Author: Rich

Gibsonburg OH to Sandusky OH – 39.1 miles As planned, we rose earlier than normal and set out for Fremont OH.  With food our motivation, and a healthy tailwind chasing us, we rolled into Fremont only a little bit after 8AM.  There were several downtown cafés, and we soon settled on AM Korner Café, housed in a tall trapezoidal shaped building reminscient of Mick’s Gym in Philadelphia.  The place was full of “antique” shop paraphernalia, and only a few local patrons.  Perfect.  We called Jesse and he soon joined our table.  I had a ham, cheese, and broccoli omelette that

Grand Rapids OH to Gibsonburg OH – 43.0 miles It rained solidly last night.  Before I awoke Frank was already out of the campsite, and Gary was soon to follow.  The gang reconvened at Mother Theresa’s Pizza joint in downtown Grand Rapids OH, which also served breakfast.   My pancakes were decent but a little bit gluey, I’ll give them a 5. We spun west and enjoyed the best tailwind since eastern Montana, directly out of the west.  Roger rode with us, which was mutually enjoyable – fun for us because he is such a crack-up, and fun for him because

Denver IN to Monroeville IN – 77.7 miles Unbelievable.  We’ve got a tailwind this morning.  Breezes blowing from the southwest, and we’re heading mostly east and a little bit north.  It’s been weeks.  Several weeks.  I could hardly believe our good fortune. I stopped in at the Denver Hotspot again for a cup of coffee, and ended up ordering a breakfast burrito along with Jack and Bill.  We didn’t get out of the place until 9AM, and then Jack discovered a broken spoke on his rear wheel, on the cassette side of course.  It was a) a good thing he

Monon IN (Acorn Oaks Campground) to Denver IN – 64.2 miles Bull frogs talked to us all night last night.  Some just said, “Wuh!”  and others said, “Wuh – Uoh!” in strange patterns.  Almost as if a conversation was going on – it probably was.  I woke up around 2AM and just stayed awake for a long time waiting for the sun.  In short, I didn’t sleep very much. We made an orderly departure with some of us heading south to the town of Monon IN.  Jack and I found Bill just leaving from the Reme Family Restaurant, which turned

Ashkum IL to Monon IN (Acorn Oaks Campground on IN114) – 76.2 miles OK, so it’s an old line from an old tune.  AZ is my home state, and PA is my birth state, but Indiana is probably my second home state, since I’ve spent many days with my in-laws in Evansville, and many days driving to and from Earlham College (Richmond IN) with my daughter. We hit the Subway out of Ashkum IL one last time for a snack, but saved the breakfast appetite for the next town of Iroquois IL.  Everywhere we go, people seem to ask the

Wenona IL to Ashkum IL – 75.8 miles Jack slept outside his tent all night, right out under the stars.  He says he’s done this since he was a kid, when conditions permitted.  I stayed inside, with the ocean breeze from the tent fan swirling around. 🙂 I was up early and took my turn in the shower, even managing to wash my bed mattress, which was getting pretty bad since I’d been sleeping on it with only a pillow.  Jack and I returned to  Boardwalk Place for breakfast because they were open early and had a decent looking menu

Davenport IA to Kewanee IL – 64.8 miles A new month and a new phase of our ride.  Jack and I arose in the late morning to find out that our motel doesn’t serve breakfast.  We then headed out to the post office to mail our Ragbrai duffels (and some other gear) back home, since it had been impossible to link up with Phil after the ride. South through Davenport toward the wide Mississippi River.  We searched for breakfast places along the way but found none, and so started our way across the Centennial Bridge.  A big sign declared that