Pactour Day 20 "The Midwest - If it isn't the Heat, it's the Humidity"

Today we rode the 90 miles to lunch, then the rest of the way to the hotel with the Lunch crew.  Bisty is part of the lunch crew.

The Turk got to take care of a little business on her iPhriend.

The boys got to relax in the AC and listen to some music.

We stopped at one of the rest stops on the way in to pick up crew and shut it down.  The boys had a chance to ride a little teeter totter.

Each day after we ride we clean our bikes with dilute Dawn soapy water.  Or I should say Jim cleans the bikes (JW's here) each night.  This keeps them clean, shiny, and happy.

Crew member John Lake installing rear shifter on Aussie Rob Keough's bike.  His rear shifter broke 2 days ago and big ups to Matt and Rick at Bicycle-Heaven for getting a replacement to him in Indiana.  Fortunately for Rob the last 2 days have been flat.

Another big celebratory welcome for Pactour in Wabash, IN.  Jim was born in Indiana which probably has something to do with this.

Today we rode from Dwight, IL (essentially a truck stop) to Wabash, IN.  The family is feeling better (Turk had the best legs today) and set a goal to ride 90 miles to lunch then re-evaluate.  We all felt fine, but still a little tired so we helped the lunch crew clean up, threw our bikes into the trailer and drove the last 80 miles.  We did get to have Ice Cream on the way, so that was good.

Had 3 fun rides to lunch.  First we followed the wheels of Doug and Dan (the Ohio boys) to the first rest stop.  Then we followed our friends the Aussies to the 2nd rest stop.  Finally we followed Susan/Cat on the Tandem and Lon on his singlespeed to lunch.  This made the morning go really quickly and we averaged 18 miles per hour.

You really don't appreciate humidity until you get to be not in it for a while.  Once over the Cascades in Washington (1/2 thru Day 1) we were in low humidity riding until 3-4 days ago in Minnesota or Iowa.  Now in the midwest we are enjoying 80% humidity to go along with 90 degree temps.  In the Northwest we were in the high 90's with little humidity and that really is much more pleasant.  San Antonio is a fabulous place to live, but if we ever have to relocate we will try to stay away from high humidity for sure.

We mentioned Doug and Dan (the Ohio boys.)  Well Dan is a farmer and might have to leave Pactour tomorrow.  Tomorrow we ride to Troy, OH, 20 miles from Dans house, and the highs are forecase in the upper 90's.  Dan turkeys are at risk at temps that high so will require extra attention to keep them alive thru the heat.  Again, thanx Al Gore for global warming.

Dan told us something the other day which was pretty remarkable.  You remember the pics of the fields of corn we are riding thru nonstop for the past 4-5 days?  Remember how we commented that the corn stalks are grown so close to each other.  Dan told us that since they are grown so close together each stalk produces only 1 ear of corn!  Everyone how has to pee in a corn field has to check out his fact and has found him correct, natch.

Yesterday Illinois, (where Bicycle-Heaven, St. Charles is located)  Today Indiana (where Jim was born and home of the little 500.)  Tomorrow Ohio (where Will was born and Jim went to college.)  There is always something somewhere, isn't there.

Bye, Family Slauson