Team 242: Day Seven

Day Seven: Beloit, Wisconsin to Sterling, Illinois.  83.25 miles.

I'm going back to just typing little bits and pieces from the day.  Bits and pieces:

The Beloit atmosphere from yesterday was very celebratory.  Difficult to switch focus back to the idea/goal of 1200 miles still to go until Grand Isle, Louisiana.

Four riders (myself included) will go the full 1800 miles, but instead of immediately losing everyone from earlier in the week, 7 riders stayed on to ride to Sterling with us.  They are appreciated this much (I'm holding my left hand here and my right hand in Arizona).

Also appreciated (hands still here and Arizona) is Sandy who lived on one of the main street corners in an Illinois town I can't remember.  She offered her shaded yard for our rest stop and invited us inside in case we needed to use the restroom.  Plus it was fun watching her smallest dog chase her biggest dog around the backyard.  Her middle dog, a pug named Lou, half hid and half barked while under a living room table.

We made a rest stop at the Sugar River on Yale Bridge Road.  In addition to the decent memories of parking in the same spot and running under the bridge to get to the trails, a new memory was added.  Owenby and I jumped into the river (she's running low) for a refreshing dip.  Meanwhile a lady and a guy were wading in the river in the name of science.  I talked to the lady: they were testing water quality, pH levels, dissolved oxygen, flow rates, and other fun science things.  She did not disapprove (or approve) of Eaux and I playing in the river.

We rode past a field of sunflowers.  The beauty of the scene was much better on a bicycle than in a 55 mph car.  (Am I becoming a bicycle snob?)

Slovic, Karen, Owenby, and I missed an official rest stop in Pecatonica.  We stopped at a grocery store instead.  Owenby purchased a chicken breast, a leg, and biscuits and gravy.  I bought a brat and 3 cartons of chocolate milk.  Slovic bought a Mexi-Coke and used the side of the volunteer fire department building as his bottle opener.

Owenby and I briefly went off route in Pecatonica.  We stopped by the Eckburg homestead or better known as the place where Breakfast of Insanity happens.  Dale and Sue were not home.

In one continual stream of Harley rumble, Owenby and I were passed by tens and tens (and a few more tens) of motorcycles.  Nobody wore a helmet (except the two of us), but most waved or gave fisted salutes.

A motorcycle rider looking for directions thanked us and wished us well with, "Keep it on two wheels."

Becky can not get any motorcyclists to wave to her and doesn't understand why they've been so friendly towards me.  I'm guessing my beard is better than hers.

Northern Illinois is not flat.

I had my first (and second and third and fourth) donut of the trip.  (Thanks to Matty J.)

Not to lessen the degree of hospitality provided by the other churches we have stayed at, but First Presbyterian in Sterling, Illinois went above and beyond nice.  The desserts (all homemade) were delicious.  And getting to talk to members of the church about their own bicycle adventures (along with their railroad employment experience) has been a top highlight of the trip.

In fact tomorrow (Sunday), the church is sponsoring their own Ride Your Bike To Church event.

The best part of the day... Mom and Dad Poetzl made an appearance in Sterling (they drove north from Houston).  Plus they brought Nico.  I haven't seen Nico in a few weeks and she was enthusiastically jumping in excitement to see me.  She was upset to see me leave, but she immediately returned to her unconditional love.  (If only we could learn and actually apply the life lessons taught to us by our dogs.)

Track 11. Jonsi - Grow Till Tall.  They all, in the end, will fall.