JULY 11 "BREAKING AWAY" IN INDIANA

Riding single file and moving along quickly after crossing the border into Indiana, I couldn't help thinking of the movie; "Breaking Away". Remember that Hoosier kid biking in the countryside near Bloomington, IN fantisizing that he was on an Italian cycling team, speaking Italian and loving his bike. I loved that movie...and could imagine his excitement.

It was a great 80 mile Sunday morning ride leaving the city of Champaign after a complete breakfast at Bob Evans. There is not a lot of traffic in any city or town at 7:00am on a Sunday morning. Champaign and the small Illinois towns of Mayview, St Joseph, Ogden, etc., on state route 150 were no exceptions. We didn't stop for 2 hours until the SAG stop in Danville--which has lost a little of its luster, assuming it once had it.

We crossed the Indiana state line and the Wabash River near Covington, IN, where we took our 8th state border picture. Tom, Jerry, David, Mason, Meg, Mike and I rode together to the SAG in Veedersburg. We took turns at the front and just kept up our cruising speed at mainly 17/18 mph. The terrain is flat, the crops the same as we have seen for days--yes, corn and soybeans. There were many small farms with green lawns and moist fields from recent rains.

Entering Indiana

We missed this sign on the way in

We were entering a small town on route 136 when we saw the town sign. It read "Town of Hillsboro--Home of 600 Happy People and a Few Sore Heads". I kid you not.

Wall art in Hillsboro, IN

The weather forecast had given a good possibility of scattered thunderstorms. We saw the ominous black clouds off to the south. The race was on--we had only 10 miles or so to the hotel, and we planned to beat the storm. Then lighting off in the distance. When the strong gusts of wind hit us, we knew we were going to get wet. So, about 4 miles from our destination we wisely pulled into SOMEONE'S driveway and garage--later welcomed by the homeowner--and watched the major thunderstorm pass through. We made a good decision.

Getting out of the rain

Crawfordsville, IN ("The Athens of Indiana") is a town of 15,000 "Athenians" who are proud of their most famous former citizen; Civil War General Lew Wallace who wrote "Ben Hur". Wabash College, the only all men's liberal arts college west of the Allegheny Mts., is located here as well as the RR Donnelly Co., a printer of books and magazines. Dick Van Dyke went to Jr High in Crawfordsville (this, plus TOO MUCH more info was given to me by the town postmaster who overheard my question to the hotel clerk and stepped in.)

Last night 6 of us broke with the AbB offer of another Chinese buffet and went on our own to a steakhouse. We ordered our steaks and were then told how this restaurant works. You pick out your own steak and then cook it YOURSELF on a big grill along with many others. We wanted to be SERVED, not cook, so we took plan B, ie THEY cooked our steak for an additional $2.50. When I ordered a bottle of beer--not knowing their policy at the bar, I said, "I'll pour it!"

         - Bill

Remembering 7/11/70

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