April 16

Woke up at quarter to 7. The mornng was very relaxing. I made some oatmeal on the Trangia stove Dana got me, brushed y teeth and packed everything up. It took longer than I expected, I had to let my rainfly dry in the sun, it was a little dewy. The whole site was a little muddy. As I walked the bike out of the site through the mud the tires got a nice layer on them. There was then a gravel path out of the park, the gravel stuck to my muddy tires then got wedged between the tire and the fender. It made an aweful sound. Once I got up to speed the rocks cleared. I wasn't back on 47 untill 8:00

47 was busy, I diddnt like it, but only 18 miles and I was in dwight. I hit some big time construction only 2 miles in. They were doing work on all the bridges over the irrigation streams. It was cut down to one lane with a stoplight set up alternating northbound southbound traffic. I diddn't think I would make it across befor the lights changed. I looked down the stream and saw a foodbridgr on someones property, it went right up tp a farmhouse. I saw a woman on the other side so I asked if I could walk across. She asked where I was trying to get to, I explained and she said that all the bridges between here and dwight are like this. She gave me directions todwight using backroads. I was thrilled, I told her that I wasn't enjoying 47 very much and she was happy to help. The backroads went through some nice country. Nice wooded areas.

I reached dwight at 10:30 and had an early lunch at a route 66 themed cafe. French onion soup, meatloaf sandwich and mashed potatoes, it was delicious. They gave me a free slice of boston cream pie. Very nice.

Back on 66 at 11:15 this was a boring ride, it rins along 55 so I had to stare at that the whole time. Every town I went through had some hokey route 66 memoriabelia. I got pretty sick of that stuff too. I dont undersand how people could take this thing all the way out west, Its a very popular bike route. 50 miles with 55 to the left of me and amtrack trains to the right.

I made it to normal pretty quick, I had a nice tail wind, stopped once to finish up some meatloaf and again just outside towanda, some mad hunger kicked in and I had to get a little snack. Chomped on some jack links beef nuggets and a payday, that did the trick. I was in Normal by 4:00

I called Dana when I got there but she was doing school. I went by Bac, Brett, Rudy, Nick, and Timi. Thats one place but I diddn't want to leave anybody out, and Kaile. I was happy to see them, they a good group of friends. Bac hooked me up with a bike computer, I was gonna buy one in normal bet he is letting me use his now. Then I wen't to my place and relaxed at the Creek for a while with all the Fellas, I like the Fellas, theyre a good group of friends too. Especially that Ben Strohman

Mileage: 72
Total: 142