Day 25 Hot and Humid

Today's ride from Troy to Circleville started out in warm humid conditions (72F and 90%+ humidity) and got hotter and more humid as the day wore on...can you have more than 100% humidity?  It felt like it as the sweat just pored off of our bodies.

I took off at the start (a late 7:30 start since it was a "short" ride day) while Mike was still in his casual clothes looking for his gloves.  Wasn't gonna wait around and then push hard to catch-up....too much drama in that approach for me and not enough margin for something to go wrong (flat, nature break, etc) and then be really behind the curve.  I rode the first hour at a leisurely pace (17mph) with a double line of about 12 riders having a nice conversation with Charles (MN). As we were passed by a group of 5 riders, it was time to turn up the speed.  Charles & I were joined by "tattoo" Tom (ID) and we soon formed a fast (+25MPH) rotating paceline and put a gap on the group that previously passed us.  We worked well together and found the ups & downs and curving roads to be conductive to keep the pace high.  Can't say that I remember too much of the landscape other than that was still a lot of soybean fields. But we did roll through Urbana, OH before the first break and saw many old mansion type houses lining the tree-lined main boulevards....some restored to former glory and others needing help.

At the first stop, Lon had set up a spot where we each had our picture taken with our bike.  Apparently we each have a nice picture memento in the mail to us after the tour is over.  As per usual, whatever allegiances there were before the rest stop, they did not exist after the stop......as nobody waited for anyobdy else to get and start riding.  It was just get up and go....catch somebody in front, ride alone, or get caught by others and join up.  I rode on my own for about 5 miles until the tandem, Captained by Craig (CA) and stoked by Jonathan (masseuse) showed up pulling Jonathan (AUS) at a healthy 25mph.  I quickly grabbed Jonathan wheel and worked hard at holding it for the next 15miles until the next stop.  One would think that it's easy holding onto the draft of a tandem....and it can be if you're the next wheel.  But back a few riders and it becomes a bit more difficult.  I was drenched with sweat at the next stop where I took my time taking in fluids and recovering. 

The next 25 miles or so to lunch I was back with Charles at a more leisurely (ie sane) pace but still sweating buckets as the temps were now in the mid-90's.  The only memorable sight was the huge correctional facility that we passed.....there must be a lot of correcting going on for a lot of people because it was mamoth.  We both wondered if the inmates were suffering without A/C as we were....I doubt it as it would certainly be cruel and unusual punishment!

Lunch was more rehydration than food replenishment.  A group of 7 riders formed a good wind-aided paceline to finish the remaining 20 or so miles to Circleville.  As we were told that our evening's motel rooms would not be ready until 2:30 at the earliest and it was 1:30 upon arrival....we found a local coffee shop with inside temps around 65F.....it was pure heaven along with the large iced coffee and/or smoothie drinks that we all ordered.  The only downside were the pools of sweat that we dropped on the floor wherever we went in the cafe over the first 10 minutes of being there. 

Where was Mike?.....never did see him during the day as he was playing catch-up from behind most of the day.  As I left the stops I did ask riders that were just arriving if they had seen Mike....and they reassured me that he was doing OK in the heat...just a bit behind.  He did finally show up at the coffee shop with Rebecca (of Lon and Susan) and they apparently rode together from lunch.  After about 20 minutes of socializing, Rebecca got a phone call from her mother saying that she was driving through a thunderstorm outise of town and that she probably had another 15 minutes before it would hit Circleville.  We quickly got on our bikes as the skies were now turning dark, the temperatures dropping 10+ degrees, and the winds starting to howl.  We made it to the night's motel (about 2 miles away) fortunately just befoe the storm hit.  On the evening's news, it was reported that the storm blew over 3 semi/container trucks on a nearby highway and also blew down a barn, killing 2 people.  These storms are nothing to fool around with.  Thankfully the weather forecast is for the thunderstorms through tomorrow morning and then clear sailing through the end of our ride on Monday....fingers crossed.

This evening's meal was with Rebecca, Susan (her mom), and Tim (crew) as we commandeered a PAC Tour van to take us back into town to a very good Italian restaurant.  Food was good and plentiful, the wine OK (apparently in the mid-West, Great Lake States, or whatever they call these parts...the servers just pour the wine without you first tasting it or fooling around with the cork, etc) and the company/conversation, interesting.

Roadkill.....about 6 raccoons and 2 opposums....and 5+ URP's. 

Tomorrow we are in our next to last State.....West Virginia with less that 600 miles to ride in 5 days.  Plus there's more climbing as we start seeing the Appalacians.  It'll be good to start using the leg muscles a little differently and getting out of the saddle to climb a bit.  Truth be told....my butt's a little sore, but no "hey roomie..." yet!