Almost Home....Yay!!
Not that I'm not having a good time, but about 7 days of this is good enough for me. I'm looking forward to my own shower and bed and air conditioning again.
Today was a pretty good day. I started out feeling like it was going to be pretty rough since it was a hilly 75 miles. Shortly after I stopped for breakfast....and about the time we were heading down into the river valley where Marengo and the Amana Colonies are...I started to feel a lot better. We had some light head winds today and I finally did what I should have done yesterday. I found some stronger riders and tucked in behind them and drafted for a while.
One thing I've learned this year...500 training miles is not enough when you're 40. If I do this again I need to at least double that. Either that or just keep biking regularly all year long. That's difficult to do in Illinois though...not real interested in being an "ice biker". I get passed all day long. It feels so much better when I'm the one doing the passing. :) Being in better shape would also help with recovery times. My legs are just not snapping back quickly enough.
I was excited about today because I got to stop in Marengo, Iowa. I grew up in a Marengo, Illinois for those of you that aren't aware. I caught a couple pictures of me there. It was a nice town and had a real nice central square. Today was also the day that we passed through the Amana Colonies. Stephanie and I went there for an anniversary trip several years ago and it was nice. I stopped in Homestead for lunch and had some of their homemade bratwurst and some cold root beer brewed there at the Millstream Brewery. Yummy.
Stopped at Beekman's today too, before lunch actually. It was in the perfect spot. I was starting to get hungry and my legs needed a short rest. As I come around a curve there were the signs. BEEKMAN'S!!! I had some chocolate and vanilla. They also had raspberry and peach I think. They mix their ice cream with old gas engines like you'd see out at Lake Argyle during Labor Day. I think it makes the ice cream taste even better.
Had some great watermelon too. Which reminds me, there's this boy named Casey (KC?) in our group. He's eleven and rides a hybrid. As far as I know he has ridden and finished every day. Pretty neat kid, very outgoing...reminds me a little of Ethan with his quick wit and sense of humor. The reason I'm mentioning him is he was at the watermelon stand I was at. And I remarked to him and his dad that I've seen him everywhere it seems. At least once a day I seem to bump into him out on the route somewhere. Which is unusual since there's at least 10,000 other people rolling down the road and we all stop at different times and places. Funny how stuff like that happens.
Last night camping. It was a beautiful day for riding today, but the evening got hot and muggy again. I think it's going to cool off enough for it to be comfortable.
Well....going to go. Steph just called to make arrangements to pick me up tomorrow. Need to get to bed so I can get up early again and get on the road.
New pics are up.
https://picasaweb.google.com/105817156041666253077/RAGBRAI39
Here's the day's ride.
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/43701618
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