Day 55

86 miles, a new record distance and another State

State No 8

Swamps of Indiana

Bad to the bone

The cause of Tracey’s flat tyre

Tracey & Hanna at Brick Oven Pizza

Oh yes, who doesn’t like a French Lick, mmmm!

Well what a day! 

We knew we had a long ride today, I replanned the route after scrutinising the maps for some time but we set off knowing it was going to be about 90 miles. 

We left Mt Carmel about 0630 and 20 minutes  later we crossed into Indiana state No 8 of our trip. 

We passed corn, soy beans, oil pumps, swamps and sadly rusting lovely cars from the 50’s. How I would like to own this car and have the skills to make it gleam again. It reminded me of ‘Christine’ the John Carpenter book / film. 

Entering Huntingburg we found the Brick Oven Pizza restaurant and dashed in to avoid a looming thunder storm. It was a wise choice as both the food and the staff were magnificent. When we came to leave Hannah and John came to see us off and to take some photos for their Facebook page. It was then we noticed the flat tyre on Tracey’s bike. I soon found the culprit, a small piece of wire from a car tyre , damn thing. Anyway we changed the inner tube and we were off. 

86 miles later two worn out cyclists arrived in French Lick (apparently so named because 1. It was founded by the French and 2. Rich mineral deposits in the stones were licked by animals that knew their nutritional value). I much prefer the vaguely erotic and somewhat childish ideas that I came up with.

86 miles is our longest ride, we have cycled 289 miles in 4 days, today I used 4473 calories. We go to Madison tomorrow and then cross into Ohio, the states are coming thick and fast now. 

That however will have to wait. I am heading to bed with weary legs.