Start Time: 6:40 AM CDT
Stop Time: 5:15 PM EDT
Start Location: Mason City, IA
Stop Location: Shipshewana, IN
Lodging: Shipshewana Campground
Breakfast: Campsite (central with almond milk)
Lunch: Subway (meatball sub)
Dinner: Bluegate Restaurant (awesome buffet)
Miles Traveled Today: 524
Weather: 63-82, Overcast for the first few hours of the day, Alternating between partly cloudy to sunny the rest of the day
States visited so far on this tour.
Route: Birch Street, 300th Street, US-18, US-218, I-380, I-80, IN-13, IN-120.
Today’s ride was another long one, but now the two longest ride days are behind me (lost an hour because of time zone changes on both days too).
Today started out like the last two days, with nasty storm clouds behind me, and open clear skies in front of me.
There is a spiritual lesson on Grace and Mercy in there somewhere.
Around 9:00am, the skies cleared, and it turned into another beautiful ride day.
Just before lunch, I crossed another state line.
Then a couple hours after lunch, I crossed another.
Then, when I jumped off I-80 to head south to my campground, I turned north for less than a mile to pickup one more state (after paying an $8.10 toll, the most I’ve ever paid in a single toll station).
I then hung a huey, and headed back south into Impure Indiana.
After checking in at the campground, I had to ride 4 miles south to eat at a restaurant highly recommend by my friend Beverly Moore.
Very glad Beverly took the time to tell me about the Blue Gate Restaurant. The food was the best I’ve had in a while.
Pretty much everything around here is advertised as Amish (including my dinner), and buggies are everywhere.
As I sit here typing this post, I can hear the clitter clatter of horse hooves on the pavement of the highway behind me.
Tomorrow I’m off to Youngstown, New York, and looking forward to Niagara Falls.
I have been reminded many times over the last week that the Republican Debates are on TV tonight, and my lovely bride offered to record it for me, an offer I declined.
I have not seen a TV, much less a TV show since leaving Florida weeks ago, and I still have another week and a day to go, so I’m not going to break my streak of no TV, no news, no politics.
In light of the Republican debate, I will however lift up a prayer instead of giving a Tour Tip and Product Review.
Father, I pray for our political and civil leaders, I ask that you would either replace them with or convert them to Statesmen.
Men and women who like our forefathers believe your word to be inerrant and relevant to all generations.
Men and women who believe the precepts and principles contained in your word to be objective, not subjective.
Men and women who seek to serve, not be served.
Men and women who respect life.
Men and women who respect our constitution.
Men and women who believe in personal responsibility of the individual.
Men and women who believe in limited, but effective government.
I ask these and all things in the name of Jesus.