You Can Call Me Al

Yesterday’s short ride would seem long compared to today’s efforts. It would be safe to say that I’m not setting any cross-country records with the pace I’ve been setting lately. But as I learned the other day, there’s more to the trip than just covering distance … although, that’s still a pretty crucial element.

On the upside, the short ride went well and SHOULD lead to a somewhat succinct update. SHOULD.

Today’s big event was that I would be leaving Indiana behind and moving on to Illinois. State number four of this tour. Sadly, just like the previous state crossings thus far, the passing from one state to another came with no fanfare, no signage, and no indication that anything had changed. Particularly in the scenery. It would seem that Illinois is also flat. VERY.

That flatness made for a pretty easy ride. Sure, there was some wind but that’s not really news. Fortunately, it didn’t hinder my progress TOO much … although I had to work fairly hard to maintain a decent average speed on the day. And yes, the temperatures continued to climb today which certainly took a toll. I’ll admit, I did seek shaded shelter a couple of times along the way.

My host for the night was Dave. He has a great cottage in rural Ashkum, IL. And it’s right on the Iroquois River which would be great for those looking to go for a swim after a sweltering bike ride into the wind. Well, it would be great if you’re someone that doesn’t sink like a rock. Not surprisingly, I opted not to take my chances in the river but I did enjoy taking a boat ride to drop off some brave, water-faring souls up river to float back to the cottage. I was perfectly content with my decision … plus I got to hang out on the boat with Dave and Sadie (an 11-month old puppy).

As for Dave’s cottage, I learned it has a long history in his family and the area itself has had some notorious residents. Apparently a few houses down from Dave’s place is a house that was sometimes used by Al Capone. I don’t remember all the specifics but it was pretty fascinating. As the stories go, there were lookout houses, tunnels, and apparently an incinerator … I could go into more detail but if you really want to read more about it you can do so HERE. (Thanks for the link, Dave)

Look at me being succinct. And yes, that’s the last time I’ll be using that word for a while.

Today’s totals:
Distance: 67.51 km
Ride time: 3:14:57
Average speed: 20.77 km/h
Maximum speed: 33.55 km/h