Where is Lance?

Follow Al on his cross country bike tour!

If you want to see the itinerary, click here.

To learn more about the tour, click here.

Day 31 107 serious biking miles from Quincy to Springfield IL

2009-06-08

Scores from the: There was no chit chat today, the men were serious, bike tour.

Definition for this website: Head wind. When the wind is blowing in the opposite direction you are biking. Not when it is blowing in the same direction you are riding. Got that Denny?
Strong head winds for the first 86 miles: UGH
Standing up on the bike on level pavement and riding at 9mph: UGH
Heat and Humidity: Peter claims he is growing tomatoes inside his bike shirt.
Route rap, each evening Tracey describes the next day's ride and how wonderful it is going to be: I've almost lost it a few times. What I want to yell is: You lying &^%$#* B(*&^. Tell us the truth!!! I want the truth!!! How about the hills. Yes the hills. How about the wind, you going to tell us about the wind you miserable &^%$#@. How about the heat and humidity? We're growing things on our bodies and you don't mention a *&^%$ thing. Any dogs? Come on tell us about the dogs. On the other hand maybe I can't handle the truth.
Dodging the serious weather: There has been serious storms all around us but we are just missing them. A day after we were in St. Joseph they had six inches of hail. A day after we were in Kirksville they had baseball size hail. They had flood warnings on the west side of the Mississippi just after we crossed it. Last night I had the weather on the TV and they had a tornado watch. Since I had no idea what county I was in I just went to sleep.
Eating: I will now eat anything. At breakfast they didn't have any eggs so I popped one of those breakfast sandwich gross outs into the microwave. The second SAG was next to a DQ so I got a quick hamburger to go. A hamburger from the DQ. That's a first for me.
Tomorrow 87 miles to Urbana and a rest day. Roddy is visiting. Can't wait to see her.

Little know fact: They manufacture ferris wheels in Jacksonville, MO.

We had an hour and 15 minute delay today because of electrical storms in Quincy. The group I ride with was serious about making time today. Little talk, no pictures (it was sprinkling part of the day), just fast hard riding. We had stiff headwinds for the first 86 miles and then the wind sifted slightly to a following wind. I was spinning out in my highest gear at 26mph. We never did let up.




Quincy IL to Springfield IL 107 Miles


Jim, 140lbs of blue twisted steel. Great cyclist and friend. He is a primary source for little know facts. Retired Chemistry prof and underwater photographer. Check out his photos at: http://chemistry.csudh.edu/faculty/jim/Jim%27sWeb_Page.htm


Peter, Fast, safe, experienced, urbane. Lives in Greenwich Village and London. At dinner tonight he looked up at the chandelier and said I'm pretty sure I designed that and my company manufactured it.


Ira. Ira came to this tour with as little knowledge as I had about bikes. Unfortunately his bike shop was not nearly as knowledgeable as Abeerdeen bike shop who helped me. They recommended a touring bike, one where you would use panniers to carry your gear and therefore quite a heavy bike. He is a strong rider however and at six foot and 142 lbs he has the biker build. He is CFO for a Television production company. I do like him a lot but his bike has been the subject of ridicule.

Messages

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Al, if I were burning as many calories as you, I would probably be grazing at the shrubbery during rest stops. I commend you for keeping your eating habits civilized, if only marginally. Sent 2009-06-09 from Ben Chutz

After eating all that crappy food... if you're riding into a headwind and someone has to fart, do they have to go to the back of the line? Sent 2009-06-09 from Phillis

grit-sometimes that is all there is- a ride at home will seem like a piece of cake. rest coming!!!! Sent 2009-06-09 from peter brown

In your honor I rode my bike to the grocery store... even went up a hill (speed bump)!! Champaign/ Urbana home of the great U of I... Dan and I spent 5 great years there. We did well in school; not much to do, only corn fields!!! Enjoy yourselves there, my best to Rodi... Have a good ride Sent 2009-06-08 from Monica Atkins

A hamburger at Dairy Queen? Were they out of hotdogs? Sent 2009-06-08 from Dave

You're obviously not an analyst! Sounds like the winds today were blowing in the opposite direction that you were going. Must have felt like a headwind. What happened to the theory about weather moving west to east? Glad you've missed the big ones. This isn't a storm-chasing tour, after all. Sent 2009-06-08 from Denny

Al, I just had a thought: when you get to Boston, do you get 1 or 2 reset days before you start riding back to Ann Arbor? Sent 2009-06-08 from Old Uncle John

you ok? Sent 2009-06-08 from little sister

Hope you're doing well, Al. Lots of people I talk to check your blog, though not necessarily every day. No news is worrisome. NDJ4TB: Tome Blank Sent 2009-06-08 from Chip and Carol

welcome to Big Ten Country! You must be pooped- no coment? Hopefully you are behide the storms1 Sent 2009-06-08 from peter brown