Day 44 - 7/21/16 Freeport to Galena, IL

At one point today it was 91 degrees with 75% humidity.  From the moment I started pedaling I was dripping sweat.  I knew it was going to be hot before I set out for Galena, I even knew about the hills along the way but, I thought I'd be okay.  I'm here now, still alive, a little sunburnt so I was right!  

But damn, it was a tough day.  I was on the road for 8 and a half hours.  I took a couple long breaks to cool down in the shade and I tried to pedal as little as possible but I was still melting every minute of the ride. I felt like I was full of leaks, every guzzle of water seemed to come right back out of my skin.  The hills I rode over were no joke, they reminded me of riding from Massachusetts into New York; I definitely haven't climbed anything like that since.  But man, were they beautiful.  

I saw some Grant Wood paintings during my recent visit to the Art Institute of Chicago and I felt like I was riding through his beautiful works of art.  The roads curved through the green hills and the rows of corn and soy followed.  Coming to the top I could see how perfectly rowed out the crops were planted, they almost looked like soldiers waiting for war in the golden sunlight.  Despite the beautiful scenery, it was hard to keep moving.  

Any patch of shade was an inviting oasis in the middle of the desert.  The need for water to quench my thirst was ever-present but, the need to dump some on my head was just as vital.  Silly me for buying a dark gray helmet.  I might as well put a bag over my head, the thing just heats up like an oven.  Enough complaining, I made it.  

There's no trip to the local brewery tonight or an excursion to get some ice cream like in Freeport last night with Tim and Dianne but, at least I could stand in the cold shower for as long as I wanted when I finally made it to the Palace Campground.  This will not be the last of the hills and the heat so I will have to plan accordingly and enjoy being soaked with sweat all stinkin' day.

Day 43 - 7/20/16 Marengo to Freeport, IL

Last night was great, first time in the tent since Indiana and first time stealth camping since New York!  I wasn't expecting to stealth camp but, the campground I had on my radar turned out to be closed for some reason.  What else was I supposed to do besides pitch my tent and make myself at home?  

The solitude and fresh air is a nice change from the citt.  Everything is good in moderation.  I got up early so I could beat the heat and the potential thubderstorms looming overhead.  It's also just really pleasant riding in the morning light, knowing I have the whole day to get where I'm going.  I may have escaped the heat for the most part but, I rode right into the rain.  The plus side to the rain, or at least the time leading up to it, was the clouds that added so much drama to the otherwise redundant scenery.  

To the North, the sky was streaked with pink and purple like it was 7:00pm what it was only 12 in the afternoon.  And straight ahead, nothing but blue-ish gray covering every inch of clear blue sky.  I would've had more photos if I didn't pack my phone away for fear of getting soaked.  

I'm glad I put all the proper rain covers over my bags before it rained because when it finally did with 10 miles left in my ride, I was so tired, I might've just said screw it.  There were a few moments when I was so hungry and tired and cold that I was hoping for a pick up truck to offer me a ride.  Looking back, I'm so glad I didn't even have that opportunity.  I found some trees in someone's yard that looked like a good umbrella.  

I stopped for a minute, gave myself a mental pep talk, put on my poncho, ate a snack and felt good as new!  Thus is no great accomplishment, toughing out 10 miles in the rain but, I was almost ready to throw in the towel if the opportunity came along.  From this point, I went slow, a comfortable pace, and tried not to look at how many miles I had to go on the odometer.  I just had to pedal, and that's all I did.  

Words cannot describe how nice the shower felt once I peeled off my soaking wet clothes.  As a human, I realize I have a great ability to make things seem much worse than they are, we all do.  But, if we just focus on the most important thing and ignore everything else, we can get through anything.

Day 32 - 7/9/16 Gary, IN to Palos Hills, IL

Yesterday's ride was tough.  On top of it being hot, I rode along Rt. 12 which felt like riding on the side of an interstate.  Luckily, I didn't have to ride too far. I don't know how much more Rt. 12 I could ride on.  

To make getting off that busy street all the better, the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore was right off the street I turned onto.  I didn't even have to think, that blue water of Lake Michigan hypnotized me and pulled me in like an undertow, still wearing all my riding clothes.  

The water was perfect, just what I needed to help me ride the last mile to Edward and Monica's house. 

Today's ride wasn't so great either.  I rolled through some not-so-glamorous neighborhoods in Gary, IN but, the worst part of the ride was going through some very industrial parts of the outer city.  

The sites and the smells and the roads were all disappointments to my senses but, at least it was a flat ride.  My destination was Palos Hills today, a suburb Southwest of Chicago.  Alex and his girlfriend, Tiffany took me on a groovy ride through some wooded trails to the nearby brewery.  

How great it must be to live in a neighborhood with quiet streets and backyards close to wooded trails that lead you to beer and just a short drive or train ride to the heart of the city.  

I guess it reminds me a little of Stoneham. With a short list of suggested places to visit that we formulated over some jazz and breakfast, I was more than ready and beyond excited to ride into Chicago.