Today’s Date: July 9, 2024

Today’s Start Point: Farmington, Missouri

Today’s End Point: Farmington, Missouri

Today’s Miles: 0 miles

Cumulative Miles: 3,048.12 Miles

Well, Beryl got the best of me today. If it was only rain, it would not have been too bad, but the weather included thunderstorms and flooding on the roads. That left me with a day to laze around and get some non-bike things done.

For those familiar with the Chicago area, this area reminds me of Schaumburg, filled with chain restaurants and suburban sprawl. This left me with multiple choices for meals and an opportunity to get my hair cut.

The highlight, however, was when two friends from Elmhurst, Jimmy Ward and Scott Latimer, drove down for dinner. In addition, Jimmy is going to ride with me tomorrow where we will cross the Mississippi River into Illinois. Scott, an avid bird-watcher, will be doing his watching stuff and carrying our gear for the ride.

We went out for a late dinner and it was great to get together with friends. An old fashioned with the boys is a welcome break in the trip. It was so nice of them to travel over 350 miles to meet up with me. I really needed it because I feel like I am going into the toughest part of the ride, Kentucky with the Appalachian Mountains and the dogs. I am really looking forward to riding with Jimmy tomorrow on a bike not weighed down with all the baggage.

Thanks Jimmy and Scooty, this meant a lot to me.