Overachieving - Day 71: Urbana to Custer Park, IL

I finally convinced myself to leave again about two full weeks after I arrived in Urbana. I've come to really appreciate consistent access to air conditioning and protection from biting insects, hence the delay. It was tempting to just call it done. I hit all the major points I wanted to hit already, so the desire to finish the trip from here is mainly about completionism. I decided to leave, though, because I've learned that just being on the road invites interesting and unexpected stories. So, into the unexpected I went. After going north to Chicago to visit some friends, that is. The unexpected would come after that.

It was about 142 miles from Urbana to my destination in Chicago, which I considered attempting in one sprint. I wasn't that motivated, though, and I wanted to arrive at a reasonable hour, so I aimed instead to find a place to camp along the Kankakee river. This turned out to be a very good decision for a couple reasons. First, I spent about 10 miles grinding into a headwind while going the wrong way, and second, my knees started hurting pretty severely while I was still at least thirty miles from the river.

The ride itself would have been quite pleasant if it weren't for my knee issues. I rode through a town that was very proud of some decommissioned WWII-era planes, met a group of ten children and one dog trying to get a truck out of the mud with no adults in sight (they succeeded), and bothered a Spanish-speaking family for some water when three towns in a row had no services. At one point, I sat and ate a peanut butter and honey roll (wrap?) directly beneath a neighborhood watch sign. Sure enough, I think the whole neighborhood watched me do it. No one said anything. It was awkward.

My knee problems got worse throughout the day, and I was really struggling by the time I found a place to camp in a little secluded nook behind a cemetery. I had a lot of trouble sleeping due to temperature regulation issues, and I was pretty certain I had a mild fever. After getting in and out of my sleeping setup multiple times, I finally drifted off to sleep.

Here's one of the planes I mentioned, as well as a row of cloned corn just in case that freaks anyone out.