Day 22 - Pekin to Danville, IL

What a difference a day makes. Today started with 68 degrees and 98% humidity, which meant fog. The first 28 miles were quick and almost refreshing as I rode with the fast guys to the first stop. Got to chat with two of my fellow riders along the way, which made those early miles disappear quickly. It's funny though, the faster riders are not only in a hurry on the bike, they also make quick work of the stops, pausing only to re-fill water bottles and grab some snacks to eat on the bike. So, by the time I finished mulling over the snack options I was in between groups and set out on my own. I've taken to listening to my iPod in my right ear (so I can still hear the traffic) which is nice for those long stretches riding alone. I think I've probably ridden 1/3 to 1/2 the tour on my own, which I don't think I expected, but have come to enjoy.

The roads were good today and almost devoid of traffic as we followed a variety of rural routes. We had a modest quartering headwind as we headed east, which gave us a little push when we turn south now and again. The corn is tall enough now to provide some wind block. At times it was as if we were riding through a big corn maze as we followed narrow chip and seal roads through the fields. But even the chip and seal roads, which are normally rough and uncomfortable to ride on were seemingly smoother today.




I rode with three other riders in a paceline between our second stop and lunch, which was quite good as usual. Cold cuts on good bread, fresh mozzarella with tomatoes and basil, pickles, and chips. Washed down with Coke, of course. It's going to be hard to go back to Coke Zero or other diet drinks after this... I passed on the pie today, which was fine since I had dinner at Steak and Shake in Danville. Bacon and Bleu double burger with fries and a big chocolate shake. Excellent.

After lunch I rode with one of the recumbent riders until the next stop. Unfortunately, we missed a turn and had to back track slightly, turning our 136 miles day into 141 miles (with a respectable 17 mph average). We had a good chat and it was fun to talk about the ride with someone other than the folks with whom I typically end up riding. Not sure we needed the extra five miles, but it was probably my fault - many of you know how I am when I get talking...

Our last stop was in a small town dominated by huge grain bins. I snapped an "artsy" picture of the bin next to our stop. For no particular reason other than I thought it might look interesting. The terrain and scenery was variously described as boring or monotonous today, but for me it was a great day on the bike, so the scenery didn't seem to matter as much. We've got three more days of flat land riding before we turn to the mountains of West Virginia. I'm really looking forward to being in the mountains again.

One of the more interesting things to happen in the last couple of days was that one of the tour vans broke down. Lon and Susan were apparently planning to replace it after the tour anyway, but they lost the luxury of time when they had to find a new van immediately. With the help of one of the riders who works for Ford and some phone calls, they arranged to purchase, take delivery, and outfit a new van overnight so that everything was ready to roll this morning. It is a testament to both the effectiveness of their organization and more important I think their commitment to the riders to make sure things run smoothly. I certainly appreciated their efforts to make sure our bags were at the hotel yesterday afternoon and that all the stops were covered as usual on our long day today.

We've got some shorter days coming up, which will be nice. My legs are tired, but they respond nicely once I get on the bike. Feet and hands are a little unhappy sometimes, but it hasn't been nearly as hot as it was in South Dakota, so no "hot foot" lately. I've also been doubling up the bib shorts for the last three days. For those interested (don't worry... no pictures...), I'm using Assos chamois cream on the chamois, Aquaphor ointment directly on the relevant areas of my body each morning, and then supplementing throughout the day with Chamois Butter. It seems to be working well enough to stave off saddle sores which have afflicted some of my fellow riders. I'm especially pleased since we have ridden over a thousand miles in the last eight days. I'm also glad I made the decision to go with my Selle Italia saddle off my Bianchi instead of the firmer saddle I usually have on the Felt.