Is this day 7? Or day 8? They are all starting to blend
together. While the landscape and town names change, the routine does not. Wake
up, change into cycling clothes, apply a generous amount of Chamois Butter to
nether regions, load up bike and ride. Routine
on this ride has also consisted of staying with friends, family and strangers,
along with a warm and much needed shower every night. Setting off today was hard
because we had to leave the comfortable and kind atmosphere of Andrew’s
grandmother’s place in Crumstown Indiana. Here we were not only treated to a
roof and a shower, but also food, fellowship and more food. However, we needed
to press on. We loaded our bikes into
Merlin’s truck and he took us to our start point a few miles away. Now, I love Indiana,
its flat, the people are nice, and the weather is not too hot or too cold, but
there is one dreadful flaw, the roads. It seems to me as if when deciding on
funding for road improvements, appropriations were only made for everything but
the shoulder. For 20 miles or so, we rode by pot holes which more closely
resembled glacial crevasses than aged asphalt.
Our
first goal of the day was a little town called Chesterton. Here begun a bike
trail that would take us closer to Chicago. Lunch consisted of chocolate milk
and PB-J sandwiches, unfortunately, no random strangers were handing out money
at the sight of our simple meal. Unlike
the trails in Maryland and Pennsylvania, these trails were gloriously paved.
Not needing to worry about traffic, and protected by trees and forest from the
wind, made this ride quite pleasant. At one point, another man on a bike was
behind and once again the questions were coming. It funny to be used to the
astonishment people show when we tell them of our destination, WOW! Really?!
Are you Crazy! Holy EXPLETIVE! And so on.
Getting off the trail, we entered the suburbs outside of Chicago. Here
dodging traffic, and attempting to make progress toward our host home, I began
to feel something going wrong with my pedals. Every time my left foot would
make a revolution, it would skip and wobble. I stopped and found that the bolt
holding my crank arm was loose. Easy fix! Just tighten it! once tightened we
went on our way, dodging more traffic. About a mile later, it happened again, and
again, and again. Soon I could only manage 500 feet without having to tighten
it. Obviously, something was dreadfully wrong.
However, our host home was only 6 miles away! ( quite close considering
an 80 mile day), I made up my mind I would take it slow, but try and make it.
With sun beating down, traffic getting
more and more aggressive in their fight to make it home, I pedaled my crippled.
For a mental picture, of how I biked, picture Forrest Gump with braces, riding
a bicycle. However, such a thing could not last long, peddling on a bike path;
my crank gave up its ghost and fell off. Thus, my riding for the day was ended
so close to our goal. Luckily, our host was gracious enough to come and pick me
up with bike. Once again, warm showers.org provided us with roof, fellowship and
yes, as warm shower. Tomorrow should be an interesting day. Need to find a bike
shop and hope my problem is a quick fix.
Anyways, until next time. Adieu.
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