Yesterday

WE'D 6/16 -- Carbondale to Chester IL (54); back on the road after
bidding adieu to my sweetie (alas!) -- but we already have a
reservation at a B&B in Breckenridge CO, where the ride has a
scheduled layover day in early July. The group opted for the "levee
road" route option, which was definitely flat (I think that was the
key feature in people's decision-making), but probably a mistake,
because (a) we didn't really get many (any?) good views of the river,
and (b) there was a heavy volume of coal truck traffic on one big
stretch of road. (Also, a self-supported rider we've often been in
synch with took the other route and said it was great.) In fact, Joyce
got clipped by a big truck, which swung so close to her after passing
that it knocked off her handlebar mirror. Yikes.

I rode with Clive all day.
(UPDATED CLIVE PROFILE: He's clearly faster/stronger than me on the
uphills now, too, ever since he got a new saddle a week or so ago. I'm
guessing we're still comparable going sideways or backwards, but he's
got me every other way.)
Clive and I arrived in Chester, hard by the Mississippi and the MO
border (and home of Popeye -- who knew? (also, who cares?)), ahead of
the van, because, for the first ride after John's crisis, we had
decided as a group that the driver should park it mid-route and wait
for everyone to go by to ensure full water for everyone. Without
access to our gear, Clive and I took appropriate action and procured a
6-pack, which we consumed with our lunch in the town gazebo, next door
to the Popeye museum (see above comment), and watched the monster
trucks roll by.

Spent the not-very-restful night (hot; loud) in the "campground"
facilities of the Fraternal Order of Eagles (which I could not
distinguish from a simple bar/nightclub). The county police force
showed up to interview Joyce; he displayed appropriate unhappiness
with how she'd been treated by the truck. While he was there he
removed a local crazy guy from our midst, whose home, unfortunately,
overlooked our tents. He did NOT reappear during the night to ax-
murder anyone, as was the general concern.

(Sent from my iPhone)