Update Jul 29

Yes, I'm alive.  ;o}  Last week was very long one -- 7 days in a row on the bike, 645 miles total.  Started the week in Madison WI, ended yesterday in Burton (Cleveland) OH.

I missed one complete day (Coal City, IL - Valparaiso, IN) due to lack of sleep the night before.  The night in Coal City (camping) was hot, humid, with no air movement. I managed to get only 1 hour of sleep and was in no condition to ride, so drove with Cindy Gilbrough.  I took a sag halfway through the next day, still catching up on sleep.  The rest of the week went well.

Yesterday I stopped my ride at daughter Kate's house in Lakewood, west side of Cleveland.  It's been great to have a rest day with family.  They'll take me to the Burton campsite tonight, and we'll hit the road again tomorrow AM.

Last week I was able to spend time with old friends:  John & Vivien Diserio in Belvidere, IL (college friends) and at Coal City with high school classmates Stan Gaul & Ron Dodd and the spouses, along with sister-in-law Norma.  Coal City is only 40 miles from Ottawa, where I grew up.

Next week (starting tomorrow) we ride five days into Gettysburg, PA where we'll take our last rest day.  Then, i't two easy days into Washington, DC.  More in next post....