Day 30: Crossing Da Riva'

66.91 mi max 45.0 5:06.41 avg 13.0

Yeah!!! Laura's the best EVER! She's going to send me her violin through the mail :-) People in camp have told me that I should play something, but we haven't come across a school with an available instrument, and of course, I didn't pack my own violin. It's been a long time since I've been so excited to play - it's something that I definitely take for granted! Or maybe absence makes the heart grow fonder...

At mile 17, we had our first water stop. It was actually at the Myers family house...very warm people. They follow the Ride, and put out a huge spread for us. It felt like a backyard party, even though none of us had met any of them before. They took our pictures and had trading cards which they'd printed off the internet...they'd read our blogs and knew all about our adventures - some of us were even interviewed. Paula was right when she said that we'd feel like celebrities.

We passed into Wisconsin today, over the Mississippi River. It was definitely more humid, and the hills were suddenly more noticeable.

The excitement for the day consisted of watching a Viroqua county highway crew dig a new hole for a sign, replacing one that had been graffitied. Oh, yeah, and there was a bee which made the poor decision to sting the back of my knee. Alan, our most chivalrous mechanic, valiantly pulled the stinger out of my skin. Later, he said that he was kind of hoping for an allergic reaction because he wanted to heroically pull out the epi-pen and stick me with it. I wasn't quite sure how to take that.......

Tonight I went to Culver's for a Concrete Mixer. It's kind of like a Blizzard at Dairy Queen, only it's WAAAAAAAAY better. I've never been a big fan of DQ, although it will do in a pinch. Culver's definitely beats DQ, though, hands down!

This evening, home is the Viroqua County Fairgrounds, and dinner was a $10 night. Mark, Paul, Katie, college Lucas, Dave F and I all went to the Viroqua Food Co-op. It reminded me a LOT of the Greenfield Co-op. The food was probably the best I've had all trip, and absolutely the best for my body. Although...my body might not know how to react since it isn't getting its normal dose of grease...

And, yes, one of the pictures above is of the largest six-pack in the world, in La Crosse Wisconsin...I guess everywhere ought to be famous for something....