Today’s stats
Distance 114.1 miles
Time in the saddle 7.21 hours
Ascent 1841 feet
Average speed 15.2 miles per hour
Temperature low 80’s
Both Hank and I left camp at 630. I arrived in Algona 330 Hank arrived at 545.
The day started with rain. We had put out the lunch stuff on the tables and suddenly it started to rain. We scrambled to put all the stuff into the kitchen trailer. Fortunately Dordt was providing breakfast so we did not have to deal with that stuff. The winds were coming from the northwest. As we were biking west we had winds on our backs most of the way. It was really a joy to have the wind on our backs for once. We also had good roads and little traffic. We thanked the Lord for cool temperatures, overcast skies, good roads and the wind on our backs. It was a good day even though it was our longest day. Everyone felt good and pleased with his or her rides. No one said it was a bad day in spite of the many miles.
Joan, Paul and Teresa riding in the rain on a new road that was not yet open to traffic.
I started biking with Joan, Paul and Teresa Hoekstra. It was a good day inspire of the rain. This was our first real day of rain of the tour. So we have had 5 and half weeks without any significant rain. We had had a sprinkling in Sunnyside, but nothing significant. I wore my rain jacket ¾ of the day. I was wet and felt a chill so I kept my jacket on till the sun came out.
The terrain was again beautiful farmland of corn and soybeans. Everywhere we look we see fields of corn and soybeans. Local CRC churches served us refreshment in Hospers and Primghar. They served us doughnuts power bars and drinks. Thanks to the area churches for their hospitality and generosity. 
Refreshment stop in Pringhar. Thanks to the churches for a reprieve from the rain.
Along the route, I also saw my sister Pat and Her husband John. We had a short visit, as they wanted to get back to Grant Michigan by tomorrow night
Today I had my second flat tire. I hit a huge pothole and my tire and tube blew. Fortunately, Betsy’s SAG had a spare tire that I could borrow till I got into camp. I had 3 spare tires in our duffel. I had started the day a little anxious about my tire, as I had notice 4 cuts in the rubber of my back tire. A couple of guys looked at it and said I could probably get into camp, but I should change my tire when I get in camp. It would have been wise if I had changed my tire before I left. Oh well, I still finished biking the route for the day.
I also had my first fall of the tour. I was looking at a road sign to the right, we were biking north for a short distance, and we had a strong west wind that was pushing us off the road. I was close to the edge and suddenly found my self-going off the road. There was about 3-inch lip on the road. I tried to get it back on, but my bike went down and my chin hit the pavement and my knee hit the gravel. I have a bruise on my chin and a few cuts on my knee, but otherwise I am fine. My bike was fine.
Hank found his ride a little more difficult than he thought it should be. He complained that his back wheel seemed to be wobbling and not rolling smoothly. We had someone check it and a few spokes are loose. There are cracks on the rim. Verdict he needs a new rim. As the bike shop is closed and the bike shops in the area do not have the rims we need we borrowed a rear wheel from someone who is not riding right now. This will allow Hank to bike for the next couple of days till we get to Madison where we hope to buy a new rim. .
At the peleton meeting, Fred Meyerink shared the story about a good Samaritan. Several of the riders had missed a turn off and were out of the way. They did not know where they were. A man drove past and noticed them and stopped by. He apparently had heard about the sea to sea tour on the radio and TV and was a cyclist himself. He proceeded to load their bikes on his vehicle and brought them back to the place the missed their turn. It was a blessing for the men that someone stopped and helped them get back to where they needed to go.
We are sharing more God moments on the tour and it is becoming more apparent each day that God is really caring for us and interesting and different ways.
Map hanging in our gear truck making our progress across the country.
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