I almost immediately encountered the Sugar River Bike Trail, which runs 23 miles to the town of Broadhead. There were plusses and minuses associated with riding on this particular trail, but in the end the plusses won and I quite enjoyed it. I was just about the only person out there on this hazy, hot, humid day, and I used the same tactic as the previous day, ride as slowly as I could bear, so as to create the maximum breeze on my sweating body, for the least amount of effort. This trail was neither as popular as the Elroy-Sparta trail, nor as well maintained. In spots it was little more than two bare wheel tracks in a meadow, and in other places some new gravel had been carelessly laid down too thick and caused some treacherous riding. However, in the end, it was nice to be in the shade and out of traffic.
I did encounter a half-size replica of a covered bridge along the trail, and had to immortalize it for posterity (my family roots lie in Vermont), so I spent some film, and time, photographing it.
Some miles down the road I encountered a monumental car/truck accident, the first that I had come upon, and it was a beaut. There were no fatalities, but the car was so mangled that they had to remove the occupants by taking off the roof. This was very sobering, making me realize that there is danger out here, and trucks always win.
I eventually slipped through the heavy air all the way to my destination, the town of Elkhorn, but the man at the motel was surprised to see me before the next night. His wife had written me down for the wrong night. By sheer luck they still had a room left, and I learned a valuable motel lesson. Call in the afternoon to confirm, even if you are sure they got it right.
Babcock and Turner are closing in on Chicago from the west. The article in the PI read:
We touched Freeport, Rockford and Elgin, all nice, thriving places, but we did not happen to reach them late in the day, so we did not stay over at any of them. Northern Illinois is a charming country to wheel through. Not only are the roads usually good, but just at present the early apples are ripe and often hang invitingly near the highway. All crops are good here, as they are all along our route, though in Southern Minnesota the army worm has destroyed much grain. One field of oats, perhaps fifty acres, which we noticed was entirely used up, not one stalk in a thousand having any grain. The worm ascends the stalk, cuts off the grain and lets it fall upon the ground, a proceeding which seems like unadulterated maliciousness, for he does not eat the grain itself. They were crossing the road by millions, all going in the same direction.
But in a letter to Charles from the town of Stockton, dated July 28, 1896 he wrote:
...
Perhaps you had better send me a P.O. order for $10.00 to Chicago if you can scrape up that much.
We have been laying off so much for rain and I have had to lend Turner some and I am afraid I shall run short in Chicago.
...
In a letter sent from Chicago on June 30 he describes how the heat has forced him to alter his daily regime on the road:
The day was so hot that it was horrible riding though the roads were good. I lay under the trees part of the day, and towards night started on and rode till about 8:30 pm. It got too dark to see the road well and I lay down on the grass and slept about two hours till the moon came up, and then rode two or three hours. I got up at 4:00 and rode as I could stand it.
I lost Turner day before yesterday and I don't know whether he is in the city or not. Not knowing where he was I didn't contact Hales & Son and so made my entrance to the city unannounced.
So Turner has ridden on ahead, with all the money, and Babcock spent his last night before Chicago out on the road. I do believe they are ready for some R & R. I certainly am.
82 sticky miles, but the bike trail provided some good cover.
On the road, and finally looking the part.
Dennis