Pedaling Pilgrim Blog Home

Miles to date: 2,695.4

It was quite a fun way to spend a Friday getting back on the road. After a few relaxing and reparative days at home, I set out on the bike at 6:15am with my son Isaac. His apartment is in Villa Park, 22 miles away and 30 feet off the Prairie Path that I roads into Chicago. It’s the longest time I’ve spent on a bike with Ike. It was a surprisingly beautiful, sunny morning, made for a bike ride on the path. Ike’s work day starts at 8:00, and we were diverted from our planned path through Fermilab, so we kept a fairly brisk pace on our morning commute. I like to bike with Ike down the pike with my scruffy vandyke.

I said my goodbyes to Ike outside the old Ovaltine factory where he rents a loft. The I had a coffee at the Central Perk and waited for my next escort; Oliver from Sturdy Shelter Brewery lives in nearby Wheaton and he offered to ride with me to Oak Park. His round trip ride after dropping me in OP would be 37 miles, or roughly 1% of the total duration of my coast-to-coast journey. His goal was to experience just 1% of what I experience; from here out I’ll just look at him as 1% of the man I am. 🙂 It was great to have Oliver along, especially as he knew most of this route which was unfamiliar to me; and he could shelter me from the east words that were increasing. Oliver said his sister proposed that they do a similar coast-to-coast journey in the future; when they do I will happily serve him in some similar 1% fashion.

Oliver left me at Tim and Tara Dull’s home. Tim is another fraternity brother from Valparaiso University who I’ve known since 1987. Tara was there to greet me as Tim was finishing a conference call; knowing I need to remain hydrated and fueled she had a pitcher of water and fruits on hand before scrambled eggs and English muffins were prepared. I’m not sure how or why I’ve been able to attract and retain friends like the Dull’s, who are just fantastic humans, but I’m grateful to know them and enjoy every moment I spend with them. As we are, Tara asked what has been my most “spiritual” moment of this journey? It’s a tough question that I’m still pondering: God has met us many places in many ways across 2,600 miles of roads. But I responded by retelling the Sally Slayer experience: after a long and difficult day, needing to find stealth camping in the middle of nowhere North Dakota, the ramshackle shack in the cow pasture served as some kind of comic relief to lift our spirits and acted as a reminder that we really don’t need much. We had food, water, sufficient shelter in our packs, and each other – certainly we don’t need anything more. I know we three pilgrims all enjoyed that simple evening on the prairie as we were buffeted by a midnight storm knowing we were still held in the palm of a hand that we can’t comprehend.

After breakfast Tim and I set off for downtown Chicago; we were due to reconnect with Geeto at Buckingham Fountain at 11:30. It was my third ride of the day, and this was the most urban experience since Portland OR. As the third most populous city in the US, there was a lot going on there on a Friday morning. The city has invested smartly in making a more bike-friendly environment. Tim has been periodically commuting to work in the city for 34 years and he’s seen a lot develop and improve in that time. You still need to be aware of opening doors from parked cars, plenty of broken glass and litter, and the plenty of pedestrians and e-scooters and bikes. Our ride to Millennium Park was a wonderful experience, though it seemed too brief.

Then, we rolled up to Buckingham Fountain where I saw the familiar blue bike with a heavily loaded back rack, and a familiar man with neon jacket and blue helmet. Though Geeto seemed to rediscover his razor during his downtime; he looked younger and thinner; I was already missing Papa Smurf but Geeto looked exuberant and ready to charge back into action.

While it was great to reunite with Geeto, we shared thoughts about our time away. It was wonderful to be home with our wives; these relationships are precious and wonderful; voluntarily departing and introducing distress and strain in place of care and support seems wrong, selfish and senseless. We shared a hug, though we also harbored and expressed some doubt about our continued commitment to this journey. I look forward to more brief chats with Geeto in the coming days as two guys who keep their feelings close to their chest try to share in as few words as possible.

Having traveled 42 miles from Batavia to this reunion, we now had 55 miles to go to Lecy’s house in Porter Indiana, where our wives and other friends were going to meet us for a celebration dinner. We faced occasional winds and rain, but most of the route followed trails to protect from traffic and enable some shelter from the wind.

With 25 miles to go, we stopped for a saddle break. As we rested, two bike packers rode up to us. They were from Guildford England, nearby where my family lived 2007-2010 in County Surrey. Dave had ridden here from Seattle, Mark flew into O’Hare last night to meet and join the remainder of the trip to D.C. We had traveled different routes but were somehow fated to cross paths at this point in NW Indiana. We shared a few stories then went our separate ways, us angling north and them heading east.

After 97 miles and making the most dangerous highway crossing of our journey – Highway 20. It was a steady flow of Friday rush hour traffic across an intersection where our only protection was a flashing yellow light – indicating to speeding cars that their paint may be scratched by glancing blows with cyclists. Shootman and Lecy met us two miles from home to provide escort and additional Highway 20 targets; we crossed in ones and twos as we felt comfortable, and crossed without incident. Tomorrow it will be nice to return to trails.

We had a 14-person dinner party: My wife Christin and Geeto’s wife Chew made another sacrifice to drive out and share one more evening. It was strange thinking we just left them at home less than 12 hours ago. Tara Dull showed up with Jon Rachiele (who you may recall from the Dutch Hollow Swallow); he wanted to encourage more gluttony before another grand departure. Bill and Leah Rohde were there with possibly the most delicious key-lime pie possible. Bill has been planning to ride with us to Stevensville MI. And, we had a surprise visit from Paul Tilden and his wife Mary Ellen; I hadn’t seen Paul in decades, and I was excited to learn he will also join us for our Porter departure. We’ll have 7 guys, Valpo fraternity brothers aged 58-60 riding into Michigan; it will be a grand departure.

Bill Rohde, one of my most cerebral friends who has a most diarrhetic mouth, said to me, “Look at all these people you’ve brought together; look at what you’ve done.” I don’t feel like I deserve that credit, though I acknowledge that this journey that we three pilgrims have shared was the impetus for this gathering. We enjoyed a lovely meal provided by Mark and Deana, with sides provided by guests, and copious bottles of wine – including a couple of Reali Family Cabernets. It was a memorable night and I’m grateful for everyone who celebrated with us.

We have a short 45 miles from Porter to Michigan: Day 37: Porter to Stevensville

For song addition today, I’m not going to play Peaches and Herb. My mood is more for the Allman Brothers as we have some sorrow of departing; the seeetness of it I suppose is knowing I’ll be home again in 9 days.Come and Go Blues. I’m going to double down on that offering with this: Trying to Live My Life Without You.