72,2km – 10H31′
This morning Serge watches the weather before leaving. A lot of headwind for today with 40 miles/hour speed. According to him “today will be a diificult stage”.
After few humdred meters, Serge cross the Ohio River and the entrance in Illinois. The fifth State reaches in this North America crossing.
Laura and René pass and we expect the other side of the bridge with vehicles. I accompany Serge walk to take some pictures. The crossing is dizzying and for good reason: Ohio is a wide river of almost 800 meters! It is also a tributary of the Mississippi, one of the largest rivers in the world, we shall have to cross later.
For several days the wind blows. Positive: the clouds were swept from heaven, negative: the wind is particularly cold. The US center is known to be a succession of great plains where the northern and southern winds blow at all costs.
Another negative point: Serge fights against the headwind, forcing him to bend forward to move forward. This does not help her back pain.
We continue our journey through Illinois, called here the “Land of Lincoln.” Indeed Lincoln was Illinois senator before becoming president of the United States. This is also the case … Barack Obama.
René and I go to the hotel in the early afternoon to prepare for the change of vehicle to be held tomorrow. Laure takes over and ensures the end of the last step before returning to France tomorrow. She will return only at Anchorage late August.
Tonight we are very happy to be at the hotel Philippe and Emmanuelle, arrived by plane earlier in the day. They support Serge tomorrow morning while René and I will go to St. Louis to change our car and continue the adventure with us for a good ten days. See you tomorrow.