Days 39, 40 & 41--I've got this Erie Feeling and the Eastern Ohio Shuffle

The Day 39 ride from Sandusky to Burton, OH was fantastic. It was a 95 mile run that was about two-thirds flat land initially, with a 30-mile finale of steep hills and rollers going into Burton. Regarding my injured right knee, I had much more strength and range of motion in the morning starting out. The knee got stronger as the day progressed, and I was able to climb the hills late in the day with virtually no pain. With the rest day coming in Burton, I felt positive about my ability to take on the steep hills of eastern Ohio and hills and mountains of Western Pennsylvania.

The ride itself was quite interesting and varied. We first followed the south shore of Lake Erie over several rivers (such as the Vermillion River pictured as it flows into the Lake), through several towns and suburbs, then right into the heart of the City of Cleveland. After a majority of rural and small town riding since leaving Seattle, navigating the bike through downtown Cleveland was quite exciting, dodging buses, workers, and tourists. From downtown, we followed a beautiful parkway through the Case Western Reserve University campus and commercial area, then up through the older suburbs of Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights. At that point, the high humidity gave way to heavy thunder showers and lightning as we followed the very hilly, forested, winding highway to the village of Burton.

I was thrilled to complete the day's course knowing that I could continue the ride to DC with confidence in my hill climbing, and enjoy the rest day in Burton. I was also excited to meet up with mom Eleanor and sister Karen who came in that evening from Detroit, and sister Paula and brother-in-law Brad who came to Burton from Granville, OH near Columbus.

We spent the rest day, Day 40, in Burton, a compact town with a town square...well an oval really. Mom, Karen, Paula, Brad, & I (all pictured) hung out at all the exciting town spots...Joel's Restaurant, Kogan's Village Eatery, and the Burton Laundramat (just me at the laundry).

Burton and many of the surrounding towns are home to several Amish farms and communities. Amish people traveling by horse and buggy are very common sights on the local roadways. It is considered bad form to take pictures of the Amish, though photographing one of their buggies with handsome beast of burden (pictured) is permitted.

We had some wonderful family time and lots of fun. I had a rejuvenating day off to prepare for the final eight days on the Ride.

Back on the road, the Day 41 ride took us 73 miles from Burton to New Waterford--our last camp in Ohio. The ride was hilly and beautiful through more Amish and Mennonite country. The right knee is doing well. Please knock on some wood for me. I am very thankful and fortunate that the knee injury was not more serious. Many thanks to my teammates and our support crew for their encouragement and support.

Onward to Pennsylvania. More to come.

Marty

Days 34 & 35--Crossing into Hoosier Land and a Rest Day

Day 34, the day before the rest day, has been long awaited by all. This was the last day of a 7-day stretch--the 13th out of the last 14 days where we covered over 1,000 miles. We were all tired and took it fairly easy on the tour to Valparaiso, IN (aka "Valpo"-rhymes with Alpo). The remaining fifty miles in Illinois was pretty standard fare--your corn, soybeans, car dealers, etc. At around mile 16 of the day, we did follow about 2 miles of the Historic Route 66 highway (that runs from Chicago to LA). On that stretch of road is the "Launching Pad Drive-In" with the statue of "Rocket Man" out front (pictured with me). After that stop, I couldn't get the Elton John song off my mind all day...and was reminded that Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your keeds (sic).

At about mile 50, we entered the great state of Indiana at State Line Rd. Much to our disappointment, there was no "Welcome to Indiana " or even an Indiana state line marker. Pennsylvania Floyd and I made do with a photo of the State Line (Road) sign and corn field in the background (pictured). You will have to trust me that this photo was indeed taken in Indiana.

I have since learned that the lack of a "Welcome to Indiana" sign is part of the planned two-year transition to combine the states of Illinois and Indiana into one state--Illiana. This little known change is quietly occuring behind the scenes, and will be complete by the end of 2009 when the state capital is moved (it has not yet been determined where). They are starting with dumpsters first (pictured), then going on from there. It makes a lot of sense. The states look essentially the same and they won't need signs on the border they used to share. Lincoln hung out in both states so there shouldn't be a problem with the license plates. As well, an unnamed spokesperson from the Illinois Department of External Pronounciation proclaimed, "We are thrilled. There will be no more rampant mispronounciation of our state name by people who are compelled to use the silent "S" at the end. This way, we get rid of the S and everyone is happy."

We concluded the day's ride of 87 miles, and the 7-day ride stretch, at Lankinau Hall Dorm, Valparaiso College. REST DAY!

Day 35 (July 29), the rest day has been great. Sleeping in till 7am, getting caught up on laundry, bike maintenance, and the blog. As well, I had a wonderful visit with Betsy's brothers Fred and Dan, and Fred's wife Teresa (pictured in front of the Porter County Court House--aka "the Porterhouse"?). We saw some of the sights around Valpo, including the Outhouse on the Middle School Roof.

Before closing, I would like to say a quick Indiana hello to Sandy Fletcher--a friend of my cousin Steve Boigon's. Sandy is a wholesale florist and avid bike rider. Keep on pedaling Sandy!

Onward and eastward tomorrow,

Marty

Days 32 & 33--Into the Land of Lincoln, Jake, and Elwood

We left our camp outside of Madison on Day 32 (July 26) , destined for Belvedere, IL. The morning temperatures were comfortable (70's), with high humidity and a warmer afternoon temps (upper 80's) to come. You could tell that all that moisture in the air was going to be a prelude to something--and it wasn't going to be dry.

Initially, the remaining countryside in Wisconsin was not quite as dramatic as the previous days, but with lots of cumulative climbing up and down rolling hills. There were lots of dairy farms (pictured). It soon became clear that while Wisconsin farmers generally treat their cows well, they really put their tractors up on a pedastal.

At about mile 55, we passed through unappealing Beloit, WI into even more unappealing South Beloit, IL. This state portal (pictured) proved to be the least inviting and definitely the wettest we've encountered to date. It began to pour rain heavily as we crossed the border. New Jersey Barry and I took refuge at the Firehouse Tavern in Roscoe, IL and had a warm cup of soup and a sandwich. The rain slowed a bit and we continued down the road into a our camp at Belvidere, IL, completing the 87-mile ride for the day. The private campground, outside of Belvidere, had a swimming pool and a huge roof shelter under which we all pitched our 4o+ tents. It was a good thing. We experienced torrential rains during the night--and stayed quite dry until....

On Day 33 (July 27), we left Belvidere for the twin cities of Morris and Coal City, IL.--another big century ride. It rained hard in the early morning, but changed into to a typical moist, hot, humid, midwest summer day. The terrain was mostly flat, with little elevation gain--and corn and soybean fields as far as the eye could see. Our 108-mile ride that day concluded at camp at the Coal City Club Park on the Illinois River. Only one more day before the rest day.

Onward and eastward,

Marty

Days 30 & 31 (Part II)--Into the Land of Milk and Honey--and Cheese and Beer

From the Myers' place in Dakota, MN, we continued down the Missisippi to La Crescent, MN, where we turned east to the bridge over the Big River and across the state line (pictured) into "America's Dairyland" Wisconsin and the city of LaCrosse. LaCrosse is the home of LaCrosse beer and the World's Largest Six-Pack (pictured) outside the brewery. For some reason, the town seems to be in a state of perpetual bliss.

Once out of blissful, but homely, LaCrosse, we entered the gorgeous, lush, hilly farm country of Vernon County in Southwest Wisconsin. It was fun, challenging riding with lots of elevation gain and truly spectacular scenery. I didn't want it to end. As a side note, the farmers in this area use a lot of contour farming methods which is not only a smart use of the land, but adds scenic patterns to the already beautiful country side (pictured). Our 70-mile ride ended at Viroqua, WI, a beautiful small town with a great organic food co-op for dinner.

On Day 31 (July 25), we left Viroqua for Madison, WI--a full century ride. The gorgeous, hilly terrain continued for about 30 miles, then flattened out the rest of the way into Madison. We wrapped up the day's ride of 112 miles at our camp in a rural area just outside of Madison. I am disappointed to report that since we did not travel through the center of Madison, I could not take a photograph of the Wisconsin State Capitol to post on this blog--and explain to you the origin of its name. I heard something about its being named for President James Madison. How far-fetched is that? Some people will believe anything.

More to come.

Marty

Days 30 & 31 (Part I)--Rollin' Down the River

We began Day 30, leaving the dorm in Winona, following beautiful US-61 along the Mississippi River on the Minnesota side. Gorgeous views were at every turn, with the tree-covered bluffs and river traffic (pictured) being a feast for the eyes. In Dakota, MN (at mile 20), we were again welcomed with a feast for our seemingly bottomless biker bellies. The wonderful Myers family (daughters pictured), and their parents, put out a warm show of support and fantastic food in their yard overlooking the Mississippi. They must have worked on preparing for this for many weeks. They have done this for every Big Ride group passing through each summer since 1998. Their strong support, encouragement, and warm spirit (and great food) were rocket fuel for the miles ahead. They lost their grandfather to emphysma a few years back and have a strong bond to the work of the American Lung Assn. A huge thank you to the Myers family!!

More on Days 30 & 31 to follow.

Marty

Days 28 & 29--Pass the Pie and Hold the Mayo

Following our rest day at New Ulm, we left for Owatonna, MN on Day 28 (July 22) . We rolled through the metropolis of Mankato on Sunday Morning. It was very quiet. By 9am, no one was up yet. Must have been a wild Saturday night in Mankato. We had easy rolling hills through the day, with a steep drop and rise into and out of the Minnesota River Valley. The wind finally shifted direction, as did our direction of travel--headwinds continued. After 75 miles, we arrived at the Steele County fairgrounds in Owatonna, our camp for the evening and teammate Vern's hometown. We were welcomed enthusiastically by a large group of Vern's family and friends. Vern's lovely wife Karen and several friends and relatives put out an incredible "tailgate spread" of pies (pictured) that had to be seen (and eaten) to be believed! Thank you Karen and FFOV (friends and family of Vern)!

That evening in Owatonna, the rain blew in in a succession of thunderstorms. My tent seemed to keep things pretty dry. The rain conveniently stopped for us to break down camp and have breakfast. As soon as I launched my Day 29 ride at 6:30am, the next wave of showers came through in a big way. I could barely see through my glasses. I was drenched. This was not Seattle-style mist. Fortunately, it stopped in about 30 minutes--followed by a huge rainbow, a good omen for the rest of the day.

By late morning, we rolled through Rochester, MN home of the Mayo Clinic (sign pictured), the Honest Bike Shop and Midwest Bail Bonds Co. (pictured, honestly), and Ane and Liz two of our Ride teammates. As in Owatonna, we were enthusiastically welcomed to Rochester by Ane's and Liz's families and friends with warm hospitality and great food (including custard squares and rhubarb pie). Thanks to all for the fine welcome! The tail end of the day's ride took us into the Mississippi River Valley, with beautiful hills and roads with tire-eating potholes. We wrapped up our 93 mile day in Winona, MN in style--at Winona Ryder State University (WRSU).

WRSU was one of the first colleges in the growing trend to offer naming rights to celebrities to augment university revenues--the only limitation is that the celeb's first or last name must already be in the name of the school. Recent school name changes have included Huey Lewis and Clark (& the News) College; the University of Brad Pittsburgh; Lucille Ball State University and Donna Reed College (the latter two were posthumously named). WRSU provided a nice dry place to dry out our tents and wet clothing--and another night of sleeping off the ground.

More to come,

Marty

Days 25, 26, & 27--Got Corn and Lakes? You betcha.

On Day 25, we left DeSmet, SD for Tyler, MN. Happiness is South Dakota in my rear-view mirror--(as the country song sorta goes). Aside from the Black Hills and some wonderful people, it was time to mosey on down the road--to Minnesota. Before we leave SD, I must mention the great folks at Sioux River Cycle in Brookings (home of South Dakota State University) who provided us with ice cream and other goodies at our lunch stop at their shop.

Now...on to Minnesota..the mythical land of Lake Wobegon and Frostbite Falls. We crossed the Minnesota State Line (pictured) at mile 61 of the day. For some reason many of us were fantasizing that as soon as we crossed the state line, the winds would suddenly reverse direction--to blow out of the west--or at least stop. Au contrare. Right at the border in Minnesota we saw hundreds of gigantic, wind generator machines. Not a good sign. The wind continued. But, the temperatures were much cooler, and the scenery was much improved--lots of corn and lakes.

We rolled into Tyler, MN wrapping up our 80-mile day. Our camp was at Danebod Folk School, steeped in Danish history. A very homey place to hang out for the evening.

The next morning (Friday) marked the start of the last of our 6-day riding stretch from Rapid City. It has been a tough week. Everyone was greatly looking forward to the rest day in New Ulm starting Friday evening. Today was a glorious 90-mile ride. Temperatures were in the high-70's to low-80's. The topography became benignly midwestern with scenic rolling hills through the corn fields. The last major town on the day's trek before New Ulm was Sleepy Eye, MN.

Aside from its great name, Sleepy Eye has another claim to fame. One of its favorite sons, Linus Maurer (son of Nick and Ella), born and raised in Sleepy Eye, was close friends with Charles Shultz the creator of the Peanuts comic strip. Linus Maurer became the namesake of the character "Linus" in Peanuts [this is a true story]. A statue (pictured) and a plaque sit in front of the Sleepy Eye Public Library for all to view. Maurer's blanket is preserved in formaldehyde at the Brown County Historical Society [this fact may need some validation].

As if that weren't enough, outside of Sleepy Eye was the site of the first RFBD household--Rural Free Bass Delivery (pictured). You may recall their slogan "for people too busy to fish." Unfortunately, UPS, Federal Express, and the Internet have greatly contibuted to the demise of the RFBD service that has been so popular in Minnesota since the advent of refrigerated mailboxes.

We wrapped up the day's 90 miles in New Ulm, MN, staying at Martin Luther College at one of the dorms-- a nice change from sleeping on the ground. New Ulm is a neatly-ordered German community, with much Bavarian architecture. Not being a Teutonic kind of guy, it's not a place I would want to spend alot of time in, but the town was quite interesting to wander around.

Good friends Doug and Chris Allen from Dallas-Ft. Worth, and son Michael, were in Minneapolis today and drove to New Ulm to meet up with me. It was wonderful seeing them. We had a great lunch and walked some around the downtown. They left to catch a ball game in Minneapolis tonight (Twins and Angels)--and will then spend a week in Iowa visiting their families. Starting tomorrow, Michael will be riding in RAGBRAI--the Des Moines Register's Great Annual Bicycle Ride Across Iowa--Go Michael!

On another note, today (July 21st) is our wonderful daughter Becca's 24th birthday! Happy Birthday Becca!!

Tomorrow (Day 28), we are back in the saddle heading for Owatonna, MN (hometown of our team mate Vern); this will start a 7 Day stretch until the next rest day in Valparaiso, IN.

Throughout the ride, each of us continues to hear to from people along the way who have a connection to what we are doing--regularly reminding us of what the Big Ride is really all about. It may be a waitress in Wyoming who has lost parents to lung cancer, or a rural Minnesota couple with an asthmatic son--people who know the value of the programs of the American Lung Association and not taking lung health and clean air for granted. Again, many thanks to my wonderful sponsors and supporters! Your generosity and encouragement continues to be an inspiration to me, and helping me buck the the 4 H's.

Thanks for visiting. More later.

Marty