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My run from Albert Lea, MN., through Chicago to east of Cleveland in a word, suck. Sorry for the bluntness, but the trip was good for the first two hours. Then the traffic started getting very heavy, and it is difficult to make time, and put down miles. I dealt with the traffic which was heavy with some very nutty drivers to Chicago. My first video was just after getting to Chicago and the traffic was slowing down. Thought I got some of the actual traffic jam, but maybe my frustration over ruled that idea.

I spent one and a half hours in 86 degree heat going 10 feet at a time, never getting out of 1st gear in this traffic jam. I did follow another bike on the shoulder for about a 1/4 mile before the shoulder narrowed too much to proceed that way. I finally had enough and got off the highway to try and make my way through the city. Ended up going through the inner city and learning their rules of the road. I guess the object is to be first. Had a woman who twice tried to race me through an intersection after pulling beside me in the bicycle lane. The third time, she just pulled beside me then cut in front of me to cut me off like she was the queen of Chicago. She wants to be first, go ahead. I did video it, but will not post it. She then proceeded to try and pass a van the same way, and on her second try, cut him off. Then a male comes flying by me in the bicycle lane. Now I was not putzing around in the hood, I was going quick to get out of there. Which brings up this observation. Some genius traffic engineer got all the lights timed so that they turn red when you get to them. My bike was showing full bars on the temp gauge, and I could not get going long enough to cool the engine down. 25 to 30 lights and I made two, one was green the other orangish. After about another hour to and hour and a half I finally got back to I90 and the traffic was moving. I hopped on, and I thought I was now going to put down some miles.

I am on this three lane bridge doing 65 to 70 when I heard a splat and a scrapping sliding noise behind me. I am wondering what the hell is that, and I then see a black box sliding across the lanes in front of a car. My right pannier / case had fallen off. How or why it happen I do not know. Luckily the car did not hit it, and it appears it made it to the shoulder without being struck by any of the high speed traffic. The bad news is I am on a bridge with narrow lanes, and a shoulder about 18" wide. My bike is 38" wide. I park as far to the right as the concrete barrier will allow, and proceed to head back to the pannier. Just like the old days as a cop, having traffic wiz by you without the drivers giving a thought of moving over or even slowing up a bit.

I found the case to be remarkably undamaged. The hinges are worn, and there are some serious scrapes, but the integrity was intact. Those Jesse cases can really take a licking. I got the case back on, and when I got a break, took off. That bike can really go when you get on it.

My goal was to get onto the east side of Cleveland. I did not want to deal with morning traffic going into Cleveland. Problem was I had lost almost three hours with the Chicago delay, and the pannier ordeal. I was determined to reach my goal, and upon checking my smart phone for the weather decided I could get in between the storms. I started into Cleveland in the dark, and half way through it started to rain. So much for the "smart" in smart phone. The perfect way to end the day, in the rain. I made it to the east side and ended the day at 14.25 hours and 755 miles.

Video of Cleveland.