July 7, 2023
Day 14: Defiance, OH to Huntington, IN
In which I have about had it with bad cycle infrastructure
"A light wind swept over the corn, and all nature laughed in the sunshine."
-Anne Bronte
Most of the time I assume nature is laughing at me for undertaking such a foolish quest. That seemed the case today.
My stay in Defiance was right downtown, and I located a restaurant that was open early (6am). The downtown is cute and all arranged around the county courthouse.
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On closer inspection a lot of the storefronts didn't have much happening in them. This one seemed to be trying to sell old CRT monitors - in 2023???
Bud's Restaurant has been open over 80 years. There was a regular group of 70+ year-olds in there and from the conversation, I gathered they ate here every morning. It was standard diner fare, but that's all I needed for cycling-fuel.
The morning went well - the wind was mostly off my back right shoulder, so pretty close to a tailwind and I wasn't fighting against it.
Yesterday, I resorted to carving off 5-mile chunks of the ride, resting, drinking, sometimes eating at every iteration (in the shade if there was any). This morning I was able to stretch those breaks to every 10 miles.
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Go dad go! 🚴
10 months ago
10 months ago
I was pretty sure the little road I was on wouldn't have a "now entering" state sign, so I caught this one off an overpass. Indiana makes 5 of the 6.
Fort Wayne undid most of the time gains I had made. Parts of the cycle infrastructure there are pretty good. I was on a 3-mile trail into town that was pleasant and easy to ride.
Going out of town was the opposite! Apart from the Wabash & Erie trail it was all slightly wider sidewalks on very busy roads. Lots of driveways, streets, and other busy roads to cross. Many stops. It was infuriating!
So my pace (which had been north of 14mph) dropped to the low 13s.
Add to that the wind shifted around and became my enemy again after noon, mostly off my left front shoulder.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melilotus_officinalis
10 months ago
I got to my destination about 4pm, and I now have a new rule. No more Comfort Inns! Nothing wrong with the actual facility - more where it is. There have been two on this trip, and both seem to be located at the convergence of chain-hell and highway-hell. Only chain restaurants, roads without sidewalks or pedestrian crossings, and just never-ending traffic. They're off my list! We'll see how the Super-8 tomorrow does - it may be much the same.
Tomorrow is almost a rest day - only 50 miles to Rochester, IN.
Today's ride: 85 miles (137 km)
Total: 785 miles (1,263 km)
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