Day 36 - June 17, 2006
Indianapolis, IN to Richmond, IN
82.5 miles-official miles
Today was a great day for biking. We left Indy this morning and made great time to the first rest stop at mile 39. We had a moderate crosswind, but who cares. We averaged about 17 mph and actually caught Jim Square (the two Jims) at the rest stop. After the rest stop I biked solo for the next 20 miles or so. I did catch Jeff and Lynn on the way to Hagerstown. They had passed me as I was having a chocolate milk at a convenience store. These 410 calorie chocolate milks have got to go after the trip or I will be the nutty professor.
In Hagerstown, I hooked up with a couple of guys who I met through the internet. They track us on a daily basis. It was fun riding with them the last 25 miles or so. We did stop at Dairy Queen so that Jim could get his blizzard fix. I wonder if methadone works for that. Jim is thinking about writing DQ corporate to see if they could implement a blizzard punch card for getting a free one after ten purchases. We apparently have way too much time on our hands when we ride.
We also met a couple of young people today who are biking unsupported to Oregon from New Jersey. They were pulling Burley trailers that weighed about 80 lbs and go about 60 miles a day. Now that is a real feat. Laura and Matt hope to make Oregon by the middle of August. They camp out every night, so they are much more removed from the comforts of home life. Anyone that thinks what I am doing is great, should consider their undertaking. Awesome. Great job Laura and Matt.
Tomorrow is a long day. Over the next four days, we bike about 400 miles. I am going to use the T word. For the first time in a long time, we are expecting tailwinds. I will let you know tomorrow if we actually had a tailwind.
We passed one of the Madonna of the Trails coming into Richmond. These were monuments placed on the old National Old Trails Road. They were commissioned in 1928. One was placed in each state. The National Old Trails Road became Highway 40 and Route 66. Along Highway 40 there were a lot of neat old hotels.
Richmond is actually a fairly old settlement, settled in 1806. It was originally part of the old Northwest Territory. I would give you a little more history, but it is getting late and time for bed.
Signing off……..
