Day 2 - ending at Penfield, IL - Northern Indiana on the Open Road

August 31, 2011

Day 2 - ending at Penfield, IL

Posted via email Thu Sep 1 09:56:01 2011 PDT

It rained overnight, but wasn't a storm with wind and lightning. Up late writing report - finally in sleeping bag at 1:15am, after a shower.

Awake at 6:05am. Had to fix (sew) sleeping bag storage bag after the zipper pull came off the end of its track. After that, packing went well, and I was ready to go at 9:30am.

Rode around the lake to Gibson's Concessions, arriving at 10:00am. They were still serving breakfast, so I had eggs, bacon, potatoes, sour-dough toast, orange juice, and coffee. After I got done, I gave my friend Jim a call, and headed out at 11:00am.

After leaving the park, I headed north, then east, getting on CR-1000N. Lots of wind generators along this road - some quite close. They do make noise, which made it hard to feel I was actually out in the rural countryside.

Arrived in Saybrook at 12:45pm. The Sangamon River is small here. A lot of empty buildings downtown. I eventually found my way to the road slightly southeast that I wanted to take to Ford County. Found a lone cottonwood tree along the road giving shade for a break.

At 2:55pm I was at the road following the county line between Ford and Champaign Counties. It was getting hot - and so was my water. At 3:05pm I found some shade on mowed grass under some pine trees. I stopped there, looking very much like my friend Ibrahim on August 20 after riding 20 miles - spent and ready for a nap. Discovered that a water bottle makes a pretty good pillow. After my nap I ate a few snacks and was on my way at 3:40pm.

My MAP330 GPS was indicating my destination - Middle Fork River Forest Preserve - was a depressingly-long way away, so I reset the GPS for destination Ludlow, a town along an expressway, where I'd eat supper and recover from the heat.

A few miles away from Ludlow is when I realized that Ludlow isn't an expressway-interchange town. I was running out of (hot) water, so water would be my focus instead of supper. In Ludlow I passed a church where several junior or senior high kids were gathering. I stopped and asked if there was a park in town where I could get some water. They said no, but they'd get me water. Next a youth leader appeared with two bottles of ice-cold water! I took one and gave her my empty jug. The kids asked a lot of questions about the equipment on my bike. One said I should be using a motorized bike like they have for sale up the road. Refreshed, I left at 5:25pm with many good wishes.

I stopped to check out the motorized bikes and got an offer to try one. I passed to keep moving.

Fortunately, the ten miles left were on a very flat road. I arrived at the park at 7:04pm, the campground at 7:12pm, and my chosen campsite (#C) at 7:23pm. Sunset was at 7:26pm - just enough light left to set up the tent.

Had a Cherry Coke, took a shower, and was in my sleeping bag at 10:30pm.

Spent: $10.35 + 2 (breakfast), $10 (non-electric campsite), $0.75 (soda).

Went: 51 miles

Jeff

Day 2 - LeRoy, IL to Penfield, IL

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+ plus signs indicate pictures added after returning home from the trip +