Day 20 - Colfax to Mount Pleasant, Iowa

Today was about rain and wind and mud... it all added up to a very long day on the bike, but one that was also a lot of fun as people rallied together to make sure everyone finished the ride safely.

The morning started well. I rode with Lon Haldeman for a little while and even enjoyed a nice draft as he easily pulled about six of us over the hills as we left Colfax. But the weather forecasters were right and the rain started about mile 10. The storm was moving east and south, which was the same direction as our 141 miles course. So... we rode in the rain. No problem. Until we came to a construction site and had to wait for around ten minutes for an escort car, which was enough time to get a good case of the chills.

Lunch was scheduled for mile 68, which is earlier than normal, but luckily just where I needed it, since the real storm, complete with lightning, howling winds, and pouring rain started just as I pulled into the lunch stop. The crew was busy weighting the canopies down with every cooler and other heavy items they could find, while others continued to prepare lunch for the riders as they came in. Some got caught in the downpour. They took their lunch in one of the trailers in an effort to shake off the chills.



I waited until the storm blew through and set out again in the lingering rain. It finally stopped around mile 85. Luckily, the air was warm enough to prevent people from getting the chills and we were able to shed some of our rain gear. The roads, for the most part, were in good shape and despite the rain and wind, I made good time. One road in particular was especially nice because it was closed to through traffic. With the exception of some rough patches under repair, the surface was good and the only vehicle that passed was the lunch trailer. Made me wonder why the road was closed.

I discovered why the road was closed when I got to around mile 100. I was coming down a hill and saw two cyclists pedaling up the other side while another person appeared to be sitting down on the road, which seemed weird. As I got closer, he yelled at me to carry my bike and consider taking off my shoes and socks as well. The pavement was separated by a mud pit. He had carried his bike through, but left his shoes on and was trying to wash off his cleats in large mud puddle. I decided to take shoes and socks off and carry my bike. The feet in the picture are mine. I washed them off in a mud puddle and then took pictures of my fellow riders navigating the mess with their bikes and shoes in hand.