Ames IA

Ok Ames has been a good town.

It's most definitely the biggest town on the list for us. Not even
sure where I'll be tomorrow.

Did the entire ride today in just a shade under 4 hours averaging
slightly under 15 mph. I think tomorrow we ride 70+ miles.

The hills have pretty much disappeared but they've been replaced with
some major headwinds. Sure would be nice to get about 30 miles of
tailwinds for a change. I know I know I'm whining again.

The day was absolutely beautiful. Blue skies. Wispy clouds. Not hot.
No humidity to speak of. Friendly crowds the whole way.

Got in right before noon. Set up my tent and decided to splurge on a
massage. $90 it cost me with a tip. And it wasn't all that good. Trust
me. I'm in the massage biz. I know good. We wouldn't have hired this
guy. Oh well it was fine to just lie there and get my muscles
stretched for an hour.

Hung out in downtown Ames all night. Ate too much. Forgot I paid for
dinner back at the camp and I missed giving them my laundry to do too.
Sigh. It wouldn't be so bad except I paid for both services. $20
total. Oh well.

I probably wouldn't have done the massage if I had known I was going
to have to replace my pedals. One broke completely and it cost $85 to
buy a new pair. Ouch. But they're like the tires. The bike ain't going
anywhere without them.

For anyone familiar with Columbus. Ames is like a huge version of
Columbus's Short North. It's a big college town just like cowtown.

The sun has gone down and now I'm facing a 30 minute ride home in the
dark. I don't have lights on the bike so n need to make sure to watch
fir folks who won't be able to see me.

All right all 4 of you reading this thing. I'm gonna pray my shoulders
let me sleep tonight. No trains but the loudest human being I've ever
encountered is in the next tent to me. Sigh.