Ride Day #9 - Stormy weather brings sunshine...

Well....unfortunately, I was pulled off the road today.
The route was a short 46 miles...and I only made it to mile 31.
But it was a CRAZY 31 miles! It was nuts...I mean N U T S !!!

All riders were pulled off the road due to extreme weather.

We were on a busy Interstate in the north east part of Iowa working our way south to Illinois.... paying close attention to the road because the pot holes out here can send you to the hospital quickly.....

Rain was pouring....Cars were whizzn' by us...spraying even more water on us....we were climbing hills....flyn' downhill.....the thunder was ROARING.....lightening was flashing in the sky.....but it was all so FUN in a scary sort of way. Somehow I felt like I was "getting away with something" because there was this overwhelming feeling of 'no way should I be doing this'....BUT I WAS !!!!!

Then, at mile 31..... It was as though the Principle came and made us come inside (the Tour Guides pulled up in the van and made us load our bikes and drove us the rest of the way to the hotel). --- (( I felt like pouting as any 9-year old kid playing in the rain would do!))

Prior to being pulled off, I was able to snap a couple of pictures......we rode thru a couple of old towns that looked like movie sets .....and saw some absolutely beautiful green forests. At one point I just couldn't believe the color of the forest--- It was truly truly magical---hard to describe how verdant, vibrant and rich the forest here is. It was cold, I was soaked to the bone....but I had bright sunshine in my soul!


The old town of Guttenberg ( from the mid 1800s)....

A sign on the door of the town Bar....

Weather, hills, fun......

A local merchant tucked away in the green forest...