Tom's Cross Country Ride

Today we rode 88 miles from Springfield to Champaign across central Illinois. Our route was IL 54 East to IL 10 East into Springfield.

We rolled out of Springfield under clear blue skies and temperatures in the low 60s. The gusty winds from yesterday subsided overnight with just a slight breeze remaining. The conditions were ideal for riding.

We wound through some neighborhood streets for a few miles before we connected to IL 54 East. When we made the connection, it was apparent. The road surface deteriorated quickly into a bumpy, pot hole filled, narrow shouldered, mess. And it didn’t get materially better the entire day. That’s unfortunate, for if not for the road surface, it would have been almost perfect riding conditions.

IL 54 East had a northeasterly track through the center of the state running parallel to some train tracks. The landscape was farm land and never changing. As we saw yesterday, there was standing corn, recently planted fields, and a number of fields that were being tilled or planted as we rode by. We also encountered several large tractors pulling equally large farm implements on the road today. Generally the tractors were faster than us but gave us room as they passed by.

At mile 34 we took a break from the bumps and pot holes on IL 54 and took our first rest stop of the day in Chestnut Illinois, a tiny town that claims to be located in the geographical center of the state. Several of the riders took the opportunity to enjoy a piece of pie from the Chestnut Family Restaurant located on the only street in the small town.

After the rest stop we bumped along on IL 54 to mile 48 in the town of Clinton IL. Clinton is is the largest town in DeWitt County with a population of just over 7,000. As we left Clinton, we turned east onto IL 10. I had high hopes for a better road surface but those hopes were dashed almost immediately. More bumps, more pot holes, more of the same.

Along IL 10, Greg’s rear tire went flat so we spent some time on that repair. I’m not sure if the road surface had anything to do with the flat but it wouldn’t surprise me if it did.

At mile 65 we pulled into our second rest stop of the day under a big shade tree in front of a Casey’s convenient store. It felt good to sit in the cool shade and take a break from the bumpy road.

As we worked our way into Champaign, Greg had two more flats. Champaign is the home of Peyton, our on the road mechanic, and as luck would have it, the bike shop where he works is located on the route for today at mile 86. So when Greg had his third flat, I had made it to the bike shop and sent help his way.

While at the bike shop I had some repairs done to my bike to ready it for the rest of the trip and Greg was able to get his tire issues sorted out.

Tomorrow is our fourth rest day of the tour. As I did on the last three, one in Flag Staff AZ, one in Santa Fe New Mexico, and one in Junction City Kansas, I’ll spend the day doing laundry, some cleaning and maintenance on the bike, and resting.

The tour seems to be picking up speed as we have now completed over 2,200 miles and will be in Ohio on this coming Sunday. We still have a long way to go but the end now seems to be in sight. Thanks for following along.

Today we rode 108 miles from Quincy to Springfield Illinois. Of the 43 riding days on this trip, there are four that cover 100 miles or more. Today was third century day of the tour.

As we left Quincy Illinois this morning, a high pressure system had moved into the area bringing cooler temperatures. I pulled on an extra layer to fight the chill as the temps were in the fifties. And it felt extra chilly as the winds were brisk out of the north, northwest. But the skies were clear with no chance of rain, again.

Our route for the day was Illinois 104 east to US 67 south. We then picked up the I-72 BUS route which took us to old route 36 and then onto old route 54 as we made our way to Springfield.

The first part of the course had more hills than I thought we would have. In the first 32 miles up to the first rest stop, there was around 1,300 feet of climbing with several very long climbs. The wind however was pretty favorable at that point so the climbs were a bit easier. Total climbing for the day was 2,457 feet.

The first rest stop was at the the John Wood Community College Agriculture Center. A small agriculture community college with about 60 students.

After the rest stop and a bit more peddling, we crossed the Illinois River at mile 46. Like all of the rivers we have crossed, the Illinois was swollen out of it’s banks. By this part of the ride, the landscape had flattened out and we began to see the large farms the state is famous for. We also saw a lot of standing corn. Some just a few inches tall and some nearly a foot. And we saw a lot of tilling and planting taking place as the fields were apparently dry enough to work in.

Speaking of dry and that wind that I mentioned earlier, by early afternoon the wind was gusting above 20 miles per hour. Mostly the wind was neutral to favorable to us but at times it hit us just so that it became a drag on us and made forward progress difficult. The wind was also kicking up dust from the newly tilled fields and creating a haze above them. I took a few pictures and as I did, I kept thinking, look at that expensive soil just blowing away!

We arrived in Springfield in mid-afternoon after 6 hours and 40 minutes on the bike but knowing that three of the four century rides are complete. The final century ride is coming up in just a few days however when we’ll ride 105 miles from Richmond Indiana to Marysville Ohio on Sunday June 16th. On that ride our first rest stop of the day will be in Covington at the government center on Main Street. We should be there around 10 that morning. If you want to stop by and say hello, I’d love to see you.

Tomorrow we’ll ride 88 miles to Champaign Illinois and enjoy our fourth rest day of the tour on Wednesday. It’ll be nice to rest up a bit. Thanks for following along.

Today we rode 76 miles from Kirksville Missouri to Quincy Illinois. It was a great ride.

We left the hotel in Kirksville this morning a little later than usual due to a delay in the breakfast service. When we rolled out near 8:00 A:M the temperature was near 70 degrees, the sky was blue, and there was again no chance of rain. There was a breeze out of the northeast that would turn out perfect for us as we would follow MO Route 6 and it’s southeasterly track for most of the day. Nothing like a nice tailwind.

The first part of the route included some more hills similar to the ones we became so familiar with over the last two days but gradually the landscape became flatter and the hills became few and far between. The surface of MO 6 was nearly perfectly smooth and made for great riding.

As we headed east we found more populated small towns, although many had just a few hundred residence or less per the signs posted along the road. But some were larger such as Edina, the county seat of Knox County. We also saw more planted and standing corn as we went east. Apparently the rain and flooding were not as damaging in this part of the state.

At mile 32 we had our first and only rest stop of the day at the post office in Myrtle Township MO. The stop was special as it was also the 2,000 mile mark of the journey. Just 1,400 miles to go!

At mile 64 we turned onto US 24 East as we rode our last miles in the State of Missouri. At mile 70 we crossed the Mississippi River and rode into Illinois, our eighth state. It was a real treat riding over the bridge crossing the river although damage to the east bound bridge due to flooding had us riding in a single lane on the west bound bridge. The Mississippi, like the Missouri River, and so many other rivers and streams that we have seen, was swollen out of its banks making the big river seem even larger.

As we rode off the bridge onto the streets of Quincy we spotted two ladies standing on the street holding signs congratulating our group. Turns out the two were Peyton’s (our on the road mechanic) mother and twin sister who drove three hours from their home in Champaign to surprise Peyton and greet us. Peyton is a great young man and it was nice to meet his family.

Tomorrow we’ll ride 106 miles to Springfield Illinois, the state capital. It will be a big day but the weather conditions again look very favorable. Thanks for following along.

Today we rode 75 miles from Chillicothe to Kirksville MO. Our route was US 36 East to Missouri 11 and then onto US 63 into Kirksville.

The weather was again pretty good as we left the hotel in Chillicothe. Temps were in the mid 60s, the skies were blue, and there was a light breeze out of the north. Another day without rain. Our route was due east and then turning northeast so the wind would become a factor later in the day as it turned to the northeast. A headwind for the second day in a row.

We rode the shoulder of US 36 out of Chillicothe for 25 miles to our first rest stop of the day in the small town of Brookfield MO. The shoulder of US 36 was ok but not great as we rode through more rolling hills. Along the way we saw more evidence of the recent flooding with some of the fields still under water.

Brookfield MO turned out to be a nice little town with a big city park in the downtown area. It looked like the town was mostly agriculture oriented with a big feed store and not much else. Sorry, I didn’t get any pictures.

As we rode out of the rest stop, we were told that the final 50 miles of the ride would be over rolling hills with lots of climbs. That was pretty accurate. The route, mostly on MO 11, in fact included 148 climbs from that point to the end as the road twisted and turned through the rolling hills. Up and down, up and down we went. In fact, this part of the ride has been nicknamed the “roller coaster”. Sometimes when you have that many hills in a row you can accelerate on the downhills and roll right over the top of the next hill. Not this time. They were either too far apart, too steep, or had double and triple tops, so rolling over them didn’t work. We spent a second consecutive day grinding over hills for the whole afternoon. We ended up with 4,665 feet of climb for the day and 9,179 for the two days we’ve been in Missouri.

At mile 50 we had our second rest stop of the day at a little closed down country store in New Boston Missouri. It was one of those Missouri towns that was not much more than a sign along the road.

A few miles later near mile 56 we encountered a road closed for bridge repair. The detour would have added 10 miles and more hills to the route. Fortunately the team from Crossroads had scouted it out, borrowed a ladder from a local farmer, and got us across the bridge without adding anything but a good story to the ride.

After 5 hours and 37 minutes on the bike I climbed my last hill and pulled into the hotel here in Kirksville (yes there was a climb up to the hotel). It’s been a beautiful yet exhausting ride so far through The Show Me State.

Tomorrow we’ll ride 76 miles to Quincy Illinois. In doing so, we’ll cross the 2,000 mile mark, leave Missouri, and cross the Mississippi River, officially leaving the West behind. It should be a big day. Thanks for following along.

Today we rode 87 miles from Saint Joseph MO to Chillicothe MO. Our route was a patchwork of state highways generally in an easterly direction.

The morning was warm and comfortable as we left the hotel and headed east, traveling on both MO 31 and MO 6. During this part of the ride, the roads were smooth and well maintained but there were lots of rolling hills. Some of the hills were far apart with gradual ascents to the top. There were many however that were close together with very steep ascents. There were lots of hills.

At mile 31 we were given special instructions to pull over and regroup just outside of the small community of Maysville MO, population around 1,200, and the county seat of DeKalb County. When all the riders gathered, we paraded into the small town to our first rest stop of the day hosted by the DeKalb County Historical Society. As we entered the town we peddled past the elementary school and rows of children that had been dismissed from class to greet us with cheers, chants, and homemade signs wishing us well. It was a sight to see.

At the rest stop, the local people we very welcoming, treating us to lemonade, home made sweet rolls, sandwiches, and fruit. They were all very interested in the tales of our journey and invited us in to visit a small museum that told the history of their town and the surrounding area. It was a nice visit and a nice break from the hills and the increasing heat out on the road.

As we left Maysville, we continued on MO 6 and found more hills. The hills would turn out to be a constant for the remainder of the ride. One after another we climbed them. After each ascent we would roll down the other side only to find another. As the day wore on the temperatures rose and the hills were relentless. Throw in an increasing headwind and the ride became difficult.

For the next 40 miles we travelled on US 6, MO 6, MO Route V, and MO 190. Some of the roads had a smooth riding surface and a nice shoulder but most did not. All of them had more hills. We also passed through more small towns that were no more than a cross road and a sign. Not even a place to get lunch.

At mile 70 we pulled into our second and last rest stop of the day under a big shade tree in a very tiny town that may or may not have had a name. I didn’t see a sign.

After refueling and sitting in the shade for a bit to cool off, we headed out for the last leg of the day’s route. What did we find? More hills. We found some of the steepest hills of the day, some with grades topping out over 13%. It was hot (over 90 degrees) the wind was in our face, and we ground up the steep hills for another 17 miles. It felt really good to reach the hotel and get off the bike after riding for just under six and half hours. The total climb for the day was 4,514 feet.

No complaints though. The hills are part of the country and that’s what we came to see. We also came to see the people along the way and the nice folks of Maysville were a great example.

Tomorrow we’ll ride 75 miles to Kirksville MO. The weather looks to be dry again ( our luck continues), but we’re going to see more hills, a few less, but more hills. I better rest up. Thanks for following along.

Today we road 98 miles from Topeka KS to Saint Joseph MO. The ride was scheduled to be 85 miles but we had to take a detour due to flooding. More on that later.

As we rolled out of Topeka KS we rode on wet streets as a series of thunderstorms made their way through the area in the very early morning. Fortunately the rain had stopped by our departure time of 7:30. I wore my rain gear for the first 10 miles or so but it was not needed as the threat of more showers diminished.

After riding through downtown Topeka, we took US Route 24 for a few miles until we got on KS 4 and headed east. KS 4 was not a desirable road to ride on as it had a rough narrow shoulder with a lot of debris including glass and sharp rocks. That of course is a recipe for a puncture and that’s what I got near mile 25. The rocks and/or glass left two pretty good cuts in my rear tire and punctured the tube. Fortunately, a support van and the on road mechanic, Peyton, were close behind me so the fix including a new tire went pretty quickly.

Our first rest stop of the day was at mile 32 at a service station in the little town of Valley Falls Kansas. Before we got there, another rider, Charlie had a flat, so there was another short stop for that repair.

After refueling at the rest stop, we continued east on KS 4. After a short while, the surface became better and we were able to move along at a nice pace with a little breeze that was mostly beneficial. The road was rolling again as it had been yesterday but the scenery was not as good. Mostly farm fields, some standing corn, but not much else.

At mile 57 we arrived at the second rest stop of the day in Atchinson Kansas. Because of the flats, I was pretty far behind most of the riders but was surprised to see them in the Dairy Queen parking lot, the rest stop site. I soon learned that the riders were asked to stay at the stop because our scheduled route, US Highway 59, was closed due to flooding brought on by a levy break. And while they waited, the support team was working with the local sheriff on an alternative route for us. As it turned out, there were several obstacles to an alternative route, the biggest one being getting over the Missouri River, just 20 miles away.

After nearly an hour of waiting, an alternative route was agreed upon that included 14 miles north on KS 7 and 21 miles east on US 36 over the Missouri and into Saint Joseph MO.

KS 7 was an extremely busy two lane road with no shoulder. It was too dangerous to ride as we normally do so we lined up two abreast with a van escort in front of us and one behind us. Every 1/2 mile or so the whole group would pull to the side and let the traffic from behind through. It was a very slow go and we were heard horns and shouts from the inconvenienced drivers.

US 36 was worse. Because of the levy break, the traffic on the highway which represented the only crossing of the Missouri, was several times more than normal. The highway did have a shoulder, but it was a mere 30 inches wide. It wasn’t feasible to disrupt the traffic with a caravan as we did on KS 7, so we found ourselves riding the 30 inch shoulder next to 70 mile per hour traffic. A lot of 70 mile per hour traffic, for 21 miles. I watched my mirror, held tightly to the bike, and peddled my @@s off. I have never been so glad to see an exit ramp as I was to see the tenth street exit in Saint Joseph, some 90 minutes after I got on US 36.

Once off US 36, we peddled to the hotel a few more miles away. In the end, we got a bit of a scare and peddled a few extra miles. But as I looked at the swollen Missouri River as we crossed, I realized that some folks likely lost their homes and maybe more. Our problems were small in comparison.

Kittens. Because of the early morning storms, a few riders opted to ride in the support van for the first part of today’s ride. One of those riders was Nan, a retired college professor from Indiana now living in Utah. While riding in the van, Nan kept telling the driver, Dana, that she could hear a kitten. Not finding a kitten in the van, they kept driving but the sound persisted. Finally, around 20 miles or so after they started, Dana pulled over, opened the hood of the van, and found a small kitten along for the ride! The kitten was unharmed and a stop at a local animal hospital provided the small thing with a new home. Amazing.

Tomorrow we’ll press east into Missouri riding 87 miles to Chillicothe. Hopefully no more detours. Thanks for following along.

Today we rode 82 miles from Junction City to Topeka Kansas. After the rest day yesterday, everyone was ready to ride this morning. At 7:30 as we left the hotel, it was nearly 70 degrees and the humidity was high. For the first time since we left the California desert three weeks ago, there was no debate about wearing a jacket or extra layers to keep the chill off. None needed. It was warm and going to get warmer.

As we left Junction City we followed KS Route 57 in a southeasterly direction. KS 57 was lightly traveled with a very smooth surface and meandered through rolling hills covered with lush green pastures and more trees than we’ve seen since we arrived in Kansas more than a week ago. We also saw more standing corn than we’ve seen at anytime on this trip. The winds were light and favorable to neutral. All of it added up to an almost ideal morning ride.

KS 57 took us to our first rest stop of the day in the little town of Dwight Kansas. We stopped at a small city park, refueled and talked about how great the first 22 miles of the day’s ride had been.

As we left the rest stop we immediately turned onto KS 177 and a mile later turned onto KS 4 and headed east. Again we found a smooth road, little traffic, and rolling hills. By day’s end, the rolling hills would ad up to nearly 3,300 feet of climb so we had to work for the amazing scenery. I later learned that we were riding through the flint hills region of Kansas. The rolling hills were covered in lush green grass and home to a few small herds of grazing cattle. There was nothing in particular to photograph but the big picture was beautiful.

At mile 52 we rolled into our second rest stop of the day in the little town of Eskridge Kansas. A very small town of around 500 residence that clearly had seen more prosperous times in the past. The Main Street was was filled with evidence of that past in the form of boarded up buildings and vacant shops.

As we left the rest stop it was nearly noon and the temperature had risen into the upper 80s. The humidity was still with us and the rolling hills were starting to take a toll. We pushed on because we were told that today’s ride included a traditional stop at a small restaurant up the road famous for homemade pie.

At mile 68 we rode into Dover Kansas and found the Sommerset Hall Cafe and the famous pie. With temperature rising outside, it was nice to sit in the busy little restaurant, enjoy some lunch, and a piece of apple crumb pie topped with vanilla ice cream.

After the lunch stop we followed KS 4 into Topeka, our stop for the day. The final miles didn’t roll quite as much but the temperature was in the low 90s by the time we got to the hotel. It felt good to get off the bike but the effort was worth it as the ride and the scenery were amazing throughout the day.

Tomorrow we’ll ride 85 miles as we leave Kansas and head to Saint Joseph MO. It looks like we’re in for more of the same from the weather and the scenery (should be another day without rain, amazing). Looks like Kansas saved the best for last. Thanks for following along.

Today we enjoyed our third rest day of the tour in Junction City Kansas. I spent the day doing my laundry, cleaning and doing maintenance on my bike, I got a haircut, and resting.

I also spent some time reflecting on the trip so far. Since we gathered at Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles and began our ride, we have peddled 1,652.10 miles and climbed 50,742 feet. I have spent 116 hours and 35 minutes on my bike and have had six flat tires. We have stayed in 21 different hotels.

I have picked just a few of my favorite moments of the trip so far for today’s post:

The excitement of the start:

The ride across the desert: Crossing our first state line:Conquering the switch backs coming out of Sedona AZ:Winslow Arizona:

The wide open spaces of New Mexico:Crossing the Continental Divide:The rugged beauty of the west:The Great Plains of Kansas:Tomorrow we’ll ride 84 miles to Topeka Kansas and officially cross the halfway mark of the tour along the way. I’m not sure what adventure awaits us but so far this experience has been one that I’ll never forget and will look back on fondly for years to come. Thanks for following along.

Today we rode 86 miles from McPherson to Junction City Kansas. Our Route for the day was US Route 56 east for 22 miles, Kansas Route 15 north for 38 miles, and Old US Route 40 northeast for 26 miles.

The day started out chilly with temps in the low 60s, overcast skies, and winds out of the south, southeast at 10 – 12 miles per hour. No rain again and the wind turned out to be favorable to us most of the day.

On the first leg of today’s route we once again ran into some major road construction on US Route 56. Ten miles or so out of McPherson we found that the top layer of pavement had been removed in anticipation of a new layer. Riding on the grooved pavement on a bicycle is like riding on a wash board. We shook and rattled over nearly seven miles of the ground out surface before relief came just before our turn north on Kansas Route 15. I thought my bike was going to come apart and the fillings in my teeth would fall out. None of that happened but it was a long seven miles.

When we turned north on Kansas Route 15, we found a smooth but rolling road and the wind at our backs. It was pretty smooth sailing to our first rest stop at mile 31 in the tiny town of Durham Kansas. After refueling with energy bars, fruit, and other snacks we continued north on KS 15.

As we traveled north we saw more and more standing corn. There was still evidence of the strong storms and high water but at least in this part of Kansas, some of the spring planting had taken place.

The rolling hills of wheat and pasture lands beneath the now clearing skies were beautiful and made for a pleasant ride into Abilene Kansas, the birthplace of Dwight Eisenhower, the 34th president of the United States.

In Abilene, we had lunch in a small restaurant next to Eisenhower Park. After 60 miles of riding on what was becoming a hot and humid day, it felt good to sit with the other riders and enjoy lunch before hitting the road again.

Before we left Abilene, we took sometime to ride through Eisenhower Park and take some photos of the monuments and the Eisenhower home.

As we rolled out of Abilene, we took a right turn onto Old US Route 40 and headed for Junction City. The old road was lightly travelled and had a nice surface so it was great for cycling. It felt kind of strange knowing that the same route runs through our town in Ohio, hundreds of miles away.

Although it was a pretty big day, the time seemed to go by fast and soon we rolled into Junction City, our destination for the night and tomorrow’s rest day. It’s been nine days since our last rest day in Santa Fe New Mexico. In those nine days we have travelled just over 700 miles with over 13,000 feet of climbing. The rest day will feel good. Thanks for following along.

Today we rode 65 miles from Great Bend Kansas to McPherson Kansas. Our route was US Route 56 and due east.

As we left the hotel, the temperatures were in the low 60s with overcast skies but there was very little chance of rain per the forecast. Our good luck with the rain would continue for at least one more day. The wind however was a different matter. The forecast called for it and we stood facing it, a wind out of the east. Our route was directly east to McPherson so a headwind was in store for the entire ride.

Fortunately the headwind was not as strong as the one we encountered a few days back on our way to Guymon Oklahoma. The wind today was 10-12 miles per hour with very few gust. Almost immediately, myself and six other riders formed a pace line that worked quite well as we were able to roll along at a steady 13-14 miles per hour.

The pace of the line seemed slow but it was steady and before we knew it we rolled into our first and only rest stop of the day at mile 32 in Lyons Kansas. Along the way we continued to see evidence of the heavy rains that have fallen in the form of recently flooded creek and river basins and miles and miles of fields not yet planted with this year’s crop. However, for the first time on the trip, I did see one farmer planting corn albeit in a field that looked too wet to till. And I saw just a few fields with new standing corn although the crop looked stressed from too much water.

After the break we continued east on US Route 56. Again the pace line worked reasonably well for awhile but the terrain began to roll with more hills causing gaps in the line at times and making the synchronized peddling more difficult. Fortunately the wind shifted a bit as we got closer to our destination and riding alone was not as difficult.

At around ten miles out, I quickened my pace and set out on my own. However, it wasn’t long before Howard and then Greg caught up to me while pushing the pace even faster. I was not able to hold the pace and dropped off the back with about five miles to go and rode in on my own from there finishing the ride in just under five hours.

As I stated in an earlier post, it is very difficult to take pictures while riding in a pace line. As it turned out, there weren’t a lot of photo opportunities today anyway so maybe it worked out. No rain, headwind but good pace line. Glass half full.

Tomorrow we’ll ride 87 miles to Junction City Kansas where we’ll enjoy our third rest day on Tuesday. Thanks for following along.