Day 46: Downward Dog

Course: Glenview, IL to Chicago, IL

Distance: 20 miles

Conditions: Large crowds
Terrain: City life

We woke up and were told to put on workout clothes instead of our biking jersey. My immediate thought: “Ooooookayyyy? So we’re going to go lift weights and then ride our bikes?” Our PM lead us into a room with a smile on his face and said, “GRAB A YOGA MAT, BOYS!!!” Half the team was psyched, and the other half was pooping their pants knowing that they aren’t flexible. By the other half, I mean myself. We all went out to the front lawn of the YMCA and a yoga instructor came and ran us through an hour of moaning and groaning. Some guys were more focused on the yoga instructor than the yoga itself. I tried to take it seriously, but I found myself laughing too much at how terrible I was at the whole thing.

We showered after yoga and went back to the lawn to put on a Kids on the Block show for about 50 kids. Afterwards we were told just to rack our bikes into the city. With a 20 mile ride into a big city we would have had too many turns for the vans to be leap frogging up in time for the first pace line. We rode to our stage up location and double pace lined to the Victor C. Neumann Foundation. It works to help people with developmental disabilities. We pulled up to the location and about 100 people were waiting for us and cheering loudly. It was by far the biggest crowd at an arrival yet. The Neumann Foundation had a lot of clients. We got to hang out for a couple of hours and one of my pledge brothers even stopped by to say hello.

At the end of the visit, the CEO of the Neumann Foundation presented us with a proclamation. It let us know that today would be Push America day in the state of Illinois. Usually, the proclamations we get are just for cities, so this one was extra cool. After leaving we had some free time in the city. We went to see the Bean (that big mirror thing) and then went to grab a third meal to eat before dinner. Yes, we still ate all of dinner. We went to an Italian restaurant sponsored by a Pi Alpha from Chicago. We gorged on pasta and salad.

Then, we went to lodging which was about 30 minutes from the city. An anonymous sponsor hooked us up with a stay at Eaglewood Resort & Spa. The ampersand is crucial to emphasize fanciness. It was legit. The beds were huge and the view was great. Later in the evening a chapter brother of TCU came by and picked up us TCU boys. We went to Top Golf, a three-story driving range. All three of the other guys kicked my butt. Michael Walton is an amazing golfer and used to play for TCU. Walton ordered donut holes that came with chocolate syringes to inject into the donuts. We finished the donuts, but not the chocolate, so we ended up playing the odds game and Derek had to inject the rest of the chocolate directly into his mouth. There was a lot in there, too. We headed back and I plopped into my giant bed for the night. That’s always the best feeling of the day.

Walton did the whole thing barefooted.