July 29, 2008 Kendallville, IN to Napoleon, OH 70 miles (70)

We were all a little slow to awake and get moving this morning – a combination of today being a short day (70 miles) and accumulated fatigue. It’s interesting to watch how each of us, including myself, deal with the physical demands placed on us day after day.

Breakfast was served by the same great people who prepared last night’s dinner. Scrambled eggs, sausage, pancakes, fruit, coffee, juice and milk – we had it all!

Dewayne REALLY needs his morning coffee. Without it he is NOT fit for public display! We’ve seen it a couple of times so we were very worried when he rode out of camp, bypassed the coffee, and waved goodbye…No concern – he was on his best behavior today. When we arrived in Butler, approximately 24 miles into the ride, Dwayne NEEDED coffee and Doug needed food. So we stopped.

Patrons and employees of the small downtown diner we selected were very interested in who these strangers (us) were and what we were doing. After hearing that we were riding across the country for the American Lung Association one woman asked if we were accepting donations, and when told “yes” she handed us money and stated her sister had died three weeks earlier from lung disease. The manager of the diner asked to take our picture (she referred to us as “famous people”- obviously they don’t get many strangers through town).

Shortly after entering Ohio (state #10) we had an encounter with an out of control quad runner driven by a 15 or 16-year-old local. Driving fast and passing too close he skimmed by us at 50+ mph. We were shocked when he turned around and came back at us for a second pass. Doug and I did the only sensible thing - we got in the oncoming lane, faced him off and gave him the universal hand sign of disapproval. If I were younger I would have turned around and followed the idiot to confront him…but – let’s just let the ride continue.

Our encounters and acceptance by the people we have encountered have been overwhelmingly positive so our few, very few, negative experiences have to be kept in perspective. We really do have a great country!

Arriving in Napoleon, OH, we rode to the Henry County Fair Grounds to set up camp. I have begun to feel that county fair grounds are home. Home, at the fair grounds, is accompanied by mosquitoes, flies, and an assortment of barnyard smells but it also means water, showers, flush toilets, and a place to set up our tents.

Dinner was great but…

In the last couple of days the reality that this great adventure is drawing to a close has begun to set in. We have ridden over 2,600 miles – less than 800 to go, we are in state #10 of 12, and in the Eastern Time zone which are all signals that the end of this great adventure is near. Mixed emotions – what else can I say?

I can say thanks to everyone who has demonstrated confidence in me by supporting the American Lung Association and the Big Ride Across America! Your contributions have supported a great cause and allowed me to realize a life long dream – for that I’m extremely grateful!