos later today if I get a chance.
Till next time,
Sandra
Monday, June 11, 2007
Sunday, June 10, 2007
My Monster Bite!
A glimps at the monster bite on my right leg from the Train Track Monsters! (2 days after)
Getting Lost & Train Track Monsters
Day 16 and 17 (June 9th/10th) Saturday was day one of our ride along from Homewood, IL to Chebanse, IL. We had three riders join us in Homewood for the trip to Chebanse where we stayed at Zion Lutheran Church. The ride started off smooth as it was a beautiful day and we set out at a nice steady pace in large groups. After lunch the groups split up and I ended up riding with Keith and Allen (one of the riders who joined us). Keith was a little ahead of Allen and I so when Keith went straight into and through Kankakee I just followed thinking we were headed in the right direction. After having gone on for about 10 miles without seeing any sign for our next turn or any signs for Chebanse I started to wonder if we were on the right road as our millage was in the mid-60's and I'd been told that the total mileage for the day was only in the mid-60's. Keith was about a quarter of a mile ahead of Allen and I by this point and I decide to pull over and call Jon to clarify the directions. It quickly became apparent that we were never suppose to go through Kankakee and that we were headed in the wrong direction. After talking with Jon I tried to call Keith but just got a recording telling me that he had yet to set up his voicemail. As we pondered what to do with Keith probably a mile ahead at this point my phone rang. Thankfully it was Keith, who called after noticing we were no longer behind him. He cycled back to meet us and we headed back in the direction we had came. By this point Jon had reached the church in Chebanse and called to check our status. Jon's grandfather was able to pinpoint our location and point us in the right direction before setting out to meet us and bring us water.
In between the point where we got the directions and we met them down the road we came across a set of giant railroad tracks that ran diagonally across Rt. 28. These were unlike any tracks that we had crossed previously in the trip as the area between the track and the road was much deeper and wider. As I got closer to them I knew I needed to take it easy but when my front tire hit the first track it wedged itself into the area between the track and the road and down I went. Allen who was off to the other side of the road also encountered the same problem and wiped out as well. Thankfully both of our bikes were ok and we just left the scene with scrapes and bruises.
We met up with Jon and his grandfather down the road and they gave us water and helped us navigate the final six miles to the church where everyone else was waiting for us. We ended up covering 77 miles on the day with our little adventure!
Jon's family and the people of Chebanse were amazing providing us with an amazing meal followed by trademark brownie and ice cream sundaes! Check out my sundae in the photo. Brownie, Ice Cream, Strawberries, Gummy Bears and sprinkles! We say were are on the bike across America diet - I'm not sure how I will adjust when I go back home in August. Jon's family then made us an absolutely amazing breakfast the next morning with Egg Casserole, French Toast Casserole (if whoever made the French Toast Casserole is reading this and wants to send me a recipe that would be amazing! bikexc@gmail.com) and many other delicious breakfast foods! I must say it was the most delicious breakfast I've ever had!
After the great breakfast we left Chebanse headed for Champaign and the University of Illinois. We had a few riders join us in Chebanse before meeting up with about 20 more people for the final 15+ miles from Rantoul, IL to Champaign. Having never been to Champaign or even Illinois before it was pretty neat to ride in with the entire group and have everyone cheering for us. A special thanks to all who were there to support us from the friends and families of the riders to the University of Illinois Alumni Association - all in all it was an amazing day!Friday, June 8, 2007
Chicago!
Day 15 - Chicago
(June 8th)
(June 8th)After 15 days of riding we have reached Chicago! We rode into Chicago from Chesterton, Indiana and entered along the bike path that runs along the shore of Lake Michigan! Our destination was Millennium Park in downtown Chicago and the giant silver bean. It was absolutely amazing to see Chicago for the first time approaching the skyline from along the shore of Lake Michigan. Once we reached Millennium Park we took our bikes to the McDonalds bike shop to store until Nick and his brother loaded them into vans for transport to Homewood, IL where we were spending the night.
Since this was my first time in Chicago Dan and I spent the afternoon walking around downtown getting a feel for the city. The one main thing I noticed about Chicago compared to New York was how clean and modern it seemed. New York was non-stop craziness while Chicago was a bit calmer and very nice overall.
After we got tired walking around we caught the train to Homewood (south of Chicago) where St. Paul's Community Church was hosting us for the night. Once in Homewood we grabbed a quick dinner at the church before heading to a Temple service to share about our journey so far and talk with people there about their experiences with Cancer. Though the congregation was small and part of the service was in Herbrew it was interesting to see another side of religion that I don't normally see and the people who were there were very friendly and generous.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Central Time
My blog is back online!! I've gone back and transferred over some stuff from my other blog that can be seen below. I will try to update other stuff as we go along.
Today we crossed into Central Time meaning that we gained an hour. Our ride from Winamac to Chesterton, Indiana was only about 64 miles so it made for a short day. We did hit some strong winds from the south and going west it made for fun cycling at times - especially when large trucks coming from the opposite direction almost sent us flying off the road. (Mom - we didn't really fly off the road - don't worry!) We stopped for lunch at a small bagel shop in Valparaiso arriving around 11ish after setting our clocks back an hour. From Valparaiso it was just a short 10 mile ride to Chesterton where we are spending the night at the New Life Wesleyan Church.
After arriving a group of us went swimming at Indiana Dunes State Park. It was almost 90 out so even though Lake Michigan was cold the water felt good. We then headed to the local YMCA here in Chesterton to shower and rid ourselves of sand from the beach.
Tomorrow it is off to Chicago! It's still hard for me to believe that we've rode this far in such a short time.
Till next time,
Sandra
Today we crossed into Central Time meaning that we gained an hour. Our ride from Winamac to Chesterton, Indiana was only about 64 miles so it made for a short day. We did hit some strong winds from the south and going west it made for fun cycling at times - especially when large trucks coming from the opposite direction almost sent us flying off the road. (Mom - we didn't really fly off the road - don't worry!) We stopped for lunch at a small bagel shop in Valparaiso arriving around 11ish after setting our clocks back an hour. From Valparaiso it was just a short 10 mile ride to Chesterton where we are spending the night at the New Life Wesleyan Church.
After arriving a group of us went swimming at Indiana Dunes State Park. It was almost 90 out so even though Lake Michigan was cold the water felt good. We then headed to the local YMCA here in Chesterton to shower and rid ourselves of sand from the beach.
Tomorrow it is off to Chicago! It's still hard for me to believe that we've rode this far in such a short time.
Till next time,
Sandra
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Photos!
Ok, blogger blocked me from posting on my Illini4000 blog for a few days and I made updates on my older blog. There are a bunch of photos that I don't have the time to re-upload to this blog so if you want to view them the address for that blog is: http://www.bikexc2007.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Hello from Indiana
Hello all! We only have a few computers and limited time so it has been harder to update than I had planned. Yesterday we did a 116 mile ride from Grand Rapids, Ohio to Huntington, Indiana. It wasn't an easy ride either as I got to experience riding into the Midwestern wind for the first time. We stopped about half way through the ride in a town small Ohio town called Paulding and ate all you could eat Pizza from "East of Chicago". When you are riding as much as we have been food is always on our minds and you can't go wrong with all you can eat Pizza! We hit rain and wind right after leaving Paulding for a short while and then again after we crossed into Indiana. I never realized how remote some places of western Ohio and eastern Indiana were until yesterday. Many of the rodes which we were riding on were small and some were even dirt! I'm not sure where exactly we crossed into Indiana but it occurred on on of the dirt road in the middle of nowhere. After crossing the state line we met up with the rest of our group in a small town called Monroeville. From there we once again hit bad weather and formed a dynamic double line pace line which we rode for the final 40 miles into Huntington. By the time we reached the Methodist Church that's hosting us in Huntington we were soaked and cold. Brandt and James who were in the support van greeted us with hot chocolate which was an awesome reward for the long trip.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Hello from Ohio
We are currently in Vermillion, Ohio after having passed through Cleveland today (Ben- we rode right by Jacobs Field!), we entered Ohio on Friday morning making it the fourth state of the ride. The best thing about Ohio is that we are officially out of the mountains for awhile - until we reach the Rockies that is! The rides are going well and my muscles feel good despite the many miles. According to my OD we are currently at 629 miles for the trip - not bad for a week! Tomorrow we will head to Grand Rapids, Ohio before we head toward Indiana.
I will post pictures next time as it's late and the computer connection here is to slow to upload them now.
Till next time,
Sandra
I will post pictures next time as it's late and the computer connection here is to slow to upload them now.
Till next time,
Sandra
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