Yesterday I started in Chicago and spent the night at a Warm Showers in Ashkum, IL. Warm Showers is an online community of bike tourists who offer a place for other cyclists to spend a night along their way and, in most cases, shower. The property backs up directly to swimmable river and was generally a beautiful relaxing place to crash.
Earlier in the day I happened on a, I think, Civil War reenactment. A small child was learning how to use a crossbow.
