Day 31: Springfield to Champaign, IL

Because I had been riding more strongly over the last several days, I was given a later starting time as the newest addition to the late group.  Unfortunately, I happened to be even later than late today -- so much so that no one remained in the lobby by the time I came down from the room with my bike. And because "Snooze - you lose" is the dominant culture, I started solo in a light rain and a temperature of 66F.

Adding insult to injury, I even lost more time when I realized about a quarter mile down the road that the direction sheet I was using had roads on it that bore no resemblance to the street signs.  Aww sheet!  I had the wrong sheet.  I made a quick return to the hotel and intercepted Robin heading out in one of the CrossRoads vans.  She laughed and handed me a duplicate route sheet.  Apparently they keep a folder of duplicate route sheets for all the soft-skulled riders that make this mistake every year.

Once again I had no energy in my legs this morning.  I could barely hold 12 mph into an increasing headwind and constant rain that occasionally erupted into a downpour.  When this has happened on past days, I would often feel better after ingesting an energy gel, stopping for caffeinated beverage, or stopping for a quick break.  Unfortunately none of these actions helped.  The combination of poor recovery from the hard effort of the previous day and a gloomy mental state brought upon by constant wetness and grey surroundings were the perfect 1-2 punch to de-energize me.  I was functioning with no reserve physiologically and psychologically, and I knew it.

Typical road this rainy morning heading out of Springfield
(SR 54E; two lanes, limited to no paved shoulder, regular semi-truck traffic)

Iconic image of rural America at Mile 27

An American flag flying at a John Deere dealership in the heartland

Our first SAG stop was in Chestnut, IL at Mile 33.  It's still raining.

When I saw there was no rider still at the Mile 33 SAG stop, I knew I was likely 30 - 60 min behind the next closest person.  Examination of the check-in sheet at the stop confirmed this.   Because the rain continued to fall and the temperature was also dropping into the high 50Fs, I stayed just long enough to eat, drink, and refill fluid bottles, and then rode on to stay warm.  Despite the short stop, I now thought it unlikely that I would see any rider before reaching the hotel.

The constant rain became a drenching downpour during the next 12 miles.  Visibility was reduced for much of this stretch and, considering the conditions, I think it was the single most dangerous segment of road I've encountered on this trip.  All the high risk elements were present -- a fatigued rider, semi-trucks, heavy rain, headwind, and two lanes with no significant paved shoulder.  

So, upon being still alive at Mile 45 and entering the town of Clinton, I was ready for another break and I hungered for a sit-down lunch with hot coffee.  I spotted a McDonalds ahead and planned to stop there, but just then I spotted Ross waving at me from the DQ parking lot.  I pulled in and joined Ross, Stuart, Joanne, Tim, and Geoffrey as they were completing their meal.  Because it was clear to me they had been there a significant time already (remember, they were over 30 min ahead of me at the first SAG and I was moving slowly), I asked them not to wait for me and to move on when ready.  They did so, albeit reluctantly.

Impromptu rendezvous with riders at Mile 45 Dairy Queen.  It's still raining.

After finishing my lunch at the DQ and speaking to a couple of locals about the trip and why we were riding in the deluge, I pushed ahead to the next SAG stop at a store in Deland at Mile 63.  The warmth and caffeine of convenience store coffee would keep me focused for the final 23 miles.

The road at Mile 72.  It's still raining.

Miles 64 to 86 and the hotel were no different.  It never stopped raining and my legs never woke up.  When I arrived at the hotel, I headed straight to my room and jumped into the shower for a full 20 minutes of hot water massage therapy to negate the effects of the cool water pelting endured over the previous 8 hours.  I was ready for the Rest Day again knowing that we've taken everything Mother Nature has thrown our way, and that future riding days can only be better.

CrossRoads Day 31 Google Earth image and Elevation Profile

Springfield to Champaign IL