Day 40 - Rest day in Burton, OH

- More Text Messages From Patty -

I'm on my cell phone, so it is a little hard to type this email on the little keyboard.

Yesterday after we left the camp, I rode all day with Diana and Janet. It was supposed to be a 92 mile day, but with detours around construction it turned into almost 97 miles.

We spent the majority of the day riding along the shore of Lake Erie. The mansions along the lake were palacial. Most of the morning we had a bike lane on SR 6. The road was tore up in places. One of the riders {Eddy} went down after hitting a rut in the road. He suffered only minor injuries.

I stopped at one point to take pictures of this guy's flower beds. He was so nice... Talking to me, Janet, and Diana. He offered to fill our water bottles, and I think he would have fed us lunch too if I had stayed there much longer talking to him. Janet and Diana just laughed and shook their heads. Now they know what Chuck means when he says that I'll stop and talk to anyone.

Chuck says that I talk to complete strangers as if I've known them all my life. I Told him its an Iowa thing and especially rampant in my family.

Nathalie, you wondered if I would become more introspective on this trip. Well nope, afraid not. I look at this trip as giving me the license to talk to as many people as possible from sea to shining sea. LOL. I think that I am even more gregarious then before.

We stopped once in Cleveland at a local eatery for lunch. I am so glad that we did because the next 25 miles through Cleveland were the most hair raising on the trip so far. Between pot holes, rude and unaware drivers, trying to find our way by looking at the cue sheet, and trying to avoid parked cars and buses we were all a little frayed when we got to the outer edge of town.

We finally made it to SR 87 that took us the rest of the way from Cleveland to Burton. The rolling hills were a blessing after the traffic in town

Almost everyone else is staying at the fairground at Burton..

Chuck got us a room at a very romantic B & B. Ware having a great time Had a nice breakfast and did laundry at the local laundromat. I'm going to a bike shop this afternoon, but Chuck will have to find something else to do as he has vowed not to get into a car until the end of the trip.

We are going to walk around the town (Its small and charming), and then we have a sit down Amish meal reservation at the B & B tonight. I'll send pictures tomorrow and tell you all about it.

Thanks Nora (Chuck's sis) for the cookies. CHUCK DOESN'T KNOW IT BUT HES GOING TO HAVE TO SHARE.