Find Your Way
May 26, 2002
Rough River Dam to Sebree

Today's Miles = 73.5
Average Speed = 10.5 mph
Maximum Speed = 39.1 mph
Total Miles = 1105.9

We all awoke a little later than we had planned due to being kept awake the previous night by other camper's drunken revelries. Bert˙n and Larissa were planning on riding 75 miles today to Sebree, but I was only willing to commit to the 45 miles to Utica. We said our goodbyes while they were eating breakfast and I headed out for the morning.

Steve and Linda had gotten a ride to church with their friends and I rode past their locked bicycles as I set out in search of breakfast. The first restaurant I came to had a buffet for not too high of a price, so I stopped and ate a tremendous plate of french toast, eggs, sausage, ham, and bacon to fuel the adventure ahead.

You'll recall that I had only promised to ride as far as Utica, but the description of the two campsites made it clear that Sebree was superior and I really wanted to make it that far. As a result, I became fixated on making miles today. Without really being conscious of it I think I spent more time looking at my handlebars than I did looking at the road around me. I kept checking my odometer, my map, my GPS, and kept calculating how fast I was going and whether I could make it. I've caught myself doing the same sort of thing when hiking, where I will stare at the trail instead of at the scenery, and it is something I want to avoid.

Nonetheless, I did make it to the Sebree City Park, and caught up with the Dutch cyclists. I never saw the Wisconsinites today and assume they either stopped in Utica or possibly found a motel somewhere.

Bert˙n and Larissa had already set up their camps and talked to some of the townsfolk when I arrived. When they had asked about what markets in town would be open a woman they met had offered to bring Bert˙n a pork chop (Larissa is a vegetarian). Shortly after I arrived she returned with not only a pork chop, but also two bowls of vegetables, candy bars, bananas and apples. The Dutch pair were mildly flabbergasted at her generosity, and we easily stretched this into a meal for three.

After dinner I noticed that the park had power outlets and I seemed to be getting good cell coverage, so I decided to attempt to establish an internet connection. This was the first time that the others had seen the ridiculous amount of electronics I am carrying and Larissa laughed at me because she knew I had already shipped my cup and plate home to save weight, yet here I am carrying enough computational power to manage a moon landing. But once I got everything connected and working, they were both delighted to be able to check their email.

We listened to their short-wave radio as the daylight faded into dusk and then the two of them retired for the evening. It took me around three hours to answer all my email, make my phone calls, and post a trio of updates. One piece of good news that came to me is that I've heard from REI and they will be helping me get my wheel replaced. I've broken a spoke a day for the past three days and was planning on having to replace or rebuild the wheel very soon. Now it is just a matter of figuring out the logistics of an exchange.

Comments

Nick,

Thanks for putting up a great and sophisticated website for your trip. We're both following it closely and are getting great vicarious kicks out of your travels.

Good luck with the new wheel. Make sure that REI sends you one that was properly tensioned by someone who knows what they're doing. A second wheel set up as poorly as the first one was obviously was won't do you any more favors than it did.

All the best,
Trent and Melinda

Posted by: Trent and Melinda on May 27, 2002 12:11 AM
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