Day 31 Streator, IL to Annawan, IL 77 miles Total 1,483.9 mi

 With a long, hot day in front of them, the riders left very early, trying to beat some of the heat.  They rode on the Grand Illinois Trail system for the most part.  It was not easy riding.  The surface ranged from packed dirt to crushed rock to weeds.  They even had to carry their bikes over a tree or two.  It was hot and humid and totally uncomfortable.  

In the meantime, Allane discovered a couple of Roadside Attractions:

Monument to the "Coffee Ladies" of WWII

Vulcan hand signal carved from a tree...in somebody's front yard, Streator, IL

Live Long and Prosper, everybody!

Allane met the riders with cold drinks at a point where the trail followed the road.  We discovered that they would rejoin the trail at a point five miles ahead, so Allane raced ahead to unload her bike, change and join in for a bit on the Hennepin Canal Trail.  She rode almost 6 miles before turning around and riding back to the truck.  

Allane arrived a short time later at the hotel in the little town of Annawan, IL.  The host, Manny, immediately handed her a bottle of cold water and a granola bar.  (Perhaps she still looked a little hot and red-faced from the bike ride?)  The riders arrived depleted after 77 miles in the sun and heat.  According to Nancy, it was the trail from hell that never F*&%ing ended! 

 After a rest and showers, we decided to go to the town's only restaurant, The Purple Onion.  When we were passing the front desk, Manny asked our plans.  When we told him where we planned to walk, he exclaimed that it was too hard and too hot.  He reached in his pocket and produced a car key which he tossed to Steve.  "Take my car," he said.  We protested, but he insisted, so off we went in his special edition BMW!  The 3/4 mile to the restaurant was a fun, cool ride.

As we sat down in the restaurant, one of the questions among ourselves was immediately answered by the man sitting at the next table.  Noting he used the pronoun "we,"  Allane wondered if he was the Dave on the front of the menu.  Turns out it was.  His wife Janet, the owner, had owned and run the restaurant for years.  We enjoyed her robust home cooking and a discussion with Dave and their daughter.