About Me
- Mary and Dave
- We are at it again. We cycled 1200 miles down the coast of Oregon, into California, over the Golden Gate Bridge and into San Francisco. Then it was a ferry across the bay to Vallejo and a lovely side trip up the Napa Valley to Callestoga. That was the end of the bike portion of our trip.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Greybull, Wyoming
Conquoring the Big Horns
We are now on the west side of the Big Horn Mountains and we're still standing! Our day started at 6:30 am with a big breakfast before heading to the mountain. So at 7:30 we got on our bikes and started pedaling. The biggest climb came first which is good, since our legs were still fresh. We cycled up a 7% grade for the first 10 miles out of Buffalo. Unlike Mount Rushmore, there was plenty of opportunities to pull over and rest and also enough level ground to get the bikes started again. The hardest thing about the final climb to Mount Rushmore was that we went from 3400 ft to 5700 ft in 2 miles and there really wasn't any good place to rest. When my legs finally gave out and I stopped at a scenic overlook, there wasn't any level ground to get the bike moving again. It took about 5 minutes and numerous attempts from Dave holding my bike for me before I was finally moving again. It was a nerve wracking experience but I got some good pictures from that overlook!
So back to the Big Horns. After the first grade was over the hills became rolling for the next 10 or so miles. The final 10 miles before the pass were at a 5% grade but by that time we were tired and the wind had picked up. You play lots of mind games on a ride like this and you get into the rhythm of the slow pedaling. And the beautiful scenery definitely helped occupy our minds! The mountains started out with lots of pine forests and as the elevation increased the terrain became more severe. We saw cows grazing on almost vertical slopes and lots of beautiful rocky outcroppings. At 4 mph we had lots of time to study the changing landscape.
As we knew the pass was approaching your legs start to complain even more and with every turn of the road you are just hoping that you'll see the top. But that can wear you out even more, so I tried to convince myself that I had many more miles to go " don't get your hopes up yet!". In the end the wind started howling down at us and then I could see a sign up ahead that I hoped could only say one thing, Powder Pass Elevation 9666 ft. And it did! Boy was that a good feeling. It was 2:00 pm and we had been pedaling for 5 hours and 30 minutes with about an hour of breaks worked in. All that work and we had traveled 35 miles.
After some rest and celebration we were ready to start the 30 mile downward trip. The downhill is hard on your legs and back. You keep your legs tensed and the wind moves the bike around enough that you are using your back to keep the bike in control. The west wind was actually a blessing on this end of things because it kept our speed down without having to use the brakes too much. We made it down the mountain in 2 hours and my top speed was 28 mph. I went almost 12 miles without pedaling at all! That was fun, but like I said it cramps the leg muscles to hold them in one position for that long. The scenery on the west side of the mountain was dramatically different. We were traveling down a canyon with magnificent red rock formations and dramatic bluffs. We stopped several times for photo opportunities and to take in the scenery. It was passing us by much quicker on this side of the mountain!
Needless to say when we got to Ten Sleep we were TIRED! But what a sense of accomplishment! We are now headed to Yellowstone National Park and will spend several days within the park. There is so much to see and do. After that we need to evaluate our next steps. Montana was in the original plans, but the wildfire situation may change that. Only time will tell.
We are now on the west side of the Big Horn Mountains and we're still standing! Our day started at 6:30 am with a big breakfast before heading to the mountain. So at 7:30 we got on our bikes and started pedaling. The biggest climb came first which is good, since our legs were still fresh. We cycled up a 7% grade for the first 10 miles out of Buffalo. Unlike Mount Rushmore, there was plenty of opportunities to pull over and rest and also enough level ground to get the bikes started again. The hardest thing about the final climb to Mount Rushmore was that we went from 3400 ft to 5700 ft in 2 miles and there really wasn't any good place to rest. When my legs finally gave out and I stopped at a scenic overlook, there wasn't any level ground to get the bike moving again. It took about 5 minutes and numerous attempts from Dave holding my bike for me before I was finally moving again. It was a nerve wracking experience but I got some good pictures from that overlook!
So back to the Big Horns. After the first grade was over the hills became rolling for the next 10 or so miles. The final 10 miles before the pass were at a 5% grade but by that time we were tired and the wind had picked up. You play lots of mind games on a ride like this and you get into the rhythm of the slow pedaling. And the beautiful scenery definitely helped occupy our minds! The mountains started out with lots of pine forests and as the elevation increased the terrain became more severe. We saw cows grazing on almost vertical slopes and lots of beautiful rocky outcroppings. At 4 mph we had lots of time to study the changing landscape.
As we knew the pass was approaching your legs start to complain even more and with every turn of the road you are just hoping that you'll see the top. But that can wear you out even more, so I tried to convince myself that I had many more miles to go " don't get your hopes up yet!". In the end the wind started howling down at us and then I could see a sign up ahead that I hoped could only say one thing, Powder Pass Elevation 9666 ft. And it did! Boy was that a good feeling. It was 2:00 pm and we had been pedaling for 5 hours and 30 minutes with about an hour of breaks worked in. All that work and we had traveled 35 miles.
After some rest and celebration we were ready to start the 30 mile downward trip. The downhill is hard on your legs and back. You keep your legs tensed and the wind moves the bike around enough that you are using your back to keep the bike in control. The west wind was actually a blessing on this end of things because it kept our speed down without having to use the brakes too much. We made it down the mountain in 2 hours and my top speed was 28 mph. I went almost 12 miles without pedaling at all! That was fun, but like I said it cramps the leg muscles to hold them in one position for that long. The scenery on the west side of the mountain was dramatically different. We were traveling down a canyon with magnificent red rock formations and dramatic bluffs. We stopped several times for photo opportunities and to take in the scenery. It was passing us by much quicker on this side of the mountain!
Needless to say when we got to Ten Sleep we were TIRED! But what a sense of accomplishment! We are now headed to Yellowstone National Park and will spend several days within the park. There is so much to see and do. After that we need to evaluate our next steps. Montana was in the original plans, but the wildfire situation may change that. Only time will tell.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Catching Up
The Places We've Been
Mount Rushmore (Mount is short for mountain I discovered! We cycled 25 miles uphill from Rapid City, had a heart thrilling, massive downhill and then a 2 mile STEEP climb to the monument. I made it, but the legs were definitely made of jelly by the time we reached the monument.)
Crazy Horse Memorial
Custer State Park
Crossed into Wyoming
Devil's Tower
The foot of the Big Horn Mountains
The Company We've Kept
We spent many miles riding past prairie dog colonies. They are fun to watch and would have been missed had we not been traveling at 12 mph past them! They scurry and scamper about having just a wonderful time with life. But the nearest hole is never too far away and they disappear in an instant when necessary.
In Iowa we spent time with 10,000 bicycle riders and in South Dakota we've lived with thousands of motorcyclists (95% Harley Davidson) in our travels. The Sturgis, SD motorcycle rally is happening this week, but cyclists from all over arrive weeks before to take in the surrounding sights. Everywhere we've been we've had the company of these roaring, thundering machines. Again, we've met nothing but nice people, in fact most of the bikers we've talked to are completely in awe of our travel plans and can't quite contemplate the lack of a motor and why we would even think of pedaling when there are such great motors available! I did decide to put away my orange and yellow daisey cycling top for a while. I didn't quite fit in with the popular attire and color choice!
Bison are incredible creatures! We cycled around Custer State Park one day and saw magnificent herds of these animals just wandering around living their lives. There were many younger ones about and they were fun to watch. One would be off away from the herd and then suddenly decide it was time to join the crowd. Boy can they move! At the end of the day we were quietly pedaling down the tree lined road when we came upon a massive male bison just lounging in the trees not 20 feet from the road. My first instinct was to stop my bike, grab my camera and take a picture. Luckily Dave is much more sensible than I and shouted out "keep pedaling!". So we cycled on by as our friend watched our every move but decided he was much too comfortable to move.
Milestones
We are well past the 2000 mile mark now and our next goal is to cross the Big Horn Mountains. Buffalo is at about 4,500 feet and tomorrow we will cycle up to about 9,600 feet. But once we reach the top the road eventually goes back down! Time to practice my braking techniques! We plan to stay in Ten Sleep tomorrow night and then head toward Yellowstone. My computer time is well past so it's time to go.
Mount Rushmore (Mount is short for mountain I discovered! We cycled 25 miles uphill from Rapid City, had a heart thrilling, massive downhill and then a 2 mile STEEP climb to the monument. I made it, but the legs were definitely made of jelly by the time we reached the monument.)
Crazy Horse Memorial
Custer State Park
Crossed into Wyoming
Devil's Tower
The foot of the Big Horn Mountains
The Company We've Kept
We spent many miles riding past prairie dog colonies. They are fun to watch and would have been missed had we not been traveling at 12 mph past them! They scurry and scamper about having just a wonderful time with life. But the nearest hole is never too far away and they disappear in an instant when necessary.
In Iowa we spent time with 10,000 bicycle riders and in South Dakota we've lived with thousands of motorcyclists (95% Harley Davidson) in our travels. The Sturgis, SD motorcycle rally is happening this week, but cyclists from all over arrive weeks before to take in the surrounding sights. Everywhere we've been we've had the company of these roaring, thundering machines. Again, we've met nothing but nice people, in fact most of the bikers we've talked to are completely in awe of our travel plans and can't quite contemplate the lack of a motor and why we would even think of pedaling when there are such great motors available! I did decide to put away my orange and yellow daisey cycling top for a while. I didn't quite fit in with the popular attire and color choice!
Bison are incredible creatures! We cycled around Custer State Park one day and saw magnificent herds of these animals just wandering around living their lives. There were many younger ones about and they were fun to watch. One would be off away from the herd and then suddenly decide it was time to join the crowd. Boy can they move! At the end of the day we were quietly pedaling down the tree lined road when we came upon a massive male bison just lounging in the trees not 20 feet from the road. My first instinct was to stop my bike, grab my camera and take a picture. Luckily Dave is much more sensible than I and shouted out "keep pedaling!". So we cycled on by as our friend watched our every move but decided he was much too comfortable to move.
Milestones
We are well past the 2000 mile mark now and our next goal is to cross the Big Horn Mountains. Buffalo is at about 4,500 feet and tomorrow we will cycle up to about 9,600 feet. But once we reach the top the road eventually goes back down! Time to practice my braking techniques! We plan to stay in Ten Sleep tomorrow night and then head toward Yellowstone. My computer time is well past so it's time to go.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Buffalo, Wyoming
Towns and libraries have been few and far between in these parts. We pulled into Buffalo this afternoon and will spend tomorrow here resting our legs in anticipation of our first mountain pass. We will cross the Big Horn Mountains just outside of Buffalo and hopefully will arrive in Ten Sleep in one piece. Buffalo has a large public pool so we will be spending some time there tomorrow and hopefully I can convince someone here at the library to let me surpass the allotted 1/2 hour time limit for the computer so I can update you on all the wonderful sights we've seen since leaving Rapid City last week. Until then...
Monday, July 30, 2007
Badlands National Park
Today we spent the morning in Badlands National Park. It is an awesome place. Very arid and barren, but beautiful. The rock formations were formed from the erosion of sediments deposited from many events including the erosion of the Black Hills and the Rocky Mountains and also from an ancient volcanic eruption. The deposition stage is over and the rock formations are now being eroded at a rate of 1 inch per year (I think) and it is predicted that the Badlands will be completely eroded away within 500,000 years so make sure you put this place on your "must see soon" list. We got up early and were able to do our biking and hiking before it got too hot and before all the other tourists descended upon the place. It's the best way to get the true feeling of the desolation and openness of the park.
The Missouri River July 27th
Where we crossed the Missouri River the water is a clear green-blue. It sits in a river valley surrounded by undeveloped hills and was an impressive sight. The terrain had begun to change from the rolling farmlands of eastern South Dakota and when we completed our climb (6% grade) up the western side of the river valley we trully felt the change. The farmlands turned to ranches and the herds of dairy cows changed to herds of cattle. It was quite a hilly ride for a while, but we got plenty of practice gearing down and settling into that deep breathing, slow peddling, positive self-talking stage of bike riding. Today was the day we crossed the 1500 mile point of our trip and also set another high daily mileage total... 89 miles!
July 28th - White River to Interior
Prairie Dogs chirp! And they sure look like that Wack A Mole game at Funland when they pop their heads out of the ground and disappear again just as quick. We saw them on our way to Interior on the open high plains. There is honestly nothing between White River and Interior. We saw just a few isolated houses, some herds of cattle, numerous prarie dog colonies, but nothing much else. We left White River(population 52) and came to a small grocery store serving an equally small Indian Reservation city after cycling 41 miles. Once we left that area it was 28 more miles before reaching Interior (population 72) with equally as much of nothing in between. As we crested the top of our last hill the Badlands scenery stretched out before our eyes. The change was stunning. Tomorrow we leave for Rapid City and we will have another day of cycling through "the middle of nowhere". That is not meant in a negative way, it is really amazing to see this country of ours. Where else can you get the sense of the vastness that still exists?
The Missouri River July 27th
Where we crossed the Missouri River the water is a clear green-blue. It sits in a river valley surrounded by undeveloped hills and was an impressive sight. The terrain had begun to change from the rolling farmlands of eastern South Dakota and when we completed our climb (6% grade) up the western side of the river valley we trully felt the change. The farmlands turned to ranches and the herds of dairy cows changed to herds of cattle. It was quite a hilly ride for a while, but we got plenty of practice gearing down and settling into that deep breathing, slow peddling, positive self-talking stage of bike riding. Today was the day we crossed the 1500 mile point of our trip and also set another high daily mileage total... 89 miles!
July 28th - White River to Interior
Prairie Dogs chirp! And they sure look like that Wack A Mole game at Funland when they pop their heads out of the ground and disappear again just as quick. We saw them on our way to Interior on the open high plains. There is honestly nothing between White River and Interior. We saw just a few isolated houses, some herds of cattle, numerous prarie dog colonies, but nothing much else. We left White River(population 52) and came to a small grocery store serving an equally small Indian Reservation city after cycling 41 miles. Once we left that area it was 28 more miles before reaching Interior (population 72) with equally as much of nothing in between. As we crested the top of our last hill the Badlands scenery stretched out before our eyes. The change was stunning. Tomorrow we leave for Rapid City and we will have another day of cycling through "the middle of nowhere". That is not meant in a negative way, it is really amazing to see this country of ours. Where else can you get the sense of the vastness that still exists?
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Interior, South Dakota
We have arrived at the Badlands. It's HOT! We were worried about the heat and the miles we needed to travel so decided to leave at the crack of dawn this morning. We hit the road at 6am and saw an incredible sunrise coming over the ridge as we were cyclying west. The early morning hours are actually a wonderful time to ride. The air is cool(er) and crisp, the light still has that pink hue to it which makes everything look that little bit cleaner. The terrain of South Dakota changes tremendously once you have crossed the Missouri River. We are now in the west. It is wide open, dry, arrid, and incredibly beautiful. I know none of the pictures I've taken will do it justice. Tomorrow we will visit the park and do some hiking. Maybe tomorrow my brain will be working better and I'll do another posting. Right now, the heat and miles (73 today) have taken it's toll so Dave and I are going to get some dinner and go to bed!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Prophetstown Echo Newspaper Article
Delaware couple ride bikes from Cleveland to Bellingham
by Stacie Barton
Mary and Dave Lippiatt of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, were spotted around town on Thursday and Friday, July 12 and 13. They pedaled on bicycles laden with packs, as they trek across country this summer.The couple plan to spend about three months riding, starting in Cleveland, OH and ending up in Bellingham, WA. Riding about 50 - 70 miles a day, the two ended a days ride here in Prophetstown, with a stay in the State Park.Mary is a teacher, and Dave a book seller. They say taking this tour has been great, and they have met so many nice people along their way.In Indiana, the two recall, they were having a hard time finding a campground. The customers and staff at an ice cream parlor wouldn’t give up until the two had directions and were on their way.Getting in a trip to the laundromat and stocking up on some Thicksten’s popcorn, the couple continued on their way. They said they really enjoyed visiting Prophetstown, and loved our beautiful State Park.
Parkston, South Dakota
We only managed about 55 miles yesterday coming out of Sioux Falls. The day started fairly comfortable, but the heat just continued to build until it reached the unbearable stage around 4:00. At that point we shortened the day's itinerary and headed south to Freeman. We found the city park located conveniently next to the city pool! The definition of city is very much different here in rural America. So the evening consisted of meeting the owner of the local grocery store who very nicely put some Gatorades in the cooler for us to pick up in the morning. The store opened at 7am but he assured us that if we were leaving before then to just come on in, he gets there about 5am every day and the front door would be open. We took a dip in the pool, set up the tent in the park and went to sleep at sundown. Today is not quite as humid, but the heat continues to build. We have ducked into the city library at Parkston and plan to only bike about 20 more miles today. If you want to check on our route, we are biking west on State Highway 44. We'll be doing the same across the Missouri and on west into Rapid City. Then it's the Badlands and the Black Hills.
Thanks again for all the emails. We love to read them.
Thanks again for all the emails. We love to read them.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
We have taken a rest day here in Sioux Falls before beginning our trek across South Dakota. It's a very nice city. Many parks and a bike trail that loops the city. It's hot and getting hotter but I guess that's what you have to expect for late July in South Dakota. We will be making room for lots of water and sports drinks in our bags. We are heading for the Badlands and the Black Hills before heading over to Wyoming to see Devil's Tower.
We made a great discovery on our way into town yesterday. One of our favorite groups, The Cowboy Junkies is playing TONIGHT and there are tickets available and they are in our price range! How lucky is that. So we will have a night filled with good music, good food and good libations before heading out tomorrow.
A quick recap on the last few days:
Friday: Humbolt, Iowa
Saturday: Spencer, Iowa - a new record today - kind winds and a specific destination for the evening helped me beat my mileage record AGAIN. I am now up to 87 miles traveled in one day. I'm not sure if I have 90 in my legs, but only time will tell.
Sunday: Spencer to Rock Rapids, Iowa
Our goal was to be here by Sunday morning so we could meet up with the first day of RAGBRAI and we made it. We started out about 8:15 am on our way to Rock Rapids and we saw our first cyclists at about 9:15. That meant that they had traveled almost 70 miles already! Of course they were biking at an incredible speed and looking quite the serious cyclists, but they had time to give us a big smile and call out a good morning greeting as we were slowly going west. At first the cyclists came in small packs, but within the next hour it was a steady stream. When the main pack was coming through it was an incredible sight. The westbound lane was being used as the passing lane and the eastbound land was packed solid. We were hugging the far white line and praying that there would be no head on collisions. Luckily everyone out there were competent and experienced riders so no one got hurt in the process. I don't think they minded too much that we were out there, we got lots of greetings and my face started to hurt from the constant smile I had plastered on my face.
Now it was starting to get late in the day and we began to see all sorts of bicycle people. Some were serious, but moving slow and some were just there for the beer! I saw one lady ride by wearing pink pajamas and pink fuzzy slippers and she was having a great time. The preferred greeting from this group was "You're going the wrong way!" There were all sorts out on the road and somehow they needed to travel 77 miles to the end of day one. But we had the feeling that the various sag and party buses would start their sweep and many would be riding most of the way to Spencer.
Monday was a tri-state day. We left Iowa, traveled north into Minnesota for about 15 miles, went through Hills, Minnesota population 525 and then crossed into South Dakota.
Out of time again. Tomorrow we're off on the road again. Hopefully the winds will continue to be kind!
We made a great discovery on our way into town yesterday. One of our favorite groups, The Cowboy Junkies is playing TONIGHT and there are tickets available and they are in our price range! How lucky is that. So we will have a night filled with good music, good food and good libations before heading out tomorrow.
A quick recap on the last few days:
Friday: Humbolt, Iowa
Saturday: Spencer, Iowa - a new record today - kind winds and a specific destination for the evening helped me beat my mileage record AGAIN. I am now up to 87 miles traveled in one day. I'm not sure if I have 90 in my legs, but only time will tell.
Sunday: Spencer to Rock Rapids, Iowa
Our goal was to be here by Sunday morning so we could meet up with the first day of RAGBRAI and we made it. We started out about 8:15 am on our way to Rock Rapids and we saw our first cyclists at about 9:15. That meant that they had traveled almost 70 miles already! Of course they were biking at an incredible speed and looking quite the serious cyclists, but they had time to give us a big smile and call out a good morning greeting as we were slowly going west. At first the cyclists came in small packs, but within the next hour it was a steady stream. When the main pack was coming through it was an incredible sight. The westbound lane was being used as the passing lane and the eastbound land was packed solid. We were hugging the far white line and praying that there would be no head on collisions. Luckily everyone out there were competent and experienced riders so no one got hurt in the process. I don't think they minded too much that we were out there, we got lots of greetings and my face started to hurt from the constant smile I had plastered on my face.
Now it was starting to get late in the day and we began to see all sorts of bicycle people. Some were serious, but moving slow and some were just there for the beer! I saw one lady ride by wearing pink pajamas and pink fuzzy slippers and she was having a great time. The preferred greeting from this group was "You're going the wrong way!" There were all sorts out on the road and somehow they needed to travel 77 miles to the end of day one. But we had the feeling that the various sag and party buses would start their sweep and many would be riding most of the way to Spencer.
Monday was a tri-state day. We left Iowa, traveled north into Minnesota for about 15 miles, went through Hills, Minnesota population 525 and then crossed into South Dakota.
Out of time again. Tomorrow we're off on the road again. Hopefully the winds will continue to be kind!
Here are some pictures Ohio to the Mississippi River. Who knows when I'll have more to share, I'm thinking that One Hour Photo shops may be hard to find in South Dakota! If you want to see the pictures more clearly double click on the picture and it will blow up really big! There may be a better way to post pictures, but I'm new to this blogspot thing.
Monon, Indiana
These flowers bloom instantanously at sunset. You hear a pop and then each petal unfurls. Amazing. In the morning the flowers are dead and a new crop is ready for the coming night. There must be a lesson in this. (I know this is our of sequence, but I just couldn't leave it out)
Meeting some famous friends
Ottawa was the site of the first Lincoln/Douglas debate for the Illinois Senate. Wild Bill Hickock worked on the I&M Canal.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Another milestone
Today just after leaving Hampton the odometer hit 1000 miles! What more can be said than that!
Quick Update
Clarion, Iowa
This needs to be a very quick message. I am using the librarian's computer! She took pity on me when she told me all the computers were busy and my face fell! Iowa is beautiful. Rolling hills and miles upon miles of crops and peaceful roads to ride. The quietness of the countryside is a certain way to calm your mind and quiet your soul. We are riding the route of RAGBRAI (www.ragbrai.org) in the opposite direction in the hopes that Sunday morning we will be riding west and seeing 10,000 riders riding east. That will be quite a sight and quite a thrill. Here's where we've been:
Monday: Dubuque
Tuesday: Dyersville (www.dyersville.org) - Home to the Field of Dreams baseball field and St. Francis Xavier Basilica. The church is amazing!
Wednesday - Cedar Falls - we were chased into the men's bathroom of the state park by a severe thunderstorm and waited there for about an hour before we made a dash for the nearest hotel!
Thursday - Hampton
Beautiful weather today! But the first days of the week were very interesting with the storms rolling across the state. We luckily were always 1 day east of the worst of it,but it made for some amended travel plans.
This needs to be a very quick message. I am using the librarian's computer! She took pity on me when she told me all the computers were busy and my face fell! Iowa is beautiful. Rolling hills and miles upon miles of crops and peaceful roads to ride. The quietness of the countryside is a certain way to calm your mind and quiet your soul. We are riding the route of RAGBRAI (www.ragbrai.org) in the opposite direction in the hopes that Sunday morning we will be riding west and seeing 10,000 riders riding east. That will be quite a sight and quite a thrill. Here's where we've been:
Monday: Dubuque
Tuesday: Dyersville (www.dyersville.org) - Home to the Field of Dreams baseball field and St. Francis Xavier Basilica. The church is amazing!
Wednesday - Cedar Falls - we were chased into the men's bathroom of the state park by a severe thunderstorm and waited there for about an hour before we made a dash for the nearest hotel!
Thursday - Hampton
Beautiful weather today! But the first days of the week were very interesting with the storms rolling across the state. We luckily were always 1 day east of the worst of it,but it made for some amended travel plans.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Rain Delay
We left our guest house this morning after a scrumptious breakfast and good conversations with the other guests. That's one of the nicest things about staying in a home instead of a hotel. We made it as far as Main Street when the skies turned purple and the thunder started to rumble. It is now two hours later and we have encamped at the local library and need to decide what to do next. Riding in the rain is not so bad, but an all day rain, possible further thunderstorms and big hills may not make for a good day on the bike. Maybe we'll be in Illinois for another day.
Bridges
We've traveled over a few bridges here in Illinois. They can be a little nerve-wracking. One bridge over the Illinois River was a bit steep, high, and long for my liking. There was no pedestrian walkway and I think I like biking in the car lane anyway. The sidewalk is on the side closest to the water and that's not where I always like to be! So the theory is, take up enough of the lane to make cars stay behind you and peddle furiously until you reach the other end. AND resist the urge to look over the side. We passed one bridge over the Mississippi that looked very steep and long and I was happy that we chose to bypass that one. The bridge near Dubuque is only 1 mile long and not too steep so that will be good. I'd love a nice view overlooking the Mississippi but preferably not while I am peddling my bike and dealing with traffic!
Bridges
We've traveled over a few bridges here in Illinois. They can be a little nerve-wracking. One bridge over the Illinois River was a bit steep, high, and long for my liking. There was no pedestrian walkway and I think I like biking in the car lane anyway. The sidewalk is on the side closest to the water and that's not where I always like to be! So the theory is, take up enough of the lane to make cars stay behind you and peddle furiously until you reach the other end. AND resist the urge to look over the side. We passed one bridge over the Mississippi that looked very steep and long and I was happy that we chose to bypass that one. The bridge near Dubuque is only 1 mile long and not too steep so that will be good. I'd love a nice view overlooking the Mississippi but preferably not while I am peddling my bike and dealing with traffic!
Saturday, July 14, 2007
More Updates
July 12 - Prophetstown, Illinois
This was our toughest wind day. Nice gusty winds out of the Northwest, just where we were heading! But we put in our biggest mileage day (82 miles - my record has been broken!) and found the greatest little town and the greatest little state park campground. The town sits along the Fox River and has the greatest homepopped popcorn ever! The next morning we were searched out by the reporter for the hometown paper, interviewed and photographed and were given a tour of City Hall by the Mayor of the town. All of this happened just because we were in town and people came up to talk to us. It really is amazing how friendly people are and how proud of their towns they are.
July 13 - The Mississippi River! Fulton, Illinois
We road from Fulton to Savanna along the Great River Road and saw the Mississippi a few times along the way. Today (July 13) we are in Galena, Illinois just ready to cross the Mississippi into Iowas. But not today. We are staying here for 2 nights in a lovely guest house, giving our legs and rear ends a well deserved rest. This area of Illinois is not the flat state we all imagine. The glaciers missed this area so there are many rolling hills. Our legs got a taste of the challenges to come on the way into town today. We're headed to Dubuque from here and the locals say there are many hills between here and there, so the flatlands are finished for a while!
This was our toughest wind day. Nice gusty winds out of the Northwest, just where we were heading! But we put in our biggest mileage day (82 miles - my record has been broken!) and found the greatest little town and the greatest little state park campground. The town sits along the Fox River and has the greatest homepopped popcorn ever! The next morning we were searched out by the reporter for the hometown paper, interviewed and photographed and were given a tour of City Hall by the Mayor of the town. All of this happened just because we were in town and people came up to talk to us. It really is amazing how friendly people are and how proud of their towns they are.
July 13 - The Mississippi River! Fulton, Illinois
We road from Fulton to Savanna along the Great River Road and saw the Mississippi a few times along the way. Today (July 13) we are in Galena, Illinois just ready to cross the Mississippi into Iowas. But not today. We are staying here for 2 nights in a lovely guest house, giving our legs and rear ends a well deserved rest. This area of Illinois is not the flat state we all imagine. The glaciers missed this area so there are many rolling hills. Our legs got a taste of the challenges to come on the way into town today. We're headed to Dubuque from here and the locals say there are many hills between here and there, so the flatlands are finished for a while!
First Aid Kit comes in handy!
We left Ottawa on a bike path along the I&M Canal which was a nice break from the cars and roads. The only thing bad about bike paths is that the surface is not always the best for skinny-tired bicycles. Going down a small hill we noticed some washed out sections of trail. Dave managed to navigate quite nicely. I however avoided the washed out section and rode directly into some deeper gravel. My front tire went one way, my back tire went the other and the bike went down! Dave dropped his bike and picked mine up off of me. Nothing more than minor scrapes and scratches and the wind knocked out of me, but I've got a good case of road rash on my right leg. We've used a few more paths accross the state, but find the back roads are actually much nicer to ride on most of the time.
Ottawa continued
Ottawa, Illinois turned out to be a great little town. It was the site of the first debate between Abe Lincoln and Stephen Douglas when Lincoln was running for the Illinois Senate. Again, we met some wonderful people who were thrilled to share their town with us. The town has a little book store and a coffee shop! So Dave was happy to get lost in some books and I was thrilled to get lost in a latte.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Ottawa, Illinois
We've not found too many libraries along our route, so here are a few highlights. We are now biking along the Illinois River and enjoying a break from the hot weather. We've got some nice pictures to share, but first we need to find a one hour photo shop! Small town America can still be found our here and it's a nice thing to experience even if that means a lack of those conveniences we tend to take for granted.
Monday
We crossed into the Central Time Zone.
Later that same day we crossed into Illinois and stayed in the city park in Askum, Illinois. A couple from Minneapolis, Minnesota were also staying there. The mayor had given us the keys to the restroom for the night and shown us where to drop them off in the morning. The town police officer stopped by to say hello and the man across the street told us to stop by if we needed anything. This town is along the Adventure Cycling map series so crazy cross country cyclists are not a new thing for them.
I got to experience my first thunderstorm in a tent. Quite an impressive light and sound show when viewed from the inside of a tent!
Tuesday
Marseilles, Illinois along the Illinois River
Another hot day for cycling. People all thought we were crazy to be out on the roads, and maybe we were. We are sampling each and every flavor of Gatoraid and Poweraid!
Along with the heat was a strong and gusty southwest wind. So we decided it was a very good day to head northwest. Illinois roads are set up in a grid pattern so we stair-stepped our way to the final destination. Traveling north was fun - but traveling west was another story!
Trip mileage = 560 miles!!!!!
I've reached and exceeded my computer time limit at the local library, so the story will continue another day.
Monday
We crossed into the Central Time Zone.
Later that same day we crossed into Illinois and stayed in the city park in Askum, Illinois. A couple from Minneapolis, Minnesota were also staying there. The mayor had given us the keys to the restroom for the night and shown us where to drop them off in the morning. The town police officer stopped by to say hello and the man across the street told us to stop by if we needed anything. This town is along the Adventure Cycling map series so crazy cross country cyclists are not a new thing for them.
I got to experience my first thunderstorm in a tent. Quite an impressive light and sound show when viewed from the inside of a tent!
Tuesday
Marseilles, Illinois along the Illinois River
Another hot day for cycling. People all thought we were crazy to be out on the roads, and maybe we were. We are sampling each and every flavor of Gatoraid and Poweraid!
Along with the heat was a strong and gusty southwest wind. So we decided it was a very good day to head northwest. Illinois roads are set up in a grid pattern so we stair-stepped our way to the final destination. Traveling north was fun - but traveling west was another story!
Trip mileage = 560 miles!!!!!
I've reached and exceeded my computer time limit at the local library, so the story will continue another day.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Indiana!
We crossed into Indiana yesterday morning near Monroeville. But I couldn't find any "Welcome to Indiana" signs for a photo opportunity. Rural Indiana has many open, quiet country roads which are nice to ride, but many also turn to gravel with no warning. The day's are getting hot, but the winds have been light so the biking is good. We've already had many miles of quiet riding along acres and acres of corn and soybean fields. There will be many more to come I suspect.
Yesterday was our biggest mileage day so far - 78 miles. That also ties my record for most miles in one day. Thanks for all the email messages we've received so far!
Yesterday was our biggest mileage day so far - 78 miles. That also ties my record for most miles in one day. Thanks for all the email messages we've received so far!
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Defiance, Ohio
We are waiting out an impending thunderstorm in the local library. Good timing as far as thunderstorms go since we were just pulling into town and needing a break as the skies turned purple. We may reach Indiana today, it all depends on the weather, the wind and our legs! Here are some highlights from the last few days:
- Northeast Ohio is quite rolling, and Northwest Ohio is not nearly as flat as Delaware.
- It is very disheartening to learn at the end of a 70 mile day that tonight's campground has no showers
- But, when the lifeguards let you swim for free in the cool, clear rock quarry that shower doesn't seem so important! And it's very easy to wash short hair in the water pump outside your tent
- Lattes are few and far between in the rural midwest.
- Everyone is interested in your story when you pull into the local diner on a bicycle.
- 40 miles into a brisk, stiff, really strong headwind is quite enough for one day.
- The librarian in Defiance lets you bring your bike indoors during a rain storm and then finds her sister-in-law to drive you to the local coffee shop to pass the time.
Mileage total so far: 190 miles
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Berlin Heights, Ohio
Day 1 was a beautiful way to start our bike trip. Sunny skies, light wind from the north and cool temperatures. We put in 54 miles and decided to call it a day. Found a nice campground just outside of Oberlin, Ohio and went to sleep by 9:00! The skies were clear and we watched fireflies light up the night from the skylight of our tent. Today is just about the same weather, so another lucky riding day. We just finished a yummy breakfast in Berlin Heights and will head down the road in search of another campsite for tonight. Not many options for camping around here so Dave is pouring over maps and we'll be asking some questions along the way. We had hoped to get to Luckey, Ohio tonight where we had a reservation at the Hoelter residence, but that seems to be about 70 miles from here. Too many miles to put in today, so we need to go to plan B. The Ohio countryside is beautiful and peaceful so it will be a good day for riding.
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