07/12/2015

Today I ended up in Chester , IL. I'm staying at the local Eagles place. They have a bunk room for cyclists,plus showers and discounted food during the week. Like most of rural America, the beer is cheap and plentiful-- $2.50 for 22oz of crap, or a little more for a craft beer. Today was a good ride. For the first 60 miles I had cliffs on one side, and farmland on the other as I followed the path of the meandering Mississippi. I encountered a strange phenomenon as I passed by some of the bluffs. The bluffs, probably about 200ft high, had numerous caves along side the road. All of the caves that I saw were blocked off, with no trespassing signs. I think they were being used for some sort of mining, as I saw many truck roll through on laden with rock. Anyways, the strange part about these caves was that they were emanating cold air -- easily 30 degrees cooler than the air I was riding through. I stopped for a brief moment hoping to cool off in these naturally air conditioned zones, but as soon as I stopped I realized that the cold air smelled funny. It was noxious, with a deeply unpleasant flavor. What was going on there? What substance were they digging for?

07/13/2015

Despite getting up at 5:30 this morning, I didn't beat the heat. By 10, it was so hot that I had totally soaked my shirt in sweat. Out west, I could have laid my shirt out in the sun for ten minutes and it would have dried, but here in southern Illinois the humidity is such that everything is always a little damp. I'm sitting in a coffee shop in Carbondale waiting for the sun to get lower in the sky so I can keep riding. It likely won't get any cooler until much later, but at least I won't have the sun roasting me. I plan on riding another 55 miles or so today. Tomorrow I'm going to Kentucky, land of beautiful country roads and stray dogs. I took a detour to Carbondale to get some dog repellent. The roads here in southern Illinois have been amazing. Lots of little County roads,lots of tarmac, and even more hills. Coming out of Chester this morning I went up some hills where I had to use the lowest gear on my bike (with a triple!) and I was still pedaling at low rpm. At the top of these climbs, the views are amazing. Woods and farmland cover the rolling hills. Visibility is very high due to recent rains, so it feels like you can see forever. This roller-coaster landscape is some of the best I've encountered so far (I feel like I say that about every place I go!)

I should mention that I got to spend a day with my parents outside of St. Louis. While I was really sad to leave them yesterday, it was fantastic to be able to see them. They've been such a help, in every regard. 

A thank you to Bryce in Kansas city is long overdue. I underestimated how big the metro area is, and without his help, in giving me directions and rides, I would have been screwed. Plus, Bryce is an awesome guy. I knew I was in for a good time when we he handed me a cold beer after he rode out to meet me when I was coming in from Ottawa. I'm happy and grateful that I had the 
opportunity to stay with him.