6/27 Swedish Days Ride

First bike event of the year was fun and challening. First off we got there about 8 in the morning and it looked like it was about to rain. It was already thundering. I got my que sheet and the t-shirt. This is the 41st annual Swedish Days ride.

Almost as soon as I got on the bike it started to rain, I kept going. For the first 18 miles it was a downpour, with lightning and thunder added in. I still kept a 11 mpg average somehow. It wasn't really that tough of terrain.

First rest stop was at the forest preserve in Hampshire. Well stocked and even a Luou theme to it, nice. Something diffrent.

The second part of the ride was ok, it finally stopped raining about mile 20 or so. The thing is my hands turned purple, I guess the paint from the handlebars was coming off in the rain or something. It was weird, and the first time that had happend.

I will say this what I learned in a year or actually its more like a month or so about gears really helped because it was easier going up hills.

The only bad part was i got passed by a truck, and at the stop sign he made a sudden stop and I almost went into the back of his truck. He yells roads are for cars not bikes. Maybe someone needs to read the rules of the road. oh well.

The second rest stop was at the same site as the first, the second part of the ride was only 11 miles or so, it was getting more difficult. I was soaked from the downpour, and now it was starting to get hot out.

The third part was weird as I took a couple of wrong turns. I also got off the bike to tie my shoe and a cop comes around and first asked if I was ok, then said they had been getting complaints about riders in the middle of the road. He said if he caught any they would be getting a citation. Well since I dont do that I just nodded and smiled and went on my way.

The wrong turn took me past Hampshire high school. THen I got back on track and then near the start/finish of the ride, Central High near Burlington, I took a wrong turn and went back and started following the first part of the ride again.

Finally I just went into Burlington itself and found my way back to the high school and called it a day.

54 miles, 4 hours and 44 minutes.

I did better then I did last year where I only survived 28 miles. In 09 it was very windy and I know im in better shape now compared to then