Day 6: Lima, OH to Naperville, IL

Today was going to be a slightly longer day, about 305 miles. But we had planned on visiting another friend along the way. Spencer’s 1st grade teacher Mrs. Laniosz and her husband Tim, have a small farm outside of the Chicago area and she splits her time teaching school in CA during the year, and summers in Illinois. So we had checked with her and if it worked out we would stop by to visit. Again, the planets aligned and her place was only 30 minutes from our hotel.

The morning was (I hate to say this…) more of the same. Also in my ignorance, I had no idea that the rest of the country was mostly farmland. I have been to Nebraska many times, so I am not sure what I was expecting from the neighboring states, but there is really a whole lot of nothing out there. The “big cities” have the people of course, but once you get away from them, there are just farms and small houses that dot the countryside. All I have to say is we as a nation must consume a lot of corn and corn byproducts. Literally mile after mile is nothing but corn fields. The corn currently looks like it is about six feet tall, and I do love the way the it looks as the wind moves through the fields — like waves of green water rippling and flowing back and forth.

The afternoon was actually quite relaxing. The kids got to run around for a bit on Mrs. Laniosz farm, gather eggs, and play with her dog. We even went to the local ice cream place, called the Plush Horse, for some delicious homemade ice cream.

While we were out, Tim washed and detailed the bike and sidecar. How amazing is that! He did not want to let me continue my drive across the country with a dirty bike.

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