Miles 2514 to 2609, 95 miles (and 6 bonus miles to see train museum),790 feet of climb, max speed 30 mph, avg speed 15 mph, wind was not a big factor.
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| Downtown Cisco IL |
Best news up front! My brother John traveled down from his home in Grayslake IL to spend the evening with us. I say 'us' because the group of riders and staff immediately made him feel like a member of the group. We all had diner together and John got to talk to many of the riders. It was a treat to sit in his car, i.e., padded seats for the whole seat. I never realized how nice a car seat could feel on a tender toushie. He is staying the night at our hotel.
Michelle, our ‘cruise director’ made a special point to me at last night’s Route Rap that there was a train museum in Monticello, IL. It was out of the way, but it sure was fun. Since it was Saturday the scenic trains were running. It was nostalgic watching the old passenger cars go by. A common understanding among the riders is that I stop for any and all trains or things that look like trains, smell like trains, or sound like trains. I am the tour’s tourist in a sea of bikers. That is okay. I enjoy sharing my pictures with my new friends at dinner. The common phrases are ‘where did you see that’ or ‘I saw that too.’ One of my favorite towns today was Cisco. The local volunteer fire department hosted our rest stop today. The town of 300 souls has a city sized mission for its firemen: 30 miles of interstate, 300 square miles of land, a grain elevator, 20 miles of rail, a town of old wooden structures, and for giggles, a nuclear power plant. The above picture is that of downtown Cisco. The image was irresistible to me; all the lines pointing towards a vanishing point. What a perfect description of riding the flats of Illinois.
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| Adel and the PPP Express |
The gem of day was a lady name Adel. Her and her father run a recession-proof business in Monticello that some might say is a thankless job. She would disagree. People are very glad when they show up because it is always in response to a crisis, and when they leave, the crisis goes with them. The father customized their purple truck, to include a steering wheel in the center of the cab. The name of the company, and painted on the side of their (very loud and in need of a muffler) truck is “Purple Poop Pumper” Adel is a very happy young lady and will take over the family business as dad enters into retirement. Sometimes the best blessing in life is finding a vocation that you can enjoy. It may be lowly; it may be lofty; but if you help people and enjoy your job, even the stinkiest job can be a divine calling. Some jobs do require you to wash your hands more often. Just ask Adel, my diamond of the day.
Bottom Line: I got some unmentionable compliments today that money could never buy. Attributes that I have never noticed before are blooming within me. I thought I knew me. Surprise!
Looks like your visit with family is just around the corner. I hope you enjoy their visit.
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