Tuesday, August 1, 2023
We break the “100,000” feet climbed total!!
Day 60
Miles: 90.45 – Total accent: 1,853 – Hours: 8 hours, 48 minute
Totals:. Miles- 3,129.95 – Accent- 100,960 feet climbed
240 hrs 43 minutes in the saddle
Hickory Grove to Pontiac, Illinois.
Heading back out on the Hennipen Canal Trail, we continue a quiet path towards Pontiac. While passing through one of the tunnels, the ground was swampy. Oh dear! Don’t fall now!! Grey heron were flying along the canal, deer running across and an occasional fishman was setup on the side of the canal.
Our first stop was Tiskilwa where we found coffee at the gas station. The town was pristine…almost like a movie stage. We met Cecille Gerber who was raised there. She spent her years as a teacher in Chicago and now retired, has returned to Tiskilwa.
She shared amazing history of the town.
Back on the road, we traveled through fields after fields of corn and soybeans. One field had trees inhabited by a large group of vultures. It was fascinating to watch them.
The streets are numbered versus having names like back home. I have always been fascinated by the street naming system when addressing envelopes. ” 10087 N 1000 St E. So different.
Trains run through the area quite a bit. At one crossing, the moment our front tires hit the first rail a bell rang. I thought how strange. And then the bells continued, the light began to flash and the crossing guards began to lower. It was just happenstance that we began crossing at that moment. It was quite a bizarre experience hit one we now laugh at.
Chicory grows on the edge of the road all throughout the area. And we saw the most beautiful moth on the gas station wall…a Luna Moth. By day’s end, we arrived in Pontiac. We picked up dinner at Taco Bell and headed to the hotel. We’ll spend the day in Pontiac tomorrow enjoying the Route 66 museum.
Today we traveled over 90 miles on loaded bikes. Our perception of a long day is changing. 50 is short, 70 is usual and 90 is long! I wouldn’t have believed it 3 months ago!
