To give some insight to cycle touring, or at least how I’m seeing it. Everyday I get up, realizing just how much I need to start stretching regularly. As I start riding, I used to get off my saddle every 20 miles. Now it’s more like every 12. On these absurdly hot days I consume an average of 3 – 24oz bottles of water every 20ish miles. So that’s about 240oz plus the liquids I consume with meals. I try to eat whenever I can, and am still mildly convinced I can’t keep up with my metabolism. I learned a while back, that I have a terrible morning if I skip breakfast. The winds in the Midwest eternally come from the southwest, attempting to push me over. The gust off of semis is startling, but doesn’t knock me off my wheel. Not even close. The best way to avoid this wind is to ride east. Or in my case, get up as early as possible. Also helps in beating the heat. I’m approaching a section with no services on route for ~60 miles. This means more or less, I’ll be riding all day with little chance to take a rest or fill up water bottles.
I had left the house by 4:30am. Realizing that the Ben & Jerry’s I had procured the day before lay unopened, still in the freezer, I decided it would make a hardy breakfast. I also then realized the true function of my touring bar, to hold a pint of ice cream. My Ice Cream only lasted 4 miles before it was gone. Riding an hour in the dark, I then had the chance to watch the sunrise. It was incredible. The open landscape created the perfect foreground.
When I showed up in Rosalia, the only restaurant in town was still closed from the previous evening. So I kept on riding all the way to Cassoday, another 17 miles. Most of this town was closed permanantly, but one truck-stop was still open. I consumed what I believe to be the first REAL Biscuits and Gravy of this entire trip. Upon finishing, I grabbed some provisions, and headed toward Newton. For the first 30 miles I was riding under these Cumulus clouds running in straight lines from south to north. As I passed beneath them I would watch my shadow disappear and reappear.
I had been seeing alot of these oil pumps, which are common in the area as supplemental income for farmers/land owners. Apparently there was a car show going on, because this particular morning, I saw about 5 of these old fashioned cars.
Upon arriving in Newton, I had completed 76 miles of riding, and before noon. Awesome. I beat the heat and wind for the most part and still managed an above average day. I was riding down Main St Newton, and instinctively I decided to stop at this gourmet market called Prairie Harvest. When I entered, apparently the wife of the only bike shop in town was watching the shop. She provided me with some information about the town and a phone to call my couchsurfing host. As it turns out, my host is employed at a coffee/book shop called Pages in the same building. He makes me a delicious Latte, and we head back to his place.
Another touring cyclist named Mason, happened to have stayed the previous evening. He is riding from California to Maine. We visited the only bike shop in town, which was really John Hobbs’ Garage. He did called multiple people and eventually found me some steel tire levers. A lot packed into a small place. I hadn’t gotten much real sleep the evening before, so I passed out for a few hours.
When I woke, everyone was ready to head out to the Red Dawg Saloon. It was college night with $5 pitchers of PBR. They had been going every Thursday for the last couple months. I was inclined to join. We all had good conversation, and lots of PBR. They made last call before midnight, and we all went back to the house. Person after person would decide to go to sleep and by 3 in the morning it was just Me, Mason, and Kelsey. I decide to retire.
Waking up around 11:00 in the morning, I decided to find food. There’s this traditional German place called the Bread Basket on Main St. I had the Beirock with Chicken Borscht. This was amazing, I might go back for another.
We’re now watching High Fidelity back at the house. Apparently its there third time this week. 
Awesome!