Setting out early to try to add some additional miles I quickly came upon some very steep climbs which made the morning very interesting. I passed a massive gravel quarry about 2 miles out of own. Initially the roads were very quiet but soon I came to a road that I perceive to be very busy. I think it was the early morning rush hour traffic. This was a four lane divided highway. The shoulder was good but I was keeping it careful watch for the traffic. After about a half hour I realized that the traffic pattern was very wide and it gave everyone plenty of time to see me. With the two lanes people passed me with plenty of room.
I moved very quickly as I got comfortable riding along the side of the road and having the cars come at a very slow pace. I wish there was a trail all the way across the country to avoid these sections. I know that’s underway but it won’t be finished in my lifetime. As I approached Terre Haute Indiana, I stopped at a roadside gas station for some refreshments. Exiting I noticed two people standing off on the side chit chatting and having their own rest. As I began to answer questions about my journey they told me that they work next door at a STEM education center. They’d come over to the gas station for some refreshments themselves and taking a break because the school was empty because of the summer break. May I ask questions about my journey and they told me about their work. Nicole and Charlie Brown made my day it was so nice to talk with some people for a change. They took no to the blog and hopefully they’ll read a few excerpts. Who knows maybe it’ll inspire one of the young kids in the classroom that I don’t even know.
I still had more than half of my miles to go, but it was early and I was very confident that I could make the extra miles today. Arriving in Terre Haute the center of town was being shut down for some event. There was a large stage and sound system being setup in the middle of the street. When I was able to ask one of the setup crew what the event was. They told me tomorrow Larry Bird would be in town for the opening of his new museum. How cool is that. Maybe I can see some highlights on ESPN tomorrow evening. Leaving the city and heading toward the Illinois border I knew I was going to go through a time warp. I was hoping to get a picture of a sign but one never existed. I knew I was close but at one point I watched my watch magically go back in time as I entered the central time zone. Cruising along I had to stop several times to allow some large farm equipment to go through a one lane section of the road and also to pass me. Watching this large combine approach me from the rear I thought he might just drive right over me given the clearance between the ground and the bottom of his cab. Thankfully he slowed down and moved over and went by. For a good section of the day I was on a historical road. I never saw any historical markers except for the signs that said this was an historical road. Today was good getting some extra miles and hopefully I can do the same tomorrow. The current forecast for tomorrow is an east wind which is something I haven’t felt in weeks. It’s always good to get a little bit of a tailwind. Time for some rest and we’ll see what tomorrow brings.
