Day 31

Quincy, IL to Springfield, IL -- 108 miles Today was a long ride in the rain but it was a great day. The first 75 miles was in the rain but it wasn't that bad because it wasn't hot and the winds were mild. It was nice not having to worry about being in the sun all day so I rather enjoyed riding in the rain for a change. As has become the norm for me lately, I rode most of the day by myself and only saw a few other cyclists. As it turned out, the reason I saw so few people is because I was at the front. I made good time to the first SAG stop where I refueled, dried off a little bit and was on my way. I rode with Linda Kasper (Tucson) from mile 71 the 2nd SAG, to the finish here in Springfield and by that time, the rain had stopped. We were soaking wet but it didn't seem to matter. We had a good conversation and made really good time. When 100 miles rolled up on my odometer just as we were coming into the city limits of Springfield, I was pleased to see that I had just ridden my fastest century ever! I averaged 17.1 mph and finished it in 5hrs. 50 minutes. I felt strong the whole way so I guess it's true that to become a strong rider you have to log a lot of miles and THAT we have done! We have one more 80 mile day tomorrow into Champaign and then a day off. We always look forward to those. My friend, Bernita Edelman, whom I met a massage conference, is going to hang out with while I'm in Champaign. I'm looking forward to seeing her since it's been over a year since I've seen her.