29 May 2000

Monday morning... I left Mayville about 5am. At 10:45 after more than five hours of riding, I called my parents from Dundee.

Finally I arrived in Campbellsport and got to enjoy the community along the river that I had never seen before despite loading the UPS package car for that area for quite some time. It was interesting to actually see the businesses and streets that I had only known about from the various package labels... I always do love a river-town.

Just outside of Plymouth, I encountered a very long hill that I descended at high speed. The speed coupled with the crosswind that hit me midway down as I came to a break in the treeline was enough to really get my BOB trailer to fishtail badly at about 30mph and it was a challenge to maintain control. Just as I was commending myself on my riding skill, an 18-wheeler passed me going west and wind that hit me from his passing was enough to renew my fight for balance - a fight that I very nearly lost!

The ride after that adventure was really pleasant and somewhat anticlimactic after the varied events that I had encountered over the past week. I called my parents from the Kettle Morraine Park while taking a break from the hills prevalant in the area. Once again the weather had gotten warm and sunny and nicely bookended my ride.

From Plymouth on, I was able to ride along the Old Plank Road Trail which is a bike path ending at Lake Michigan. I met two women riding a tandem who joined me for a while. We talked a bit until my slower pace (due to BOB and the fact that there was only one of me!) became enough for them to move ahead. I arrived at home in the late afternoon and it was a joy to bring the trip to an end. A very hard journey but nonetheless worth it in hindsight...

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