I'll start out with the positive. Yesterday, Monday, was a rest day, and just wonderful! The temp was over 100, with a heat index of 115 degrees. I slept in, stayed in my AC hotel room and rested. One of our riders, Jean, who also is a Sag driver, her family had us all over for dinner in Muscatine, IA. Fried cat fish, and blue gill, with a lovely fresh Buffalo mozzerella salad, cous cous, pasta salad, CORN of course!!! Delicious! And delicious desserts. Her family is lovely, and they had a beautiful home on acreage of land. Now onto today... Our day began today, Tuesday, in sweltering humidity and heat. We were on tap to ride 78 miles into Kewanee, IL. I felt great the first 35 miles....but then began not feeling great, and stopped at mile 41. The guides told me I absolutely am doing the right thing. I am a much stronger rider than this heat is allowing me to be.. 78 miles is nothing to me on a day when the heat is not at 115 heat index. It is very frustrating for me to not be doing all the miles these past two days. The heat leaves me little choice though because the bad feeling you get from it comes on so gradually. I know I did the right thing stopping. I have a long way to Bar Harbor, ME, and don't want to end up sick out here on the roads of the mid west laying belly up in a corn or manure field. Some riders have been making the full distance these past couple of days. I am happy for them, and envious at the same time. The word is we are suppose to have 3-4 more days of this...so I guess I better fasten my safety belt and accept it. The heat is also zapping my appetite while I'm on the bike. I did still manage to stuff my face with a slim jim, sports beans, p'nut butter crackers, M&M's, oreos, and nuts. Oh, oranges and bananas too. I had an egg salad sanwich for lunch. Oh, also an ice cream sandwich for dessert. Huh. Maybe it's not zapping my appetite after all.
Love,
Kit
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