Saturday July 21st started off very badly but turned into a ride changing day.  When I got up a 4am for our 106 mile ride from Grand Prairie to Coal City Il I checked my bike as I always do I notice my tire was a little low so to be safe I removed the tire to check it out. When I took the pressure off the chain by removing the rear wheel the derailer ( the little pulley in the back) snapped and broke. I thought that this was a terrible thing because there are no bike shops open at 5am. I ended up having to ride in the SAG van until we could find an open bike shop. I had fears of a major expense or worse waiting for me. Finally found a shop in Dekalb Il and headed there. The guys in the shop could not have been nicer and they hurried to install a new derailer on my bike. WOW what a difference.You don't know how worn out something is while your using it but once you get a new part the difference is amazing. My bike is now running faster, smoother and with less effort than before. I got back to the lunch spot at the 45 mile mark and rode the last 61 miles into camp Not only was the day salvaged but the rest of the trip should be better. I got into camp and was met by a friend from High School, Mary Mathewson Eikey, who lives in Morris Il. We spent a fun couple of hours talking about the past and the 42 years that has passed since we last saw each other. It was a very nice evening and Mary brought ice cream as a treat for all the riders. Thank You Mary for a fun evening.