Woke up around 5. Sauntered across the street with Chuck and Rosie to get a cup of coffee at Starbucks while the breakfast crew was setting up. Nice to think that we have only 76 miles to ride today.
Left camp a bit after 7. Worked against some headwinds most of the day. High clouds, but that didn't keep the heat from creeping up by late morning. Had a check point in the town of Upton. Made a sandwich to have on hand. On the way out of town, Rosie and I stopped at an official highway Rest Stop. There was a nice, new building with restrooms. The toilets (in the women's room) were cold stainless steel. When Barb showed up, we had to share the good news!
Usually, such a fixture would have hardly been noteworthy. And perhaps even a bit disconcerting from a hygienic standpoint. On a hot day, after sitting for hours on a bike seat? I wanted a book to take into that restroom. I wanted to sit there all day on that cool, cool, commode.
We continued on over sun-baked hill and dale. Rolled into Newcastle by early afternoon. Found the Senior Center and chose to set up my tent outside. There were numerous options on the floor inside the building. Actually, a multitude of air-conditioned rooms for various purposes - TV, pool/billiards, etc. But he breeze that had been our nemesis all day, was now a benefit: it could quickly dry a damp shower towel, soggy tent, and generally air out funky duffel bag stuff. I walked down the street to the corner store to buy a few afternoon snack items, and also stopped by the Cork and Bottle to buy some cold beer. Barb and Rosie joined me in some shade at the back of the gear truck for some light refreshments. Didn't take any time at all to finish all that box of Cheez-Its and a couple of Henry's.
The seniors served us a carbo-laden meal around 6, after which about a dozen or so Riders participated in a t-shirt swap. We had been asked to bring a trade-able shirt on the ride and it was finally in Newcastle when we had a chance to made a bid for a jersey, pair of shorts or t-shirt to fill out our meager collections. I was very happy to snag a shirt from Jim that commemorated his last training ride this past spring. It involved a series of loops near Lake Geneva just north of Chicago.
After some more time on the time-limit-free computer station in the TV room, I headed to my tent.
Little did I know of the track ahead.
Coal trains run through this region, and specifically this town, throughout the day - and soon I discovered, the night. Long, long trains of 120 cars. Loud, long blasts of the whistle (for whatever reason at 2am) with each one. I had neglected to put in my earplug when I went to bed. And the first hours of deep sleep buffered me from the noise. But by 2, when I sleep more lightly, those shrill whistles seemed close enough to be coming from behind the building. And I could almost swear that they were pounding through town at 20 minute intervals. Hard to believe that one could get used to this regular pulse of coal cars. Gives "hauling coal to Newcastle" a whole new meaning for me.
Left camp a bit after 7. Worked against some headwinds most of the day. High clouds, but that didn't keep the heat from creeping up by late morning. Had a check point in the town of Upton. Made a sandwich to have on hand. On the way out of town, Rosie and I stopped at an official highway Rest Stop. There was a nice, new building with restrooms. The toilets (in the women's room) were cold stainless steel. When Barb showed up, we had to share the good news!
Usually, such a fixture would have hardly been noteworthy. And perhaps even a bit disconcerting from a hygienic standpoint. On a hot day, after sitting for hours on a bike seat? I wanted a book to take into that restroom. I wanted to sit there all day on that cool, cool, commode.
We continued on over sun-baked hill and dale. Rolled into Newcastle by early afternoon. Found the Senior Center and chose to set up my tent outside. There were numerous options on the floor inside the building. Actually, a multitude of air-conditioned rooms for various purposes - TV, pool/billiards, etc. But he breeze that had been our nemesis all day, was now a benefit: it could quickly dry a damp shower towel, soggy tent, and generally air out funky duffel bag stuff. I walked down the street to the corner store to buy a few afternoon snack items, and also stopped by the Cork and Bottle to buy some cold beer. Barb and Rosie joined me in some shade at the back of the gear truck for some light refreshments. Didn't take any time at all to finish all that box of Cheez-Its and a couple of Henry's.
The seniors served us a carbo-laden meal around 6, after which about a dozen or so Riders participated in a t-shirt swap. We had been asked to bring a trade-able shirt on the ride and it was finally in Newcastle when we had a chance to made a bid for a jersey, pair of shorts or t-shirt to fill out our meager collections. I was very happy to snag a shirt from Jim that commemorated his last training ride this past spring. It involved a series of loops near Lake Geneva just north of Chicago.
After some more time on the time-limit-free computer station in the TV room, I headed to my tent.
Little did I know of the track ahead.
Coal trains run through this region, and specifically this town, throughout the day - and soon I discovered, the night. Long, long trains of 120 cars. Loud, long blasts of the whistle (for whatever reason at 2am) with each one. I had neglected to put in my earplug when I went to bed. And the first hours of deep sleep buffered me from the noise. But by 2, when I sleep more lightly, those shrill whistles seemed close enough to be coming from behind the building. And I could almost swear that they were pounding through town at 20 minute intervals. Hard to believe that one could get used to this regular pulse of coal cars. Gives "hauling coal to Newcastle" a whole new meaning for me.
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