Day 24: Tuesday, 7 August

Elkins, WV to Harrisonburg, VA...[map]
Lots of hills today and it was hot...
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Mileage: 105.8miles, Start: 7:00am, Time: 8hr:23min,
Avg: 14.2mph, Rolling: 12.6mph, Climb: 9,593ft,
Weather: Hot and humid, Temp: 70-95°F
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It was a big day today. Perhaps the biggest since the Bighorn day way back when. Certainly the hillest day of the whole tour. Plus it was hot and humid from the get go which meant that all the climbs were sweltering and I sweated profusely.

I started out strong and hit the front over the first two mountains. Although I felt strong in the legs, the heat affected me today. Cat and Marc swept past me on the third climb and Michael passed me on the fourth climb before the first stop. I took it relatvely easy after that and enjoyed the scenery which was spectacular. The Appalachians are very nice!

The descents today were pretty neat aswell. Several times I swept down mountains at 40mph+ and even overtook a couple of trucks on one descent and a couple of cars on the long and twisty final descent! The roads were lovely and smooth today which was good.

After crossing into Virginia (our final state) and doing the final descent we hit some roadworks. They were tarmacing a section of the road. We were let though but could only use one side of the road as the other side was too hot. We could feel the heat from the bikes. The road following the roadworks was dead smooth as it was freshly laid tarmac. Sweet!

As a reward this evening the crew put on a ice cream social so we all eat large amounts of ice cream before bed...

Crossing the Eastern Continental Divide...

German Valley from the second rest stop

Near the top of the final climb...

Kurt and me at the Virginia border

Day 23: Monday, 6 August

Athens, OH to Elkins, WV...[map]
Last silly mileage day today. Yahoo!
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Mileage: 156.0miles, Start: 7:00am, Time: 10hr:57min,
Avg: 16.4mph, Rolling: 14.2mph, Climb: 7,014ft,
Weather: Rain AM, Cloudy and Hot PM, Temp: 75-89°F
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Well, that's the final very long mileage day over! It was meant to be 165 miles but by staying on the main roads we saved 9 miles. This was good in the obvious way, but not so good in other ways. I felt we spent too long on Route 50 and Route 33 (both four lane hiways) and I was feeling lethargic for the time on the 50. Once we were off it, though, things picked up as we followed a very scenic wooded valley. After that, it went downhill (the road went up and down hill of course!) as the 33 was quite busy and after the last sag, the shoulder was the worst we've had on this trip. Result, a puncture fest for everybody!

We set out a little late this morning, as it was pouring with rain and the sun hadn't woken up by the time of our original departure. The rain was very heavy for about 2 hours, but it was already warm and humid. I don't think it got below 75 degrees last night. As I said, I wasn't feeling too good on the early main roads, but for some reason my energy levels picked up after lunch!

Took an obligatory picture at the West Virginia state border. We've only got WV and Virginia to go now! In fact we've got about 300 miles left. Problem is, there is a mountain range between us and the coast! So, the riding is far from over...

Approaching West Virginia...

Difficult to get the bike near the sign.

Once we were off the main road it looked liked this...

Wildlife

So near you can nearly smell the ocean!

Road rash entering the yucky, sticky phase...

Day 22: Sunday, 5 August

Troy, OH to Athens, OH...[map]
We are finally out of the fricking corn and soya...
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Mileage: 153.0miles, Start: 7:00am, Time: 10hr:25min,
Avg: 16.7mph, Rolling: 14.7mph, Climb: 3,024ft,
Weather: Rain, Temp: 65-75°F
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Felt a bit sore this morning, following my tumble yesterday, but, with my wounds done up like a cycling pro I made the start line of today's stage and took my place in the peleton. We were on our second day in Ohio and were promised we would be out of the corn and into the hills again by the afternoon! Yes!

The weather has turned aswell today. It was overcast at breakfast and the rains started during the morning. Quite heavy and persistent until lunch. Approaching lunch in Circleville it came down hard. So hard, the main street was getting flooded. I missed the left turn to lunch as I couldn't see anything! Found it eventually after backtracking a couple of blocks.

After lunch we rode though a lovely wooded area (Hocks Hills?) and the road became more and more lumpy from there until the finish in Athens. Michael and I enjoyed the hills together again but backed off after a while as we've got a long day tomorrow with more of the same hills.

My wounds didn't really enjoy 10 hours in the rain so it may be a difficult sleep tonight...

Sag stop in the rain - a rare sight of this tour...

Gentlemans at the front, the Ladies is a few rows in...

Day 21: Saturday, 4 August

Wabash, IN to Troy, OH...[map]
Split some blood today... but I'm OK + great party in the evening!
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Mileage: 130.5miles, Start: 7:00am, Time: 9hr:01min,
Avg: 17.1mph, Rolling: 14.5mph, Climb: 967ft,
Weather: Sunny and pleasant, Temp: 57-85°F
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Today was a bit of a boring day, so I decided to liven things up by falling off by bike! Hey! I'd been doing my nut in during the morning, as the flat roads and miles and miles of soya and corn were begining to wear a little thin.

We had a coolish morning start, the coldest so far - probably late 50's - so 'frigid'. Well, at least Hooker thought so (see photo). I of course thought it was still warm, so continued in my usual shorts and short-sleeved shirt. I also finally got a reasonable long distance short of an Amish buggy! We also crossed into Ohio today, so another photo job. That was about it until after lunch...

We were only just a few miles out from lunch when I ran into the back of Andrew's wheel and took a tumble. (As I said to Jon later that day when he asked 'How did you fall?'. 'Why, straight down, Jon!'). I was a bit unlucky actually, as I landed on a gravel drive with nice grass banks either side. Oh well. I've got some 'road rash' on my right ankle, calf, knee and thigh. Not too bad though and it won't stop me riding!

In the evening we all went to a BBQ party in Troy laid on by the Ohio Boys (Dan and Doug). It was also a bit of a sad occasion as Dan has had to leave the tour because of work commitments. He's a turkey farmer and the heat has become critical to the current flock. So sad really as Dan is a top bloke! Anyway, we drank a couple of beers and eat the excellent food. Being the revellers that we are, Kurt and myself were nearly the last to leave, but were still back at the hotel by 8.30pm. Now, that's partying!...

Hooker thinks it's cold this morning...

Doug (left) and Dan - The Ohio Boys!

Amish buggy (from a distance and later cropped)

Another border

Cushty!

At the party...

Dan and his wife Shauna (sorry if spelling is dodgy)

Day 20: Friday, 3 August

Dwight, IL to Wabash, IN...[map]
Well, that was flatter than a flat pancake...
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Mileage: 166.7miles, Start: 6:00am, Time: 10hr:11min,
Avg: 19.0mph, Rolling: 16.4mph, Climb: 869ft,
Weather: Sunny but not too hot, Temp: 62-87°F
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Potentially, today was to have been a nasty day - 167miles on a flat road. Luckily, the wind wasn't playing silly buggers and we had very light winds from the north west. This made the day relatively pleasant and everybody made pretty good progress. Pacelines were again the order of the day and the groups I played with managed 20mph for a lot of the day!

It was an early start though, with an alarm at 4.30am! We were on the road by 6am. Another sunny day, but quite cool to start with and not quite so humid as previous days. I rode the first stage with Lon on his single-speed bike.

We got buzzed by a plane during the morning, sort of North by Northwest style. It landed in the field next to the road. At first I thought it going to land on the road in front of us!

I felt strong today, so the bad day turned into a good day - only 10 hours on the bike! Thanks to Michael, Andrew and Jim (and earlier Dan) for the pacing. We lost an hour tonight as we changed over to Eastern time, so we've an hour less sleep time available. I feel another 'rest' day coming on...

We've also got a party to go to tomorrow evening!...

It's still dark outside this morning... Oh dear

Lon on his single speed

The plane that buzzed us this morning

Day 19: Thursday, 2 August

South Benoit, IL to Dwight, IL...[map]
Resting today, but it was very hot again...
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Mileage: 133.7miles, Start: 7:00am, Time: 9hr:37min,
Avg: 16.4mph, Rolling: 13.9mph, Climb: 1,820ft,
Weather: Hot and sunny and humid, Temp: 65-95°F
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Another sauna this morning. It's unbelieveable. A bit of a 'rest' day today, not much doing. Just rolling through acres and acres of corn and soya...

We had a nice ride on a cycle path away from the traffic for a while. It was tree-lined aswell. I was pretty tired today after the efforts of the last two days, so I took it quite easy. Even managed to find a hose-spray in a park to cool down with at the first sag stop.

We crossed the Illinois river on an old looking bridge. That was kind of scary after the events in Minneapolis, but we got across safely. We had a nice surprise coming into Dwight, we hooked up with the historic Route 66 and I actually got to ride on a small section of very old road. Cool.

It could be a hard day tomorrow so that's it for now.

On the cycle path

Shaun cooling off!

Crossing the Illinois

Route 66 - cool!

(very) Old Route 66

Day 18: Wednesday, 1 August

Praire Du Chien, WI to South Benoit, IL...[map]
Sweatier than a sweaty sauna...
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Mileage: 144.5miles, Start: 7am, Time: 9hr:36min,
Avg: 16.8mph, Rolling: 15.1mph, Climb: 6,197ft,
Weather: Hot and very humid, Temp: 68-92°F
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Well, that's the most sweat I've dropped in a day! It was super-humid today - you think England is humid during the hot spells - well it isn't, it's arid. Rolled out at 7am and by 7:30am I was dripping. My legs were glistening (and looking rather fetching). My jersey was soaked, my suncream was in my eyes.

Today was also billed as quite a tough day of rolling hills in Wisconsin. As it turned out I steamed it. I felt good all day and felt more at home in the hills than the flatland of the last few days. Spent most of the day with Michael and Kerin. Both were also feeling strong and up for a fast ride. Wahey! We rode the rollercoasters pretty well, gaining lots of momentum from the downhills to use on the uphills. Pretty nice traffic free roads today were also a bonus.

After lunch, Michael and I pushed on, we were on the hunt for Kurt, but he was on a mission and we never saw him until the finish. Damn, that guy is strong. The field was pretty strung out today.

Sorry, light on pictures today, we were too busy chewing tarmac...

Ahh... cute... only 30 months til slaughter day.

Nice mural.

Tee hee hee.