String of Friends

(Famous round barn built to house a renowned brain surgeon's cows) Static map: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/409540684?privacy_code=pf2c5Qs718AWMCLI9QdHpo4LQxB5onDM Animated map: https://www.relive.com/view/vMv8zQjjZP6 SOFAUS 3 Day 10 Yesterday was a rest day. I hung out in Galesburg all day. I'm not going to write much except to say I rode to Target to buy replacement clothes, had brunch at Judy’s Family Cafe. With her 600K Instagram followers, she is better at marketing than pancakes. I really wanted to poke in the Knox College buildings but, alas, they were close summer Sundays. I took solace with iced Americanos at two different coffeeshops. In the afternoon, I went back to Hana’s. I decided to make dinner for her and Haylee. She and Haylee were with f friends so I poked around their kitchen trying to find where they put stuff. I had so much fun winging it on Sweet Potato Tacos. Thus ended the day.  The weather was turning. It was going to get humid and hot. We ...

(Perfect backroads cycling) Static map: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/409080874?privacy_code=4pxOVyaYMdx1LRVMOPy0gQoTf7tGUsDh Animated map: https://www.relive.com/view/v26MDGooN3O SOFAUS 3 Day 8 The bartender at the Half Nelson recommended taking the new Oculus Bridge over the Mississippi. It was a few miles to the east, which would normally have been perfect, but today I was headed south. Still, I had time. After morning coffee at the Brewed Book, I headed to the river. Another happy accident was running into an antique tractor show. I was in a nice revived historic district too. I chatted a bit then biked the two blocks to the river. I meandered along the path enjoying being near the river. Soon I was at the Oculus.  (The Brewed Book) Crossing it, another cyclist pedalled up and asked where I was going. We were talking so much that I failed to notice the Welcome to Illinois sign. Nevertheless, I got the word on the best way out of town. The best way wasn’t...

(The Wilton Candy Kitchen) Static map: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/408817775?privacy_code=IhQd4qMEL08XOpkEVtp0QkYZrI6OT7tc Animated map: https://www.relive.com/view/vXvLDdd8L7v I woke up at 5:30. Normal for me. I decided to get an early start. I'm glad I did because it's going to be a longer ride than I thought. The dew was heavy and condensation on the inside of the rain fly occasionally dripped, plink, on something. I was out of camp just before 7:00.  From camp I could hear the road. I was dreading riding in the three miles necessary to get to a bike trail. The way out of the park was beautiful. People overlook the beauty of the prairie and so little is left. At the turn off to the road from the park I was pleasantly surprised. Not only was it not so busy, but it has a good shoulder. Bike tourers are obsessed with road shoulders.  (Morning beauty) Soon I hit bike trails, the first sign of a bigger city. I thought of Iowa City as strictly a college ...

(New duds!) Static map: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/408593374?privacy_code=gFJlvGYJJmf0mR6NxAxh1LbQD3zOS9MW Animated map: https://www.relive.com/view/vZqN3nrVx3v SOFAUS Day 06 I woke in the night contemplating my fate. I really didn't want to lose a day. I had a long ride planned. If I spent a lot of time buying clothes and waiting for the clothing shops to open I would be arriving very late. If I stayed too close to Grinnell, it would make the next ride already even longer than today's, even longer.  I woke in the middle of the night. I searched Google maps and poked at Ride with GPS, my route planning app. I found a way! There was a nice looking park 10 miles from Iowa City. I could camp there then opt for a shorter, more direct route to Davenport than the ride I planned along the Mississippi the following day. I don’t (didn’t) have super special cycling clothes so a trip to the Walmart outside of town would be OK.  I went back to sleep refreshed and woke just ...

Static map: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/408350723?privacy_code=UGbdZa19H4h5dS96lm4Eehc0sOgAj7ry Animated map: https://www.relive.com/view/v7O9zyoLDQ6 Today had a bit of everything riding-wise and off-the-bike-wise. It all began with a very humid morning at camp. Everything was just kind of damp. It's like my clothes sucked moisture out of the air. Not really damp, just kind of damp.  (Fake coal mine entrance. It was a thing) After a quick breakfast of instant oatmeal I was on my way. I was quickly back on the road which quickly became the High Trestle Trail heading east. The towns are spaced about six miles apart. I local cyclist said this spacing makes them perfect for party rides. Just pick your town. I stopped in Slater, which had a surprisingly fancy coffee shop. It was two towns in and the perfect place to dry my stuff. I spread it on a clean space outside the coffee shop. As I sipped in the fancy chair the breeze dried my tent and clothes except for ...

Static map: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/408092553?privacy_code=elUatNo0YFsLlv2udhqSM99fPvyc9xWj Animated Map: https://www.relive.com/view/veqzzGeeg7q I woke to gray skies after a somewhat sticky, but restful night. I don't know how much of the stick was me and how much was the humidity. The campground didn't have a shower so I was (am) a bit grungy.  I could take the morning slow because today is a piece of cake, 40 miles of flat railtrail with temps in the low 80s. I leisurely broke camp without eating breakfast. The campground, while feeling out in nature, is just minutes from Panora’s main street.  (Folks in Crafty's) I biked up to Crafty’s Coffee and Gifts for coffee and a breakfast of pastries. They didn't disappoint. I read an article in the Des Moines Register about the decline in religion in rural Iowa. It's tied to declining populations in small towns, but exceeds even that drop. The towns I have seen seem to be doing better than m...