Today was bike look-alike day! We split into groups of Team Domane, Team Unique, 1.5 Crew, and Team Lexa. The ride was dedicated to Marissa's friend. We left Clifton full of a tasty breakfast, and grateful for the kindness of Zion Lutheran Church in giving us so much food. We rode a total of 56 miles today, stopping at the home of Linsey Rock for lunch. Her parents, Dave and Eileen, provided a fabulous lunch of burgers, spinach-artichoke dip (!!), homemade ice cream, and so much more. We also had the chance to make rope in their garage!As we prepared to roll out after a long time chilling and digesting that food, rain began to come down hard. There was no possibility of waiting it out, so the last 20 miles were basically like swimming on wheels. In the rain, we use certain precautions to make the ride safer and more comfortable, such as flashing bike lights, rain jackets, and shoe covers. But really, in the pouring rain, no amount of "waterproof" clothing will keep you dry, so we were thankful for the showers provided by Homewood-Flossmoor Park District's Lions Club Pool.We were welcomed back to suburbia by Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church in Homewood, Illinois. They kindly provided us with an incredible dinner of tacos and nachos. Then Pat from the church shared her story about her baby grandson who has been fighting neuroblastoma for over a year. Her story was very moving and opened our eyes to the funding problem with childhood cancer research.The next stop for us is Chicago! We will be arriving on our tenth consecutive day of riding at noon at Millennium Park. See you all at the Bean!