CoralVille Iowa to Grand Rapids michigan

Week 6

Day 1
Monday, July 29: Coralville, IA to Fulton, IL. Click to view route map and turn by turn directions. 

Total distance: 158 k

Elevation: + 3480 / - 3522 ft

Overnight location: Unity Christian School

Started out riding with and group and ended riding the day with Sara. We rode well and stopped for coffee in some little town! It was delish :)

Dinner was served by the local crc and we had yummy corn on the cob. While we ate dinner in the schools gym a band played on the stage. Such wonderful entertainment!!

The day went terribly fast and was a good ride even though long. Handed out some cards when we stopped for a coffee.

Day 2
Tuesday, July 30: Fulton, IL to Shabonna, IL. Click to view route map and turn by turn directons.  
Total distance: 89.2 mi/143.6 km ACTUALLY 158 might as well round that to 160 and call it a century ... /100miles 

Elevation: + 1949 / - 1728 ft

Overnight location: Shabonna Lake State Park

Today was AWFUL!!  It was awful because it was wet, raining, cool, long, dreary, long, wet.... Windy and really exhausting ? Soooo it pretty much rained the entire day making it pure miserable and there is no way around it !?!?  

When into camp/ next destination put up tent in the rain, went to shower and then it was my sweeps teams turn to do supper. Served supper in the rain and ate in the rain, had peloton in the wet and then went to bed whereby it continued to rain til 4 am, where I was awoken shortly thereafter (4:45) by the super eager cyclists who like to be up and out early (psych) and then I couldn't fall asleep because all sorts of noises start to ensue.  Some of which are; bike tires being pumped, tent poles clanking and air mattresses being deflated and rolled!

So instead of restfully sleeping and preparing my body for Yet another day of cycling I got up and faced the day :) 

Today's highlight..... This gas station provided anyone who was with the tour hot beverages!!! Yippeee French vanilla for me :)

Day 3
Wednesday, July 31: Shabonna,IL to Lansing, IL. Click to view route map and turn by turn directions. 
Total distance: 89.4 mi/143.9 km

Elevation: + 1574 / - 1814 ft

Overnight location: Illliana Christian High School

Great ride today ! Today was super foggy for about the first 2 hours and then just remained heavy cloudy and gray! So thankful it's not raining!!

The lowlight- Shannon had a flat, but it enabled us to make a super tight right turn (a 180 degree- not well marked sharp turn)

While Shannon was pumping up her fixed flat I snapped a photo of this bee. 

I hung out with Shannon and a friend of hers from Her Calvin days after the ride and we went and had amazing ice cream!! I had salted caramel-- it's out of this world awesome!