Day 28 - That's a lot of corn...Really!

The last two days of riding were about working hard and getting the job done. The weather and terrain were unremarkable, but we did ride 195 miles on flat country roads and boy, is there a lot of corn out there! Maybe it just looks like so much because I was on the bike. Either way, there's not much else to say.

For those of you that have cycled with me over the years, you know that I prefer the hills. I have taken the opportunity of the last couple of days to work on my flat road skills...(i.e. pedal real hard for a real long time until I get real tired)

Tomorrow we rest and then ride into Indiana on Thursday.

Day 27 - Springfield, IL

High clouds gave cover from the sun as we rode a century through the Land of Lincoln...

Day 26 - Milestones

A massive thunderstorm passed through overnight and gave way to one of the most beautiful, crystal clear, blue sky mornings I have seen in some time... It was a day to savor, not to hurry through as late Spring in Missouri was in full splendor.

Milestones today included the first 2,000 miles of riding, the first (and only) Mississippi River crossing and my first flat tire.

Day 25 - Recovery

Last night.








This morning.



The road less traveled.

There are two secrets to completing this tour. First, it's mind over matter. Control your mind and you're half way there. Sure, 3,400 miles on the bike is a long way, but it's really more about making it to the next SAG (support and grub) and then making it to the end of each day. The second secret is recovery... Get to the hotel as early as possible, eat, rest and get ready for the next riding day. Today I learned to recover while riding 148 "roller coaster" hills. Conserving and expending energy at precisely the right time made this potentially difficult day a lot of fun.

This morning we followed the storm that began last night. It was another stroke of luck that everything happened in front of us and we never got wet... Tomorrow we cross into Illinois.

Day 24 - A Picture w/ Less Than 1,000 Words...

Day 23 - Missouri - The "Show Me" State

Hotel/Motel Bingo:

It's a great feeling at the end of the riding day when your body is full of endorphins and you know that you're one day closer to reaching the ultimate goal of Boston. What you don't know is how many stars the night's lodging facility is going to have. While every hot shower is great and every bed comfortable, some places are just nicer than others. Last night was the Baymont Inn & Suites in Topeka...just okay. Tonight's Drury Hotel in St. Joseph is one of the nice ones. Tomorrow? Your guess is as good as mine.

The eighty-six mile ride from Topeka to St. Joseph was sunny, clear and cool. It is good that we were not passing through two days ago, because we would have gotten very wet. The culverts on the sides of the road were filled w/ water so it was evident that it was not just a little sprinkle. Everyday is a gift and the good fortune of this bubble of good weather following us across the country is not lost on us or unappreciated.

Day 22 - Scenic Byway Next 106 Miles...

We caught the operator of this vehicle driving erratically...

Today was like turning the pages of a picture book. We left the flat plains of western and central Kansas and found the rolling hills and ribbon road that make cycling so much fun. We had headwinds, crosswinds and tailwinds and a fair bit of climbing to boot. We stopped at a local cafe (The Sommerset Hall Cafe) at mile 91 and had homemade pie that was rated "Best Pie in America" recently by the folks at ABC's Good Morning America. http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=6315526

We are now at the mid-point of the trip (mileage) and will be in Boston three weeks from tomorrow (Thursday). I woke up in the middle of the night last night and realized that I'm just about to cross into Missouri tomorrow and I got here on my bike! It's going fast!