Started out the day with a solid breakfast prepared by my gracious host, Chris, and by about 9:30, I was on the road, figuring I'd get a bit past Indianapolis by day's end. My butt was still pretty sore, but the legs were feeling good, and without too much wind, I was averaging a consistent 20mph.
Anyway, it was about lunchtime when I cruised into the town of Knightsbridge... I saw some little old ladies with a food cart that looked better than anything else in town, so once I reached the end of Main Street, I figured I'd turn around. Before I could, some old guy, who had to be damn near 70, rides up on a beat Scattante road bike - a generic aluminum thing from Performance that isn't known for speed. Not that the guy on the touring bike should be talking, but hey... Anyway, he says, "How far you headed?" I say, "Well, eventually San Fran, but today a bit past Indianapolis." He replies, "Well, you won't be impressed, but today I'm going to Indy and back!" I wave, and turn around to get some lunch. I had a beef tenderloin sandwich which was huge and awesome, and a "Coney Style" hot dog so bad I didn't finish it. This coming from the guy who has pretty much never said 'no' to something that once mooed or oinked... Guess hot dogs aren't an Indiana thing.
So, with lunch done, I grab water at the local convenience store, and look at my watch - it's only been about 15 minutes since old man winter passed me, so I decide, with only 30 miles to Indy, that I'll play time trial, and try to gun him down. After all, he's gotta be at least 70, how long could it take? And who says you can't go for speed when you're "touring"? I click into the big boy gears, and take off - it's flat, there's no wind, and the speedo is reading 25mph, sometimes as high as 28. Apparently so fast bugs get stuck to my speedometer sensor:
I figure, on some of the straight stretches, I should at least be able to see grandpa. I give chase for literally an hour and a half, and hit a straight stretch with at least 2-3 miles of visibility, but the guy is nowhere to be seen. I begin to hope that he had turned off onto another route, and ease up on the pace, officially giving up when a few miles outside Indy I stopped to see a sharp, mustard yellow, '72 Buick Centurion convertible parked in a car dealers lot. $4500, and only 72,000 miles - I may have to go back for that...Anyway, as I get rolling again, I hear the rattling sound of something rolling around in my rim... hmmm, that's not good. I stop to take a look at notice a rear spoke has snapped right at the threads, and the spoke nipple was rolling around in there. Super. With a slight wobble, I keep going, and with luck clearly on my side on this day, I see Indy Cycle Specialist coming up on the right. I stop there, get the wheel fixed, and fill up on water from their cooler. Nice guys, and the service was fast and inexpensive. Anyway, one of the guys, Joe, asks me if I'm going to Ribfest in Indianapolis - given that I'm basically obsessed with barbecue, I press him for more info. Turns out it's a huge BBQ festival with live music right in downtown Indy. Score.
Wheel fixed, and BBQ on the brain, I cruise into Indianapolis, which immediately strikes me a place with good vibes. Happy looking people, lots going on in the downtown, etc... I was particularly interested by the amazing soldiers and sailors memorial in the middle of the city:
Scattered through the park there's also a variety of sculpture, and these cool canals right in the city where you can hop in a kayak or paddleboat(kegs in canoes, anyone?):
Anyway, I cruised around the city to White River Park, where 'Ribfest' was being help - as the park is rather large, I didn't find it right away. Continuing through the park, on a grassy portion of land overlooking the river, I spotted a few tents, and what looked like serious grills going - my first thought was, okay, maybe this is ribfest. A little smaller than I thought, but hey, BBQ is BBQ. In what proved to be another serendipitous moment, I met Jim Lingenfelter and his wife, Georgia Cravey. It turns out that Jim has himself ridden across the country, and has an excellent collection of bikes, including a new custom tandem he and Georgia are going to use for an adventure in the near future...Anyway, Jim and I discussed bikes, travel, etc, for a few minutes, but as I still hadn't seen the actual Ribfest and darkness was coming in a couple hours, I said goodbye, and cruised over to the festivities. Once there, I got a decent pulled pork sandwich, and checked out the music venue. Fun, but the food and music would have been better with 5 or 6 beers in me - but I think they designed the event that way on purpose.
Leaving ribfest, I decide to swing back by where Jim and his group of friends had set up their spread overlooking the river to say goodbye. Of course, we end up talking a bit more, and after a couple minutes, I have a beer in my hand, and after a few more, a pulled pork sandwich, and some jerk chicken made by one of Jim's friends. Definitely superior to the supposedly "professional" BBQ I had just a few minutes prior at Ribfest.
Before you know it, we're all having a good time, the sun is going down, and suddenly I realize I need to figure out where the hell I'm going to sleep. Fortunately, Jim,being a fellow cyclist, and well-versed in the random experiences inherent to touring, offers me a place to stay. With beer and BBQ in hand, it was easy to say yes! What Jim won't tell you, is that's he's actually a hell of an arcitecht as well a cyclist - in addition to a number of projects across the country, he oversaw the impressive restoration and re-design of the historic home he and Georgia live in.
After a good day of riding accompanied by some good fortune, and the company and hospitality of kind people, I fell soundly to sleep.
Downtown Indy at night:
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