July 21, 2021
Day 10 - The day after I tried to rent a car and failed
Yesterday I rode from Madison to Columbus. Today I rode back. It seems kinda pointless, but there were good reasons for both rides.
Yesterday I was trying some new riding styles which enabled me to avoid the slump that was hurting my back and threatening to end this tour. Those changes - mostly I was over compensating to keep the slump from ever starting since I knew from experience that once it started I couldn't reverse it and adding some extra padding to the seat on the slump side to make it easier to overcompensate. I knew the extra padding helped from my earlier attempt, and yesterday I used that knowledge and focused on my body position while I rode. It worked. I was still quite tired after 50 miles of riding, but my back wasn't sore.
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When I got to US 31 today after 5 miles of riding, I turned to head south. Heading south lasted less that 100 yards since the shoulders on the road went completely away. I was facing a narrow road with heavy truck traffic in both lanes. This was not a good situation for my survival odds in the 20+ miles to Seymour, so I immediately turned around and got back on IN 7, heading for Madison. During the five miles I rode to the IN 7 / US 31 intersection I had been debating which way to go, so it was no big deal to select the IN 7 option.
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The biggest advantage to going down 31, which I had ridden in both directions before, was that, despite Google Maps claim that both route were essentially flat, I knew, from experience, that the riding would be easier going south on 31.
Riding to Madison had the advantage of 'taking me home' and, I hoped, of letting me get a room at the Englewood Motel where I first stayed, with my wife and young kids, the first time I came back to Madison over 30 years ago. I've stayed there many times since since Madison has almost always been on my route to/from Bloomington . that didn't work out today because the Englewood had no vacancies.
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When I found I couldn't stay at the Englewood, I fell back on my backup motel, The Best Way Inn which was fancier motel before it fell on hard times and re-created itself as a slightly less expensive version lacking some of the basic amenities - like coat hangers which I use for drying my wash- and making up for it with very friendly / helpful staff. For comparison, two night ago I was at the Super 8 on this same long 'strip' that cost me $87 a night while this costs me $77.
There is a good local Mexican restaurant that shares a parking lot with this motel while the Super 8 is surrounded national fast food chains. I made the mistake of ordering a decent draft beer without specifying size. My quart(!) of Dos Eques Lager cost me $4 and my entire dinner with the beer and tip was $20. I was unable to finish the beer, but I finished the large meal with a smile on my face.
Tomorrow i'm heading east along the Ohio river on the Indiana side. The, very flat, road is called the Ohio River Scenic Drive. There may be an inexpensive place to stay roughly 20 miles up river. That place is associated with a Casino and their lodging price is apparently demand driven. If it is too high, I'll head back a few mile and cross the river on he next bridge up-river from Madison into Kentucky where I'll have motel options at 40 and 65 miles.
Today's ride: 51 miles (82 km)
Total: 372 miles (599 km)
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We stayed at a casino in New Mexico while touring. The room itself was cheap and very nice - the problem was that the casino allowed smoking and shared a ventilation system . . . hopefully the place you are aiming for is equally cheap.
2 years ago