Crawfordsville, IN to Indianapolis, IN.
54.7 miles (plus a detour, plus a sightseeing trip so an extra 20-25).
So today was sort of a strange day really. First it was a short day comparatively speaking of around 55 miles. Secondly we were going mainly Southeast before we will then head Northeast for a few days which sort of feels wrong but hey, it is was it is.
Anyway we were headed for Indianapolis and again I headed out with Terry with an idea that if we pushed it, we might actually beat Barry to the hotel with him giving us a 30 minute head start over this shorter distance. The first 25 miles to the SAG went well and we pushed it along together. Somewhere between 25 and 40 miles we came upon a sign that read ‘road closed ahead’ and a diversion sign. We decided to follow the diversion until it felt that we were heading away from our destination. So I then put the hotel into google maps and followed that route hoping it would get us back safely. After a detour of around 3 or 4 miles we were back on the original road, so we just carried on as before. I heard Terry let out a cry of ‘Oh No’ when I asked what was up his reply was “Barry”. Yep he got us again, the man really is incredible. So we all laughed when he caught us and then Barry headed off ahead and we followed further and further behind. Today’s route I didnt feel was the best as it took us through not a great part of town with some really bad roads. When we did finally reach the cycle paths they were very winding and so had to be ridden slowly, that’s great for an afternoon ride but for a trip across the country they seemed a little unnecessary to me but hey it was fine and didnt make much difference in the end.
Once at the hotel we found that the rooms were not ready again so some decided to head out for lunch. I wanted to go and see the Indianapolis Speedway as Subway have a lot to do with NASCAR and so I was sort of interested. Off I rode another 4 or 5 miles to the track, which I found was way bigger than I had imagined. There were some cars practicing for this weekends racing and so I couldn’t go in with my bike unless I had a ticket and left Irma outside which of course wasn’t going to happen. So I took a photo or two of my own racer outside the track and then thought what next. As my hero support team from SRAM had rescued me in Arizona and I knew SRAM headquarters were here in Indianapolis I decided to look them up. It was just a few miles further North to the Zipp wheel factory and SRAM HQ so off Irma and I went. It was a nice ride as it turned out and before I knew it I was standing outside a very impressive industrial building. I didnt have an appointment so just got some pictures when I couldn’t find a reception and had chatted to one worker having a break. So I tried not to bother anyone as I had heard they did not do tours etc.. Then it was back in the saddle and a really nice ride back to the hotel through a very nice area of town and along a really good bike path next to the river almost all the way back to the hotel.
Having put another 20 miles on my day it was time for a hot bath, some food and a nap. When I woke I decided to go and buy some fluids as the hotel was ripping you off with the amount they charge for Pepsi or water. I have no idea why hotels do this, as for how much they make on these items compared to how badly you think of them ripping you off doesn’t add up. Just charge $5 more for the room and normal prices for drinks makes way more sense to me. Anyway while I was out in search of fluids I walked along the canal district which was a nice area so I guess I have to thank the hotel for making me go out really. Dinner tonight was at an Italian restaurant for the group, however as Terry was off with family Mike, Barry and myself decided we would try something different and so went to Ruth Chris for a good steak and got exactly that.
So a short ride day but not a rest day. A really nice city but only a few hours to spend here. Ah well its back to the grind tomorrow with 72.5 miles to Richmond, IN. I am hoping that the winds are going to turn for our last two weeks but to be honest it hasn’t looked like it so far. Yet every day we inch closer to Boston and nothing seems quite so bad as we get ever nearer to the completion of Our Big Adventure.