Day 36: Champaign to Crawfordsville IN -- Carole, Meiri and the MacTrek lead the way

Pictures are here.
Miles: 82
Total Miles: 2775
Time: 5:06
Average: 16.1
Max 28.5
Flats Today: 0; Total flats:8
Climbing: Pretty flat again today.
Weather: Bright, sunny, clear, little humidity, hi low 80's, little wind. Could not be better for biking.
Body: Dragging -- actually everyone is starting to drag. Back side staying tender. Rest day coming!

The threat of rain was long gone. We had the promise of great biking weather with cool, clear skies in the early morning here at the eastern edge of CDT. Breakfast at Bob Evans a quarter mile down the road. We had one waitress for all 25 of us trying to get orders straight, serve up OJ and coffee, bacon, oatmeal, keep rye vs wheat vs white straight and then serve it up to the right people. Only one order dropped in the process and she got us all out the door by close to 7:00.

About half our group started riding out of town together on this quiet Sunday morning, chatting and just enjoying the moderate pace. Meiri led the double pace line with Chuck. Two days in a row for her leading out of the gate. She was feeling better after a mild case of food poisoning back in St. Jo and demonstrating that by making her McTrek go fast again. After enough miles had gone by such that most were feeling the pressure of all the BE OJ and coffee it was agreed that it good to stop and water the corn fields. And that is just what we did. Great privacy with little effort and great fun for photo ops. Check out the pics.

Another state line and time zone as we pedaled into IN soon after SAG #1. Sadly right on the state line, we encountered yet another penitentiary which made at least 6 -- on our route alone. Lunch was right across from SAG #2 at the Busstop Cafe in Veedersberg, a lively place with friendly waitresses, good food and good prices. Defintely worth a stop. The last 25 miles after lunch went by fast as Hans, Bob, Chuck and I paced it in.

Tomorrow is the Major Taylor Velodrome, the Roark Bicycle factory and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Lots of sight seeing to cram into a 64 mile ride. But then, it's Indy, our next rest day so we can afford to leave it all on the Velodrome track. Also, tomorrow, Jim and Rick rejoin the tour. Yeah!!! Will be very nice to reconnect with them. But best of all, Marcia is meeting me. Have a safe drive, my Love!