Distance: Inches
Average Speed: Glacial
Terrain: I almost tripped over a curb.
Weather: Sunny. Breezy.
Usually the second Rest Day happens in Champaign, but the University of Illinois held their graduation this weekend so that was out. Instead, we got Springfield, and fortunate we were. The place has really classed up since Rod Blogojevich split town.
A piece of trivia that I’m about 60% sure is correct: Springfield is the most commonly used place name in the United States.
Now here’s the best thing about Springfield: They give away beer on Saturdays in the city square. That’s right. Midwesterners are just giving away free beer on spring weekends. They had an event here on Saturday called the Fat Ass 5K. It’s a charity event for Multiple Sclerosis. Ostensibly there is some running involved, but people are really coming for the sausages, doughnuts, beer, and Celtic music. What can I tell you? Midwesterners are funny. And largish. After I ordered the first beer I stood there for a second waiting for someone to take my money. When nobody did I slunk sheepishly away. The second time I waited a half second, and the third time I didn’t wait at all. Then I went back to the downtown hotel and took a nap. Can you imagine giving away beer in a Southern town. It would never work. The rednecks would tear the place up.
On a more wholesome note I stopped at the Lincoln Museum as well. Save your money if you’re ever in Springfield. Nothing interesting, just the old mythology presented in a more condescending way.
It was quite a relaxing day. You’ll recall that I didn’t fare too well on the day following the last rest day in Albuquerque. That was a 135 mile day of climbing into Las Vegas, New Mexico. I don’t have the same concerns this morning as we’ve got 83 miles of flat to Tuscola, Illinois.
By all accounts the days really starting ticking down rapidly now. The last two days look pretty formidable, but unless the headwinds really blow the terrain and the distances look less daunting for the eastern section than they did for the first third of the ride.
Time to go get some breakfast. Happy Mother’s Day, you mothers!!
Average Speed: Glacial
Terrain: I almost tripped over a curb.
Weather: Sunny. Breezy.
Usually the second Rest Day happens in Champaign, but the University of Illinois held their graduation this weekend so that was out. Instead, we got Springfield, and fortunate we were. The place has really classed up since Rod Blogojevich split town.
A piece of trivia that I’m about 60% sure is correct: Springfield is the most commonly used place name in the United States.
Now here’s the best thing about Springfield: They give away beer on Saturdays in the city square. That’s right. Midwesterners are just giving away free beer on spring weekends. They had an event here on Saturday called the Fat Ass 5K. It’s a charity event for Multiple Sclerosis. Ostensibly there is some running involved, but people are really coming for the sausages, doughnuts, beer, and Celtic music. What can I tell you? Midwesterners are funny. And largish. After I ordered the first beer I stood there for a second waiting for someone to take my money. When nobody did I slunk sheepishly away. The second time I waited a half second, and the third time I didn’t wait at all. Then I went back to the downtown hotel and took a nap. Can you imagine giving away beer in a Southern town. It would never work. The rednecks would tear the place up.
On a more wholesome note I stopped at the Lincoln Museum as well. Save your money if you’re ever in Springfield. Nothing interesting, just the old mythology presented in a more condescending way.
It was quite a relaxing day. You’ll recall that I didn’t fare too well on the day following the last rest day in Albuquerque. That was a 135 mile day of climbing into Las Vegas, New Mexico. I don’t have the same concerns this morning as we’ve got 83 miles of flat to Tuscola, Illinois.
By all accounts the days really starting ticking down rapidly now. The last two days look pretty formidable, but unless the headwinds really blow the terrain and the distances look less daunting for the eastern section than they did for the first third of the ride.
Time to go get some breakfast. Happy Mother’s Day, you mothers!!
Who cares about Lincoln when you can have free beer on weekends. All of the attorneys must have left town when Lincoln did so no one talks to the city mothers/fathers about LIABILITY. After you had 3 beers did you see the pick elephant with the martini glass? Or did sexybike manage to manipulate your camera to cause a little head confusion? I want that elephant in Roanoke; more precisely I want it in our front yard. Could you hitch a Uhaul trailer to sexybike and tow it to Richmond, IN? I will see to it from there. Think of it as a special Mother's Day gift.
ReplyDeleteMay a tailwind push your behind. See you soon.
Mom
Free beer and a pink elephant sounds divine! In Rich you missed a double header soccer game and the race for the cure which it sounds like most of the people fit your description of mid westerners - even though they are paying for their beer, doughnuts and sausage
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