May 12 – On the Road Again

I started today’s ride from Quincy IL to Springfield IL (108 miles) with some concern about the new chain rings. Since I couldn’t use the large chain ring my maximum gear was limited, but without any real down-hills I didn’t think that this would be to big a problem. When we started I noticed another problem, my computer was not working. I quickly discovered that I had lost the magnet from my rear wheel. As breakfast was at a restaurant 14 miles into the ride, I was able to get a new one from the mechanics van at the breakfast stop. This allowed me to determine where I was on the ride, but only after I converted mileage from the bike computer to that on the route sheet. It was difficult at times, but I probably avoided going brain dead during a number of long flat miles into a headwind.

Breakfast was at a very nice place called ‘Mike’s Place’ - no known relationship to our leader Mike Munk is known to exist. The restaurant served great food but was overwhelmed by the presence of 30 cyclists; service was very slow. Once we got back on the road I was able to stay with a paceline until a mile before the next rest stop, 40 miles into the ride. By keeping my time off the bike short I joined another paceline but could only stay with them for 15 miles. I then rode into lunch, 70 miles into the ride, alone. Lunch was in a gas station parking lot, a common location for rest stops as they will usually let us use the bathrooms and we can buy some types of food in their stores. Soda and ice cream are big favorites. Again I started with a paceline but had to drop off after 10 miles. I continued on alone until I was about 15 miles from the end when I latched onto another line that was passing me. They pulled me to the motel.

There I got my room key and found a FedEx box from Karen, my replacement crank arm arrived. I also found that several riders we being met by families in Springfield. One by his son and daughter in law who came from Wisconsin with a cooler of beer and cheese, another from Indiana who was met by his wife and four kids ages 8 to 16. It was nice to see a few of the rider’s families.

After one false start we were able to install the original TA chain rings and right crankarm with the left, Campy, crankarm that Karen sent me. It is an odd setup, but the bike has components from at least 3 different manufacturers. It is not the recommended way to set up a bike, but it seems to be working. I told the mechanic, Shane, that the crankarm would be old, but when he saw that it had a Suntour pedal with toe clips and a leather strap he for the first time realized what I meant by old. For non-cyclists that style of pedal hasn’t been used for over 20 years. But it is an old bike and an even older rider.