Hello Indiana

We made it from Tuscola, IL. to Lebanon, IN. today. It was 120 mile ride but the weather was really pretty nice. It was a little on the cool side at the start, maybe around 40. But, as the day progressed, things warmed up nicely.

I got my first flat of the tour at about mile 20. My bike just seemed harder and harder to pedal and then I realized my front tire was pretty low. I carry a spare tube as well as a patch kit. When the hole in the tube is easy to find, I prefer to patch the existing tube instead of putting on the new one. I learned to patch a tube from some neighborhood friends when I was just a kid, maybe 10 years old. First, you have to find the hole, then you use a file or sandpaper to rough up the tube surface a bit. Then, you apply rubber cement and finally the rubber patch. The patch "fuzes" to the tube in a matter of minutes. I have patched many tubes while sitting on the side of the roads around Davis. So, I tried to patch this tube. But, I think the temperature was a little too low for the rubber to vulcanize. After several minutes of pressing the patch firmly against the tube, I could just peel the patch off. So, with Mike Munk's help (the SAG van arrived just after my tire went flat), I put in the new tube. But, not before carefully inspecting the tire for any flat hazards still sticking through it as well as the rim (sometimes a spoke pokes through the rim liner).

Due to the flat, I was bringing up the rear. So, I pedaled pretty hard to catch back up to the main group of slower riders. I caught them after 10-15 minutes and we rode to the first SAG stop at mile 43 together and then from their to the lunch SAG at mile 83. By the way, I learned something. SAG stands for "Support and Gear". But I ate quickly and left lunch SAG on my own and really pushed hard to get to mile 100. With help from wind and some descents, I think I averaged ~21 mph from 83 to 100 miles. Then, I caught up to George, the rider from the UK. We stopped at a convenience store for a bathroom break and then rode the last 20 miles together. But, when we started, George just seemed to sort of hammer it out of the stop. He was going maybe 24 mph and I was drafting wondering if I was going to be able to hang on and, even if I did, what good I would be when the time came for me to pull. But, I pushed pretty hard with George exchanging pulls and we finished the last 20 miles at a pretty high average speed, maybe 23-24 mph. My heart rate climbed to 160 for several of my pulls and my legs burned a bit. Probably way too much effort with 10 days left to go. But, I feel ok now after sitting in the spa and doing some stretches. None of that again though.

We had a quick shake and a "Steak-n-Shake" around the corner from the hotel before RAP meeting. I spent some time patching the tube I tried to patch earlier in the day so that I could have it as a backup in case I need it. I came with 4 tubes and have used 2 already. Also, its getting time to replace my rear tire. I will probably rotate the front to the rear and then put a new one on the front tomorrow in Richmond.


Thats Phillipe with me just after entering Indiana