Dry, Dry, Dry.  Biking in ultra dry conditions often involves traversing "dust outs" where visibility is severely limited.  As the farmers are harvesting their crops and preparing the land for the next planting season, extremely dry weather causes these conditions.  But, the good news is they don't last long and riding a bike on days like these is quite enjoyable.  Last week, a high school friend was in the area and contacted me.  We met for lunch and during the course of conversation he inquired if I ever road route 89 north.  I informed him I ride that route often, especially if it is quite windy from the SW.  Don indicated that his early ancestors grew up in Magnolia, has a family Roberts cemetery with a house built in the early 1800's and asked if I knew the area.  Of course, I am quite familiar with this small berg.  It is actually 35 miles from my front door resplendent with long flat areas combined with very hilly terrain. That doesn't even take in the number of semis that have numbered as high as 30 total.   All in all a fun and diverse ride.  After lunch we said our goodbyes so he and his girlfriend returned to the home.  The next day, as fate would have it, the temperature was to be in the high 70's with a SW wind of 20+ mph.  Yep, I road to Magnolia, (should have continued to Spring Valley for a 59 miler).   I thought how ironic the day after my interaction with Don I would be biking through the area of his ancestors as we discussed.  Sent him the above picture and once again another exciting adventure biking in central Illinois.