Day 34 Quincy, IL to Springfield IL   107 miles and 2389 feet of climb


The beginning of today's ride featured some gently rolling hills like we had in Missouri. Again, we rode mostly on country roads through small farming towns with corn and soybean fields on either side of us. The last 60 miles or so flattened out quite a bit and looked very similar to the landscape we rode through in Kansas. It was hot, hot, hot, and humid from the beginning of the ride until the end. The support staff was excellent about replenishing our water bottles approximately every 10 or 15 miles. That is so important on these sweltering days where we go through small towns, and there is no place to get water. Most times, there is no store, and perhaps just a few houses.

I had a couple of flats about 5 minutes apart in the afternoon that kind of took me out of my groove a bit. Previously I had asked the tour director Jim if I should replace my back tire since we've gone so many miles since we started in California. I would always prefer to go with a new tire and lower my chances of getting flats even if the old tire should theoretically still be useful.) He and Mark the mechanic didn't think that was necessary a few days ago, but after yesterday they agreed that a new tire was needed. I brought extra tires on this trip just for this reason. So we changed it, and I was good to go for the rest of the day.


I rode with staff member Jake from Vero Beach, Florida, in the afternoon. He's an ironman on the bike at age 63 or whatever he is. Two years ago he did the Fast Across America ride which averages 115 miles a day with very few days off. He said he loved it, but in the end, he was happy to get back to his wife in Florida. So Jake and I baked in the sun as we rode the last 40 or so miles into the capital of Illinois, Springfield.

The most famous historical resident of Springfield was Abraham Lincoln, who lived there from 1837 until 1861 when he went to the White House as President. His presidential library is located there, and I indeed would have visited that if I had had the time. It was a 107-mile day, and we arrived at the hotel a little later than usual. After taking a shower, doing some laundry, and catching up on some emails, there just wasn't any time left to check out Lincoln's presidential library. Perhaps when we get the 150 foot Family Truckster Motorhome in a few years, we will return to Springfield.

Tomorrow we are off to Champaign, IL.