After a two month break from riding, I had a pretty good week, riding 77 miles between Thursday and Saturday. I have not yet penetrated Illinois this year, but I know I will soon.

The week before, I took a ride with the Destroyers on the Karkaghne section of the Ozark Trail. It was 18 degrees and snowing at the time. We had to run up most of the hills. Dick, in all of his usual exuberance, was marking off the highest point he reached on every hill. Dick, Gibbs, and I rode together most of the day. Reed and Hall did their own thing, riding back and forth on a snow covered fire-road most of their day. I finally wised up, jumped ship, and took the short cut back to the truck with Reed and Hall. It was an extremely good choice for an out of shape, extremely exhausted, out of shape person to make. Not all of the hand and foot warmers in the world could keep me warm on such an extremely cold day.

I consulted my book after the ride and determined that we were all winners. Especially after checking into Colton's, a bar and grill that served up some incredibly tasty food and beer.