Today's Miles = 56.6
Average Speed = 10.0 mph
Maximum Speed = 37.5 mph
Total Miles = 1252.0

After leaving my clandestine campsite on the Ohio River, I rode into the nearby town of Golconda for a breakfast of pancakes and sausage. As I began to think about my ride for the day I recalled that Bertÿn and Larissa had intended to make this a day of rest at the Little Grassy Lake near Carbondale. I decided that my goal for the day would be either to catch up with them at their campsite, or to make it all the way into Carbondale and stay there.

The town of Golconda was a little bit off the main route and I wasn't fond of the idea of spending the beginning of my morning backtracking. Studying the main route also showed that it wasn't a very direct way of getting to where I wanted to go, so I decided to make my own route for the day. I had read elsewhere that it was possible to ride from Golconda to the town of Vienna, then take a Rails-to-Trails pathway north to Tunnel Hill where I could connect with the main route, and I decided to make this my path for the morning.

The twenty-six miles from Golconda to Vienna passed pretty smoothly and I even stopped at a shop that made and sold candy for a snack of chocolate dipped fudge. When I got to Vienna I found the trailhead to the Tunnel Hill road very easily but opted instead to blaze my own trail and see if I could find another way to Little Grassy Lake. Using my maps and GPS I plotted out my own trail that led me almost directly to the lake after another thirty miles of riding.

When I got to the campgrounds I spotted the tents of the Dutch cyclists, but they themselves were nowhere to be seen. Without their company I had no real reason to stay at the lake for the night so I phoned ahead to the Bike Surgeon in Carbondale who accommodates cyclists. To my surprise I found that he had already heard I was coming, knew of my wheel problems, and was bringing Bertÿn and Larissa back to the campgrounds shortly. Knowing that I would have some company I went ahead and pitched my tent for the night.

Reunited, the three of us talked about some of the riding ahead and then about some of the confusing points of American and European politics. I think I may have scored some bonus points with the Dutch for knowing that Beatrix was their queen. Then, as evening set and the lightning bugs came out, we all hit the sack for the night.