23rd May 2018 Wednesday – Hot, Hot & Thice Hot

Hello Everybody!

Route: Clinton to LaCygne

For the non-mathematicians out there:

Distance: 64 miles (Total 1,518)	Average speed: 13.5 mph
Calories: 3,400	Cycling time: 4h 40min
Average cadence: 71 rpm	Climb: 2,165ft, Descent: 2,054ft
Heart (yes I have one): Max 136 Aver 116	Aver Temp: 32C, Max temp 37C
Temperament: Relatively easy given wind direction, and not many lumpy bits

I left a very sunny Clinton behind me and also dear Katy, bless her.

Today was hot and straight as you can see. 36C @ noon and 30 miles on one road until a turn takes place. Still, the wind was not exactly against me but certainly on my side. Most of the route was on rural roads with some climbing but climbing that makes sense i.e. a climb that lasts a bit longer than it takes to make a cup of tea, unless Ruth is making it and then it takes foreverrrrrrrr.

I ended up stopping after 21 miles in Ballard where there are no services available accordingly to the ACA. Well, I looked at the cafe building and the neon sign showed “OPEN” on it. There was a note on the door which typically means “you fell for it again Swinhoe” but it just mentioned the Memorial weekend coming.

I entered the cafe and was instantly cooled by the AC – this experience I will never tyre from. That’s the American tyre, not our tire. The waitress looked as if she’d seen a ghost as it was very quiet i.e. when I entered the cafe, the cafe also received its first customer of the day.

I said something along the lines of “are you really here or are you just a mirage?”. It turned out that the camel in the car park actually belonged to the local Doctor which is what had caused the additional confusion in my tiny brain. I sat down and ordered my steady eddie i.e. Rootbeer and after reading bits of the menu I also ordered some “Suzies” i.e. curly chips and a carrot cake. Both of these items are now my #1 in my list of best curly chips and best carrot cake. As I was paying I mentioned this to the chef, who was the sister of the waitress I think. I also let it slip that I was a UK carrot cake auditor and so my opinion was based on eating and judging many, many carrot cakes. She believed me but I let on to her sister that perhaps I was not telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I gave them business cards and I wish I could have stayed for lunch just to see what new “number ones” I would get to add to my “number ones” list that I have now just started. 

Actually, the whole experience felt magical as it was not supposed to be there and nothing should ever be that good. However, there is more magic to follow. [EDITOR NOTE: You can’t stop yourself can you? Come on Catweazle, back to reality]

Anyway as you can see from the photos the road was long and unwavering and very hot to boot. Imagine cycling 30 miles from the very start before any turning points – oh deary deary me and a final oh dear just in case.

So I made my way along to just outside La Cygne or The Duck-Billed Platypus in French. I had booked to stay in a luxurious cabin in the woods, also just near a big lake and something else not so nice to look at – see photos.

I turned right off the main highway but my confidence was still shattered from the Brownsville River x 2 Catastrophe from Blog #whatevericantbebotheredtolook itupsodoityourself. About 250m after turning I pulled into a drive just as a white truck came out of the, as it happens, ranch drive. I asked if I was on the right road to the campsite and they said: “Yes, just half a mile up the road”. I replied, “Thanks that’s the best answer I’ve had all day”. We then went our merry ways, with the truck going the way I was only a little bit faster. 

After another 250m the truck stopped and as I got closer they waved for me to stop. I pulled up alongside and they asked me what I was doing and what I was doing it for. I told them and then they gave me a single US bill….. for $100!!!!! x 100. I thanked them very much and took their photos. So a massive call out to Woody (far right) and David (driving) for being such brilliant people. What a magical place American is – I love it and all the people I’ve met so far. I was also very moved by such a wonderful display of kindness.

Odd things during the day:

These photos show the view from the main highway of where I would be staying and also the view I might have. Well, it could have been worse, it could have been the view I had on the way to Alton instead.

Not such a nice view

Beautiful view

Onto the campsite and after turning into the drive I thought I was cycling back to Clinton as the route careered all over the place – they even had a one-way system. If I’d seen a red light things would have been said, very politicly, to someone who was most certainly not in charge.

My cabin was the most “rustic” of the trip so far – with some free ventilation that was not charged for. Terrif. Anyway it did very nicely and allowed me to sleep soundly until I was woken by waking myself up in the AM of the morning.

Ventilated walls

Luxury, pure luxury

The view of the factory

Pleased to see this

My evening meal - crisps are a good source of salt,
which I needed. Franklin had some also.

Blossom safe and sound for the night

I was sharing the cabin with a spider

Love & Kisses, Alan “Catweazle for the day” Swinhoe xxx + Franklin

PS after messing about with the new "Give me your email address or else" from an earlier post I got this from Google the other day. I wish I was making it up but at least you are now formally told. Or are you?