Richmond, Indiana to Buck Creek Park, Springfield, Ohio

 

Since I got to ride today, it is worthy to note that the “kids” brought tailwinds with them from California.  And oh, how I do appreciate it. 

Michael Closson is a completely delightful guest rider.  He’s flexible, loves engaging people who are interested and is very helpful with the activities of daily living involved with this trip.  We are trying to convince him to stay along but he can’t.  But we keep trying.

It is so great for Catherine and I to have our children with us.  They are silly, energetic and we all get along with each other wonderfully.  I’m getting sad that the trip is almost over.

A day in the drivers seat - Albin

After a long night of thunder, rain and wind it was my turn to be the driver of our support vehicle and trailer. I was accompanied by my Mom (Catherine) since her bike motor was no longer functioning.

Even if the driving is not as glamorous or fun as the biking is it still fills an important role of the trip. Along the way we stopped on several occasions to check in with the riders to see if everything was working correctly, to fill up water, make lunch, dry off all the tents and sleeping bags that got soaked from the rain, and of course to take naps.

After a 68 mile day we arrived at a campground outside of Springfield, Ohio where we had an amazing dinner including more of the vegetables that were given to us from the urban farm in Indianapolis. It was delicious and the beets were some of the best I have ever eaten. Before dinner Oliver and I picked apart the broken motor and noticed that the bearings were filled up with dirt, gravel and sand from the road. Nothing looked broken so we decided to clean everything out really well, smearing some Wise Solutions Bio Grease on it and putting it back together to see if that might fix it. Two hours later it was back in one piece and we all watched with anticipation as mom rode off on a trial run. It worked perfectly! After returning she even said that is runs better now than when she first got the bike. Yippee!!

Hoot protects us

Somewhere in Indiana - wind turbines  Yeahhhh!!

                                            Drying out our gear in lovely Springfield, Ohio

                                                    Hard at work fixing beets and bicycles

                                             The regreased cog wheel ready to be reinstalled

                                                 Praying for success - Down on our knees

                                                          Success - A greasy handed hug

                                                                   Ahhh, happiness!!