Day 22 Tuscola,Ill to Lebanon,In 121 miles @ 18.5mph

Absolutely perfect riding conditions again today! Another state closer to Massachussets!! We had a very strong wind out of the south today. The roads we ride are set up in grid pattern. About 1/2 the time we ride to the east...the other 1/2 to the north. When the wind is from the south, as it was today...it makes for some screaming fast tailwind legs! Most everyone ate breakfast in the hotel...except Ken and I, who opted for Dennys'! Neither of us able to pass up a real breakfast....especially with a 123 mile ride ahead! We watched the group roll by as we ate...figuring they had about a 20 minute head start. Shane came by to pay the bill...so it would be the 3 of us trying to make up the time we'd lost eating! Leg 1 was a crosswind to the east. Leg 2 was a 12 mile downwind section to the north...wooohoo! Shane is a powerhouse...so off we went! The two of us worked at the front with Ken hanging on as we stuck it at around 28-30mph! There were sections where we got to 32+. Around mile 18 , someone in Team Europe flatted. It's Shanes's job to help change flats...so it was down to Ken and I. I felt great today and kept the pace up...trying to get back up with Rob and Iain! These are little tiny field roads about 1 1/2 cars wide. You can go 10 miles without a car passing. It was funny to come upon Rob and more of the Landes clan out in the middle of an Illinois cornfield. She even had a sign that read: "Hi cousin Rob Landes"! I joked "what's next...skywriting?"
It's good to be another state closer to Mass. I have really enjoyed riding thru this part of the country. Our hotel tonight is directly across from a White Castle burger joint. I think there's one in my future!