14 May 2007: Celebrity for a Day
Escaba to Marinette: 65.2 mi; 50s w/cool breeze --> ~80 degrees
For the first time in many days, the temperature warmed enough that I could finally shed my jackets by 1:30. The headwinds diminished to around 10 mph, easing my way somewhat, but I still barely averaged 13 mph. When I reached Menominee and took off my jacket, I finally noticed the underlying problem: the rear tire was rubbing horribly on the brakes. (The mechanic at the bike store quickly diagnosed a broken spoke, which likely happened late Saturday when my speeds started dropping.) Of course, there are two bright sides to my misfortune. One, it's a great way to get in shape for my other monster day tomorrow. Two, if I'd gone much faster today, I'd have missed my escort.
As I entered Menominee, a biker heading north called out, "Are you the biker I read about?" Jim had driven in from his home 20 miles away to escort me into town. I followed him to the bike shop, then to the library to check in with Pat Kosuth. We then went to a late lunch, where Jim told me of his upcoming participation in the World Transplant Games in Thailand. (He had a kidney transplant in the early 80s.) Jim then guided me to my hotel, then to the newspaper offices where I picked up a copy of the article they'd printed.
When Jim left to pick up his truck, I returned to the library to type in a blog entry. At 6:00, Jim met me back at the motel, where I was showered and feeling half-way human again. Together we biked to the Theatre by the Bay on the UW-Marinette campus. Maureen met us there, and she introduced me to Kevin, who would handle my lighting and sound. Gosh - I feel almost like a professional! The talk was great, with over twenty people attending - perhaps my best speech yet.
Afterwards, Pat and Maureen took me out for a late dinner and conversation. Past that, Maureen went over maps of the territory I would cover tomorrow, plotting a route through the Green Bay metro area that would keep me on scenic country roads and decomissioned old highways (and away from traffic) as much as possible.
For the first time in many days, the temperature warmed enough that I could finally shed my jackets by 1:30. The headwinds diminished to around 10 mph, easing my way somewhat, but I still barely averaged 13 mph. When I reached Menominee and took off my jacket, I finally noticed the underlying problem: the rear tire was rubbing horribly on the brakes. (The mechanic at the bike store quickly diagnosed a broken spoke, which likely happened late Saturday when my speeds started dropping.) Of course, there are two bright sides to my misfortune. One, it's a great way to get in shape for my other monster day tomorrow. Two, if I'd gone much faster today, I'd have missed my escort.
As I entered Menominee, a biker heading north called out, "Are you the biker I read about?" Jim had driven in from his home 20 miles away to escort me into town. I followed him to the bike shop, then to the library to check in with Pat Kosuth. We then went to a late lunch, where Jim told me of his upcoming participation in the World Transplant Games in Thailand. (He had a kidney transplant in the early 80s.) Jim then guided me to my hotel, then to the newspaper offices where I picked up a copy of the article they'd printed.
When Jim left to pick up his truck, I returned to the library to type in a blog entry. At 6:00, Jim met me back at the motel, where I was showered and feeling half-way human again. Together we biked to the Theatre by the Bay on the UW-Marinette campus. Maureen met us there, and she introduced me to Kevin, who would handle my lighting and sound. Gosh - I feel almost like a professional! The talk was great, with over twenty people attending - perhaps my best speech yet.
Afterwards, Pat and Maureen took me out for a late dinner and conversation. Past that, Maureen went over maps of the territory I would cover tomorrow, plotting a route through the Green Bay metro area that would keep me on scenic country roads and decomissioned old highways (and away from traffic) as much as possible.
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