Day 51: Through Illinois and into Indiana!

I had a late start this morning because I slept in a bit, had to break camp and had a short ride. So I hit the road around 09:00 and was essentially lost by 09:45… I must have missed a turn on a farm road- it probably didn’t have a sign- and I ended up on a dirt road which then ended in a corn field. I think some farmer figured out a way to get a few more rows of corn- plow and plant the road! Who is going to know? Anyway, eventually I found a farmer and he gave me directions and got me straightened out. The problem is that most roads don’t go through, they go to a farm and then end, so every route involves many, many turns… The hills are definitely much more subdued in this part of the country- I would characterize them as low rollers. While I was still riding into the wind, it wasn’t real strong and was more of a quartering headwind- so not bad. I stopped and looked at a cornfield in some detail and what I saw surprised me. I thought that each corn plant had multiple ears of corn in various places on the stalk. The plants I inspected had only one ear per plant! Sometimes there would also be an underdeveloped second ear but it was typically much, much skinnier than the  normally developed ear. Everything around here seems to be feed corn (the ears are drying on the stalk) so I don’t know if sweet corn or other varieties are different. It is amazing to me that a 8′ – 10′ corn plant only produces one ear…Tomorrow I shall inspect soybeans. Other than that, the ride was pretty uneventful and then I rode into Morocco, Indiana (state #9!). Apparently the roads I am on are too small to warrant Welcome to Indiana signs. I stopped in a Dollar General in Morocco and bought a Dr. Pepper, a box of Nutter Butter cookies, a box of Fig Newtons and an ice cream bar. Good snack. I finally made it to the WS farm where I am staying tonight. My host, Kyler, had to take his wife to the ER so he left the door to the bunkhouse open for me. When I propped my bike against the bunkhouse and started up the steps about 50 turkeys rushed me- they must have thought I was going to feed them. Daily mileage: 54, trip miles: 2,700.

Nice roads with gently rolling hills and zero traffic:

Some unnamed river- all rivers are slow moving and muddy:

Lots of these wildflowers beside the road:

 

More woods in the area now:

The sign that will have to suffice as the obligatory Welcome to Indiana sign: 

 

The turkeys that welcomed me. NOTE: I made a very short video to enhance your viewing pleasure:  

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