We are now in La Crosse Wisconsin, and tomorrow we will be crossing the border into the 12th state of this trip, Minnesota. The first 1/3 of the trip has really flow by, and it's hard to believe that it was four weeks ago that we all set off on a train fr New York City and began this amazing journey. The eastern part of the U.S. has been very good to us. We've been spoiled by amazing food and hospitality at our stay overs, and by our recent stops in both Champaign and Chicago. Being back on the U of I campus was a wonderful homecoming for us all. It was so strange riding in on the same roads that we had ridden so many times before during training rides. I got to spend a wonderful day and a half at home with my family, and I enjoyed a nice long shower and great food. But now we are on to the second leg of our journey, and I am extremely excited for what lies ahead. We may lose some of the comforts that we've enjoyed in the east, but the west promises to be magnificently beautiful. Tommorow we will cross the Mississppi river, an I'm sure we will find some amazing things on the other side.