Departure Day

Well, that plan didn't work out very well.  I decided I was going to start this journey about a month and a half earlier than the past two years to avoid the heat.  It didn't work, since I began the trip on the second hottest day of the year.

It didn't make for a very pleasant ride.  I met up with Ken in St. Leon after finishing up some things at work this morning.  We were on the road by 11:30, and the ride was pretty uneventful.  All interstate.  And hot.

After meanadering along the cornfields through Indiana, we got to meander through some soybean fields in Illinois.  See, aren't you glad now that you decided to follow this blog?

The weather did provide us with a little bit of excitement.  We had just crossed into Illinois, and as I passed a semi to my right I was smacked with a large raindrop to the right side of my face.  It was either that, or the trucker hit me with a lugie just as I passed.  I am going to go with raindrop.  It was cool and refreshing, smacked me right on the cheek.

Then, after about another ten miles or so the winds picked up.  Soon, the temperature dropped about 15 degrees.  I looked to the south and it  was raining.  I looked to the north and it was raining.  I thought we might have a nice refreshing downpour to ride through to cool things down.  We ended up riding through a storm front without another drop of rain.  We get through the front and the sun starts beating down on us just like before.  Only now, it is humid as hell.

But, I tend to look at things on the positive side.  It could have been worse.  I could have been riding through the heat and humidy after I soiled my pants.  Yep, I am sure that would have been worse.  Or I could not have been riding at all.  That would have really stunk.

Overall, it was a good day on where we ended up. 350 miles under our belt on Friday when the original plan didn't have us leaving until Saturday.  Looking to get in about 450 miles or so tomorrow and planning on being on the road early to get as many miles as we can behind us before the sun gets too high in the sky.

For now, I am off to the heated indoor pool at the hotel.  I need to rinse that raindrop off of my face, just in case...