It's been a minute since I posted.  I'm about to leave Chicago after 1-2 days of rest and rejuvenation.  Stayed with my son, saw some old and new friends, got the bike and the body into an improved state of repair.  Having come over 850 miles, I thought I'd share more of the high/low lights--of course, some of them are flip sides of the same coins.

1. Natural beauty--turns out America is beautiful.  I've been through forests, along streams, past many, many farms, over hill and dale, through swamps, on highways and byways, most of it is gorgeous--particularly the relatively undisturbed natural is beautiful.

2. Of course, on the byways/county roads you can ride hundreds of miles without a store--without proper planning this leads to reliance on the kindness of strangers, per my previous post.

3. Turns out many people are kind to strangers (thanks again Cheryl, Chris and Claire, Emily, Ken and Judy, Millers).  That's what this ride is about: being kind to strangers by helping those who need help.

4. Donating the funds raised to worthy organization: in addition to those mentioned before, Homestretch, VA, MCCH, MD, Family Links, PA, ACCESS, Ohio, we've made donations to Just Neighbors, IN, The Marsh Foundation, in Van Wert, Ohio.  To support the ride and the cause, go to https://gofund.me/735d3ed7 .  I'd like to be able to give more.  

5. Conversations with homeless/previously homeless persons.  I've now had about a half-dozen of these, as I've made my way across Main St. America.  You can see some of the clips on the social media, and you will be able to see more.  

6. Little surprises at the right/wrong times: coming across a fantastic eatery serendipitously around break time; getting stuck in a swamp with night rapidly approaching.

7. The abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike and Tunnels at 11:30 at night.

8. Closed, impassable roads and trails. 

9. Heat waves, rain, cool days.  

10. Canopied, well-maintained trails.

11. Courteous drivers.

12. Poverty and disparity is everywhere (that's a lowlight--and what this ride is about). 

13. Legs have been constantly sore since day 1, but they got me here.

14. Bike has been through it, but it got me here.

15. Surviving all the above, and enjoying some of it.