Just the Basics: 6:48 a.m., CDT: Hot Off the Presses - An Update for the Day: We are headed for a motel in Logansport tonight (about 55 miles), instead of about 55 miles to camping in Fletcher. Riley got to looking at maps and possible routes and the locations of motels and figured out that we could go to Logansport today and then Wabash or Huntington tomorrow and then back onto the main route at that point. Part of today's route will be guided by Google's bike route mapping feature. See ya' tonight!
10 p.m., EDT, Logansport: Turns out it was a 61 MILE DAY - our longest to date for this trip, as we recall! The day began with 3.25 miles of loose gravel - very tough riding, even for Riley at times; at one point we had to walk for some distance. After that, either pavement or McAdam for the rest of the day. = ) = )
It was pretty hot today. The high was supposed to be 92 but we saw a thermometer in Royal Center at 5:15 p.m. and it was still 93, so it was considerably hotter than 92 at the peak of the day, you can be sure! Much of the day there was also about a 10 mph south wind so whenever we turned south (regularly) we had to fight some wind. Mercifully, it died down as we did the last 15 miles or so. We are now in the Eastern Time Zone!
See For Those Who Want More for a quick overview - not surprisingly, we're pretty much ready to call it a day!
Today's Photos: (1) Becky cycles on the brand new rail trail between Royal Center and Logansport; (2) A pile of discarded ties along the trail; and (3) Penny Bannon, Riley and Becky, on the outskirts of Logansport (see below).
Tomorrow: About 35 miles to a motel in Wabash, IN - and it's supposed to be a bit cooler tomorrow.
For Those Who Want More: Here's the day in brief:
10 p.m., EDT, Logansport: Turns out it was a 61 MILE DAY - our longest to date for this trip, as we recall! The day began with 3.25 miles of loose gravel - very tough riding, even for Riley at times; at one point we had to walk for some distance. After that, either pavement or McAdam for the rest of the day. = ) = )
It was pretty hot today. The high was supposed to be 92 but we saw a thermometer in Royal Center at 5:15 p.m. and it was still 93, so it was considerably hotter than 92 at the peak of the day, you can be sure! Much of the day there was also about a 10 mph south wind so whenever we turned south (regularly) we had to fight some wind. Mercifully, it died down as we did the last 15 miles or so. We are now in the Eastern Time Zone!
See For Those Who Want More for a quick overview - not surprisingly, we're pretty much ready to call it a day!
Today's Photos: (1) Becky cycles on the brand new rail trail between Royal Center and Logansport; (2) A pile of discarded ties along the trail; and (3) Penny Bannon, Riley and Becky, on the outskirts of Logansport (see below).
Tomorrow: About 35 miles to a motel in Wabash, IN - and it's supposed to be a bit cooler tomorrow.
For Those Who Want More: Here's the day in brief:
- 15 miles: A mid-morning roadside break - we split a small cantaloupe purchased yesterday at the Farmer's Market in Lafayette and had little Svenhardt sweet rolls which, with coffee, were the motel "breakfast." (We saved the rolls for the ride and had a nice breakfast at the Mexican restaurant next door.)
- 30 miles to Buffalo, the 1st town of the day - the ice cream shop and restaurant were closed (the latter is for sale) so we bought sandwiches, V-8s, an OJ, a brownie and a Butterfinger ice cream bar at the grocery store (also for sale & about to close for the day).
- Put on the next round of sunscreen in the park outside the Buffalo Volunteer Fire Dept. There must have been an alarm because all of a sudden guys started pulling up and running inside, one guy came running on foot, one was dropped off, and in an instant 3 trucks were out the door! Later we saw 2 of them returning as we cycled along.
- Reached Royal Center around mile 45 (?) and stopped at a convenience store for icy bottles of Starbucks coffee drinks and a shared bear claw.
- Just as we rolled into town we had spotted what looked suspiciously like a brand new rail trail. We asked about it in the store and heard that it would eventually run from Winamac to Logansport and that the Logansport end wasn't done - but they didn't know how far it went. Luckily for us, while we were getting ready to leave a guy in a pick-up with 2 bikes in the back drove up to the gas pumps. We wish we had his name and photo because he talked to us for a long time and drew us a map and therefore made it possible for us to take the trail for several miles, which was lovely.
- When we got to Loagansport we stopped at a corner to check directions and went over to ask the only person we could see. Her name is Penny Bannon and she and her grandson were coming outside together - we didn't get his name but he was about 2 and cute as a button. Turns out she also bikes and she got us nicely routed through town and sat us down in her yard and served us tall glasses of ice water. Turns out she taught English for 32 years and now works as a national consultant - as you can imagine, we had lots to talk about!
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