Day 38, Itasca State Park, Park Rapids, MN - 79 miles

It's been great being able to share Minnesota's fantastic bike trails with friends.  Today's ride started right where we left off, on the Paul Bunyan Trail.  The cue sheet said to stay on the trail for 20 miles but I could see from a map that we could stay on it for 45 miles then meet up with the official route so that's what Mary and I did.  I am very glad we did as we had a lovely, flat, shaded ride with no traffic for most of the day.  When we finally rejoined the route, we were on a road with fairly low traffic but very wide, nice shoulders.  Seeing signs for Itasca State Park made me realize just how far we had ridden and what we had accomplished.  Not everyone rode every mile but we all did what we could or wanted to do.  Our riding styles were very different but at the end of the day, we sat down together as a family, telling stories about what we saw and did.  It's a great way to travel and a great bunch of people to travel with.

Headwaters

I had been to the headwaters before so I knew to expect the visitor's center and the crowds.  There was a group of women motorcyclists splashing in the water and taking group photos.  Shauna's dad and other family members met us with champagne to celebrate our arrival.  Seeing the joy on my fellow rider's faces, although not unexpected, was a treat.  The final leg of our journey was a six mile ride on Itasca's less than pristine trails from the headwaters to the Douglas Lodge.  We went as a pack, some having had more champagne than others, but we went slow and all arrived safely.

Our group

We had our closing banquet at the Douglas Lodge restaurant, which had its share of walleye and wild rice on the menu.  The five SAG drivers got up and gave their rendition of what a typical day was like from their point of view ("bye-bye-bye, drive-drive-drive, wait-wait-wait, stop-stop-stop, come-come-come, wash-wash-wash, eat-eat-eat, pee-pee-pee, wash-wash-wash, go-go-go") and the rider's point of view ("pump-pump-pump, ride-ride-ride, stop-stop-stop, wash-wash-wash, eat-eat-eat, drink-drink-drink, pee-pee-pee, wash-wash-wash, ride-ride-ride").  Carol told funny stories and talked logistics.  Barb Kassel, our sous-chef, did not sing, which was quite sad and unlike her.

My room was in a four-plex, where there were two very small beds very close to each other, and a common porch shared with some young men.  My roommate for the night was a rather, um, loud sleeper so I had the opportunity to go for a walk at 2am and enjoy the great outdoors.  I was sure I was being stalked by a coyote so I didn't stay out long.  No matter.  Breakfast the next day was a great buffet, and the 5 hour bus ride to the Minneapolis airport was spent with friends.

Abby on the bus

Pat, Penny and Carolyn spent the night at my house before catching their planes the next day.  Pam and I were lucky to have Bernadette and Yolande spend three extra days with us before we drove them to Duluth for the next leg of their journey.  While here they remarked that Minneapolis has more biking than Amsterdam, something I was very amazed and proud to hear.  Ever the gracious guests, Yolande even made a gift of her Holland-colored cap to me.

Empty chairs waiting for friends

Even with the route troubles I had during this trip, it was one of the best WomanTours has sponsored.  Because safety has to be number one on this type of adventure, I can't say I would ever travel with this company again.  But I have gained confidence in finding my own routes, made new friendships, and strengthened old ones.  Overall the trip was a success.

Day 37, Pine River, MN - 68 miles

After a rest day in Little Falls, which was quite restful since there wasn't a lot to do there, we headed off on quiet country roads.  The choice of routes was a little questionable and at mile 35 we were routed through Bemidji to get to the Paul Bunyan trail.  I had looked at a map beforehand so I knew we didn't have to go through town to get on the trail and Mary and I took the half block detour, joined the trail early and avoided a lot of the unpleasant traffic.

Once on the trail, it was 32 miles of paved perfection.  The scenery was beautiful and the only traffic was the occasional bicycle going in the other direction.  We passed through three or four towns with shopping districts right on the trail, including Nisswa with its "Pretty Good Shopping," where Penny, Pat and I stopped for a filling lunch at Adirondack Coffee. After lunch we were back on the trail leaving it only to pull into the parking lot of our hotel.

Bernadette

Other than the hotel, Pine River seems to have only a Shamp's Meat Market (which is supposed to be quite good) and an assisted living facility (I'm not so sure on its quality).  My friend, Jane, who lives in the area part time and paid me a surprise visit, said the quotient of liberals skyrocket when we rolled into town.  We entertained ourselves, or rather Bernadette and Yolande entertained us, by hosting the Dutch Dollar Store, a way for them to raise a few dollars and us to get ride of our heavy left over supplies.  I was able to purchase Carol's cowboy hat and a half-used bag of lavender Epsom salts for dirt cheap.

Me and my new hat (with Penny)

Tomorrow is our last riding day, which is sad.  I have found a route which, at least on google, appears to be magical.  We'll see if it's true.

Day 35, Little Falls, MN - 85 miles

We have been so lucky with the weather and our luck continued today.  The forecast was for light winds at our backs and partly cloudy skies with highs in the lower 80s.  For the most part that is what we got except the cloud cover was even more until afternoon, keeping the temperatures nice and cool for most of the day.

Our route is partly along the Adventure Cycling Northern Tier route which guides bikers across the northern states from Washington to Maine.  Local residents are used to seeing bikers but one farmer has gone above the call of duty: he has build a bunkhouse for bikers. Just outside of Dalbo, MN, Donn Olson converted his old dairy barn into a shelter, and quite a luxurious one, for bikers to spend a night or two.   He has a solar shower, sells dirt cheap snacks, and provides coffee, TV and WiFi.  He does it because he loves hearing rider's stories and being kind.

Adventure Cycling Bunkhouse

We continued along the country roads past more Gold'n Plump chicken houses than I knew existed.  At mile 65 or so, I was getting pretty tired so my riding companion, Mary D, and I stopped at the Ramey general store for a restful drink then continued on.  My energy returned and we pulled into Little Falls by about 2pm.  Because we are such a large group, we are split into two hotels about a half a mile apart.  Unfortunately my luggage was in one hotel and I was booked in the other.  Carol, our ever working guide, was kind enough to walk my luggage to the other hotel for me.

Dinner, made by Lynne, was shrimp curry with local cherry pie for dessert.  Tomorrow is a rest day and, although there isn't a lot to do in Little Falls, I am looking forward to it.

Day 34, Cambridge, MN - 59 miles

Minnesota is know for its paved bike trials and lived up to its reputation.  Today's ride was on the Sunrise Prairie Trail and isolated country roads.  Other than a lengthy and social stop at the Nesting Grounds Coffee House in Wyoming, Minnesota, there was nothing else but calm and beauty today.  Check out my photos for highlights.

Day 33, Stillwater, MN - 48 miles

Our route took us a very short 48 miles into Stillwater, Minnesota, home of Michelle Bachmann.  I couldn't deal so I decided to bike home to Minneapolis instead.  It added about 20 miles but I am glad I did it.  I plotted my own course and headed out on the Cannon Valley trail, a paved bike trail which originates in Red Wing.  After 10 miles on that, I wound my way on country roads, and suburban bike trails until reaching historic Fort Snelling, a landmark I pass on my routine bike rides from home.  I must have been very excited to see Pam because I pulled up to my house at 12:30, just in time for lunch.  It was wonderful to call the SAG and tell them I made it, both because I was home and because I knew my friends on the ride were thinking of me.

Pam and I drove out to Stillwater to meet the group for dinner.  I was able to share the evening's activities with Pam and still be in bed by 9 pm.  After all the angst WomanTours has given me on this trip, I still think it's a great organization and I will miss the rides when we are done.

Day 32, Red Wing, MN - 31 miles

Another incredibly short day.  Pat and I rode together and had time to stop for coffee at a bakery in Lake City (location of Lake Pepin, the birthplace of water skiing).

Day 31, Wabasha, MN - 41 miles

Today's ride was supposed to be only 35 miles, which is very short even when we haven't had a rest day the previous day.  I was able to extend it to 41 with some scenic detours. 

Things we saw which we would have missed had we stuck to the cue sheet: Houseboats on the Mississippi, a turtle crossing sign (we've seen a tremendous number of squished turtles), and a "This Road Not Maintained" sign (the road was actually quite nice). 

We would have seen the National Eagle Center in Wabasha anyway.  The center was great but easy to see in just an hour.

The next few days are very short, and we only have one week to go before the end of the trip.  Times goes fast.

Day 29, Winona, WI - 94 miles

All day as I ride I plan what I am going to write in my blog.  Today I was going to talk about why I didn’t take any pictures (it turns out I did), why I got in the van (I didn’t), how cold it was (it warmed up), and what a miserable day it was (it was great!).  So here’s the story.

The forecast was for a high of 60 degrees, light winds out of the north (our direction of travel), and a 30% chance of rain.  Sixty degrees and rain is quite miserable to bike in so we were prepared with rain gear and warm socks in the SAG.  The cue sheet said to take the first right turn after heading out of the hotel but there was a great, less traveled road that paralleled our course for the first four miles so about six of us took that instead.  We were rewarded with very little traffic which meant we could ride side by side and chat.  Then we turned onto the official route and we returned to our single file riding.  The shoulder was crap for the next five miles or so, and the drivers were not very good, so it was a little hairy initially.  Then the shoulder became as wide as a lane, with beautiful bluffs on the right and the mighty Mississippi stretching out for miles on our left.

Then it started raining.  It had been drizzling all morning but the rain started to come down aggressively.  And the wind picked up.  At the 20 mile SAG stop I put on my rain pants and continued down the road.  By mile 40 my feet were cold so Mary D recommended I put baggies on my toes to retain the heat.  With that and a shower cap on my helmet, I warmed up enough and kept on biking.

Our route was supposed to take us through LaCrosse, Wisconsin, on a busy road into downtown.  Because I looked at a map the night before, I knew there was an easy and safe way to avoid all the traffic and I was relieved to see the turn as it was starting to get messy on our road.  I had told all my fellow riders about the alternative and, as I have not seen anyone yet, I can only hope they took the turn, too.

I found Mary D, our SAG driver, on a side street in LaCrosse and, because it had stopped raining, I flagged her down so I could change into dry socks.  The weather continued to improve and I was warm enough to remove my shower cap and rain pants (but not the baggies from my toes!).

Just north of LaCrosse, we got on a bike path that headed out of town almost to our destination of Winona, Minnesota.  The path wasn’t paved but it was very beautiful and, with the improved weather, I was able to get my camera out and snap a few pictures.

I got into the hotel just after the trailer and van carrying about 15 of my cold and wet compatriots.  Tonight’s dinner is pizza, one of my favorite foods, and I am starving.  What a great day.

Day 28, Prairie du Chien, WI - 45 miles

It was only a 45 mile day but the wind continues.  It wasn't as bad as yesterday but coupled with the hills, it was a tough day.  Speaking of hills... only three of note but they got up to an 11% grade (which is rather steep) and seemed to go on forever.  Oh, and it was cold, but not too bad with a high of 63 or so.  Just a little unexpected.

Tomorrow is a 94 mile day but 25 of that is on a bike path.  It's a crushed limestone path, which has some people worried but I bike those all the time at home so I know they are fine.  I've also made some route adjustments which should make the route significantly safer that what the tour company proposed.

Mary and me with a pink elephant who we named "Ellen."

Day 27, Dyesville, IA - 58 miles

The wind does blow.
One day friend,
One day foe.
- Anonymous

Yesterday we had tailwinds of 25 mph.  Today they turned into headwinds and they were just as stiff.

We started out this morning with brisk winds out of the southwest.  They weren’t too bad and we were headed north so it wasn’t a big deal.  In short order, the winds shifted to the west, and then out of the northwest.  And they blew - it was a battle to stay on the bike at times.  At one point I was going down a 4% hill, peddling, and going only 12 mph.   Now that’s a wind.

Headwind

Today was marked by two interesting sights.  The first was Maquoketa Caves State Park.  Although not a very large park, it is unique for its limestone bluffs, rock formations (including Balanced Rock and Natural Arch) and for its caves.  Dancehall cave has a paved, lighted path that was easily followed by those in bike shoes, and Mary and I took our time exploring.

Spelunking

Towards the end of the day we encountered the Field of Dreams Movie Site. Yep, it is the actual site where the movie was filmed and it is a ball field in the middle of nowhere.  Not being a big fan of baseball, I didn’t spend much time there but I can see the appeal to those who are into such things.

Field of Dreams

Overall it was a great day.  There’s nothing like a long hard day of biking to fire the appetite and our chef, Lynne, does an excellent job satisfying.  Tonight’s dinner was turkey chili, corn salad, corn bread and fresh Iowa pie.  That hit the spot.

Day 26, Maquoketa, IA - 58 miles

We are on day 26 of this 40 day ride and it feels great.  We are certainly out of the flat lands of the Mississippi delta region and into the rolling hills of eastern Iowa.  The route was, for the most part, on rural country roads with corn as far as can been seen.  Because today is Memorial day, there were American flags at every cemetery and in every country farm house.  Also because it is Memorial Day, construction zones were empty which was a big plus for us.  About 3 miles into our day we found our route blocked by large Road Closed Ahead signs.  Those who were new to cross country biking were a little hesitant but for those of us who have done a few of these rides, we knew that a little construction wouldn’t stop us.  It turns out that only about a half of mile of road was actually closed and it was an easy portage over and around.

Road Closed

The rest of the day was full of tailwinds up to 25 mph which would just push us along with barely any effort.  When we would turn slightly the wind would become a crosswind which could be a little challenging. But that never lasted long and we blew into the hotel very early - some before noon.

We are staying in another nondescript chain motel - this one a Comfort Inn.  There is nothing around for miles except a WalMart and a BP gas station.  Apparently it is not entirely in the middle of no where as good friends of mine from Florida, Pat and Bev, came by for a lovely visit.  It was great to see them again and it reminds me that I am getting a little closer to home and the end of the ride every day.

Day 25, Muscatine, IA - 58 miles

Another beautiful day.  Tailwind, sunny skies, hot.... Not much else to say.  Check out my photos for some entertainment.

Day 23, Burlington, IA - 52 miles

Out of the hotel, exit Iowa and back into Illinois for the day.  I’m not sure how WomanTours comes up with these routes - they really don’t make sense, but at least this route was safe so I'm not complaining. Early in the day we entered the town of Nauvoo. Nauvoo was established by Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon church and in 1844 it was almost as populous as Chicago with 12,000 residents.  Shortly thereafter, Smith was assassinated here and, although the Mormon influence is still prominent, it is now more of a pilgrimage site than a home base for Mormons.

As we approached closer to Burlington, traffic picked up a bit and initially I was wary about going over the Burlington Great River Bridge.  I stopped in a gas station and spoke with a local farmer who assured me people bike over the bridge all the time and there was a wide shoulder.  He was right and the crossing presented no problems.

Burlington Bridge

Today was a day off in Burlington where the annual Snake Alley Criterium is taking place.  This criterium is one of six qualifying races for the big Nature Valley Pro Chase which happens to take place in my hometown of Minneapolis the week I return from my tour.  Another qualifying race will occur in Muscatine, IA, where we will be heading tomorrow.  I feel like a race groupie but it sure is fun to watch the best amateur bike racers go at it.  Tomorrow on the way out of town several of us have vowed to do a few laps up Snake Alley.  It averages a 21% grade so I am not optimistic about making it up even once.

Snake Alley

Day 22, Keokuk, IA - 71 miles

What could have been a challenging day turned out to be easy and very fun.  Once again I didn’t like the route WomanTours choose to get out of the city so I found my own.  While all the other riders were on US-61 heading out, I (and the two Marys) meandered along designated bike lanes and rural farm roads for the first 13 miles.  After that, we met up with the other members of our group and enjoyed the 25 mile per hour tailwinds that pushed us along at lightning speeds.  We had to hit the breaks at mile 36 when we pulled up to our designated ferry crossing and found out it was closed. According to the captain, the ferry had been shut down by the Coast Guard only the day before for a minor violation in their running lights.  When he understood our predicament, he offered run us across the river as long as we were all together.  After urgent phone calls to the SAG to pick up the slower riders, we assembled at the dock, boarded the ferry and made it across without incident.

Carol explaining to Yolande the ferry is closed.

Once in Iowa we twisted along farm roads until a left turn put the wind at our back again.  It was like shooting out of the Battlestar Galactica as we caught the air and it moved us down the road at 20 mph with no effort on our part.  We arrived in Keokuk, IA, to stay at a Baymont Inn, which used to be the Riverview Inn, which used to be a Holiday Inn, which is in need of upgrades.  But dinner was great and the company couldn’t be beat so all is well.

Day 21, Hannibal, MO - 34 miles

Wow, I am glad I got into the van today.  For many reasons I am glad.  The cue sheet said that the shoulder ended and rumble strips started at mile 35.  Given the road we were routed on, I knew it was going to be hairy and I just didn’t want the tension.  So I arranged with our guide to wait with the van at mile 34 and that’s exactly where she was.  She picked up me and the other guide and, just as the cue sheet promised, the road turned to shit within a mile.  Penny, Moira and Kris were in the van already so a good time was had by all.  We booked up to the cute town of Clarksville, MO, at mile 66 where we had time for lunch, surfing the internet and a little bit of shopping.  Lock and dam 24 is located here and Penny and I enjoyed visiting that.  After picking up more riders who opted to stop for the day, we piled back in the van and back tracked about 15 miles to get a group of five who agreed: the road was shit.

By then there were 15 people in the van and we high tailed it into Hannibal.  Traffic lessened a bit but it still wasn’t a road I wanted to bike on.  I was congratulating myself on avoiding the anxiety a ride like that would have given when we turned a corner to face the first of several tremendously steep hills.  At this point we were at mile 95 on the route and the hills were just beginning.  We went over a series of long hills that went up to a 16% grade and kept up until the last, long downhill into Hannibal.  The total distance today was 115 miles and only about 6 riders did the entire ride.  I am glad I was not one of them.

It’s a shame that WomanTours chose the route and the distance they did.  There was a much shorter, less hilly and safer route available. This once great company seems to be slipping lately.

Day 20, Grafton, IL - 45 miles

You would think it would be difficult biking out of a big city but not so.  We started out from the Hyatt in downtown St. Louis by walking under the Arch to the riverfront. We turned left and before we knew it, we were on a bike path right along the river.  There were murals on the flood wall and friendly people fishing in the river.  We crossed over the Chain of Rocks pedestrian/bike bridge and continued on another bike path in Illinois.  Soon we came up to Camp River Debois museum.  The camp, located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, is where Lewis & Clark spent their first winter training their newly assembled Corp of Discovery.

The day continued in a similar vein, going very slowly along bike paths and bike lanes.  At 3pm with only a few hundred yards to go to the hotel, Penny, Bernadette and Yolande and I pulled into the Loading Dock for a cool beverage overlooking the river.  We were able to walk to the hotel with ease afterwards.

We are staying at the Ruebel hotel, a cute, family run establishment with free laundry and internet.

Tomorrow’s ride is supposed to be 112 miles but I have decided I don’t want to deal with it so I am planning on getting in the van early on.  That decision has made this evening a lot nicer.

Day 18, St. Louis, MO - 74 miles

Sacagawea, Daniel Boone, Kit Carson, Ferdinand Magellan.  They’ve got nothing on me.  On Sunday I went exploring.  Because I thought there may be a more peaceful route from Ste. Genevieve to St. Louis, I stayed up late (past 8pm) on the computer looking for an alternate to our established path.  I found what I thought might be OK and invited some friends on an adventure.  We started on the official route, first across the Mississippi on the Ste. Genevieve-Modoc ferry (which didn’t start running until 9 am giving us a very late start) then on to Bluff Road heading north.  The road was lightly traveled and in the shadow of limestone bluffs.

At mile 13, in the town of Prairie du Rocher, Mary B, Mary D, Lea, Carolyn (the birthday girl) and I took a left turn off route and started on our own.  Within less than a mile I had a flat tire from a huge piece of glass but with everybody working together it was quickly repaired and we were off again.  The route was very nice but the sun was getting warmer and the terrain was very flat and there wasn’t a lot to catch our attention (other than the railroad gates being down and no train in sight so we crossed anyway).

Railroad crossing

When we encountered a dirt road that wasn’t supposed to be there, we headed back out to the main route and caught a tremendous tailwind into the SAG.  At that point Mary D, Lea and Carolyn had had enough shenanigans and decided to stick with the official route.  Mary B and I apparently hadn’t had enough so we headed back into no man’s land onto the levee road and turned north towards St. Louis.

The tailwind was great, the road had very infrequent traffic, and a few clouds moved in providing some relief from the sun. At mile 58, 15 miles out of St. Louis, we had our first view of the downtown skyline and the St. Louis Arch.  We wove through the town of East St. Louis, passed the Gateway Geyser and, after an elevator ride on the route, crossed the famous Eads bridge on a bike-way to our hotel in the shadow of the Arch.

Arch

Today was a rest day so I was on my own to explore St. Louis.  I went to the Arch (although not up it), to the museum and to movies about Lewis and Clark, and the building of the Arch.  The old court house was near so I learned more about Dred and Harriet Scott and the now universally panned Supreme Court decision. Then I went to Bailey’s Range for one of the best burgers and milk shakes I have ever had.

Tomorrow is a short day, most of which is on a bike path.  Now that’s the kind of biking I like.

Day 17, Ste. Genevieve, MO - 64 miles

I road with Mary for most of the day, great weather, nice tailwind, great fun.  As we were getting into our destination we met up with a man named Steve Quam.  Steve is biking 4000 miles from North Carolina to Washington.  He is raising money for Parkinson's disease, which he has.  And I thought we were doing a tough tour.

Day 16, Cape Girardeau, MO - 50 miles

Not much to say about today.  Beautiful weather, slight tailwind, great company.  I took only two pictures today, displayed below.  Check out my other photos through the link near the top of the page.

Rainbow irrigation

SAG stop at a cemetery

Day 15, Charleston, MO - 76 miles

You would think 78 miles wouldn’t be so hard, but it was.  There was enough of a head wind this morning that at mile 22 I opted to skip the 2 mile detour to the Reelfoot Lake visitor center.  I was glad I did because at mile 35 there was another visitor center, smaller but still nice, on pretty much the same thing.  At mile 40, we entered Kentucky and I started riding with Pat.  (Pat is my great friend with whom I rode across the southern portion of the US in 2008.  She had ridden a total of about 100 miles in training for this trip.  I probably rode 1300 miles in training.)  We took a cute ferry across the Mississippi and met up with the SAG for the 60 mile stop.  The headwinds turned nasty and Pat turned on the gas.  She pulled me (meaning she rode in front of me, breaking the wind) for the next 15 miles seemingly without effort.  After that, I graciously offered to be in front for the remaining 3 miles.  Wasn’t that nice of me?

Dinner was once again amazing with caprese salad, and an eggplant/tofu concoction for those of us who prefer not to eat meat.

The hotel for the night is another nondescript Quality Inn.  It’s 8:30 and I’m fighting to stay awake.  I don’t think I can last long.

Day 14, Dyersburg, TN - 43 miles

Today was a short day, only 43 miles, but not very scenic.  At about mile ten, we passed through Henning, TN, the boyhood home of Alex Haley, the author of Roots.  It’s a cute home and, oddly, his grave is in the front yard.
 

Alex Haley's Boyhood Home

To spice things up a bit today, Penny, Pat and I took an alternate route which I scoped out on the internet.  I think my compatriots were a little angry at me when the path I found started out with a 13% hill on cobblestones.  Then I led them through the local community college.  Then we had to walk over a small patch of grass after the road ended.  It certainly was different and much more scenic than the original route but the jury is still out on whether it was better.  At least Pat and Penny are still talking to me.

Day 13, Covington, TN - 63 miles

Clark and Jean, friends who I met on previous WomanTours rides and who are Memphis locals, said our ride begins here.  Up to this point we have been in the Mississippi Delta, the remarkably flat alluvial plane between the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers.  Today we headed into the gently rolling hills of southern Tennessee.

What a beautiful ride.  We traveled back country roads through rural farm areas with sunny skies and only a light breeze.  We are on a portion of the Mississippi River Trail, the 3000 mile signed bicycle route that goes the length of the river, so local folks are used to seeing bicyclists and they waved from their porches as we passed.

We pulled into the Holiday Inn Express and did the usual shower and laundry.  We are each allowed only 50 pounds of luggage for the six weeks of the tour, and a lot of it ends up being bike related equipment so we do laundry frequently.

Day 11 & 12, Memphis, TN - 92 & 0 miles

Another rest day!  About every seven to 10 days we have a day off from cycling, often in a interesting city.  In our second rest day of the trip we are in downtown Memphis, not far from all the action of Beale Street.  But getting here took quite the effort.

We knew the ride from Clarskdale was going to be a haul.  The cue sheet which gave our route for the day listed 94 miles of turns.  A lot of this was on back roads and most of it was heading north.  OK, I thought. This won’t be too bad.  Unfortunately there was this pesky wind, gusting to 21 mph, out of the north.

The first 20 miles was heading east and I rode with my great friend Penny.  I have known Penny since we rode  the 3000 miles across the Southern Tier of the US in 2008.  We took our time and stopped for a few pictures, including at “Gurleyville, Population 3.”  It seems Ty Gurley has some fun on his property and has erected numerous whimsical statues including rows of tractors and a dinosaur.

After the first SAG stop to refill our water bottles and get snacks, we turned north and the wind began.  I started riding with Mary D and Carolyn, two strong riders who are a lot of fun.  The fun was kept to a minimum as the wind speed increased along with our effort level.  There was some confusion with the cue sheet at mile 60 but our guide, Carol, was there and directed us down the road.  This allowed us cut a few miles off our route and we enjoyed the wide, almost debris-free shoulder of I-65.  At mile 78 we crossed into our third state, Tennessee.

After almost nine hours on the road, we pulled into the Memphis Marriott.

The next day, on our actual day of rest, five of us met up with our friend Jean, who we know from various WomanTours rides and is a Memphis local.  She took us to the famous Arcade diner for breakfast then drove us to the Apple store (to get Penny’s phone repaired) and a local bike shop.  We have three terrible bike pumps that are constantly pulling the valve stems out of our tires and we have had enough.  Penny sprung for her own floor pump and is going to ask folks to chip in what they can.  Yay for Penny!  After that, I went to the National Civil Rights Museum, housed in a building attached to the Lorraine motel where Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated.  The exhibits were wonderful and the presentation was amazing.  It was an educational, informative and stirring presentation on the struggle for civil rights for those of African descent in this country.  But there was only two paragraphs about gay rights and women’s rights.  A great museum but I disagree with the name - it did not discuss my civil rights.

Afterwards Penny, Barb and I went to Gus’s Fried Chicken, rated number two on TripAdvisor, for a fried chicken dinner. It was wonderful.

Tomorrow is a 63 mile day with a forecast for sunny skies and temperatures in the low 80s.  I’m afraid to look at what the wind is going to be.

Day 10, Clarksdale, MS - 64 miles

Maybe I should have checked the forecast before cleaning my bike yesterday.  Today the prediction was a 70% chance of rain so it didn’t look great for bikers.  Oh well.  An expression I learned on WomanTours is “There is no bad weather, just poor clothing choices.”  The rain actually held off for most of the day.  This allowed for some amusing times playing in a wheat field and looking at catfish ponds. 

The rain didn’t start until mile 45 or so.  We still had about 20 miles to go so on went the rain gear and it was heads down and pedal.

Wheat field (photo by Abby).

The accommodations tonight are the Comfort Inn in beautiful Clarksdale.  People here, and along our entire route (including the drivers) have been exceptionally nice at all times.  I’m afraid that Lee (from Australia), Monika (Austria), Moira (Scotland) and Bernadette and Yolande (Holland) may get a very different picture of the United States as we get farther north.

Day 9, Indianola, MS - 59 miles

I knew it was going to be a good day when I found Roseanne at the snack table making a peanut butter and pickle sandwich.  It’s not that I have a sudden fondness for the things, it was just that it was new and in my mind, new is good.

Roseanne and a peanut butter/pickle sandwich

 Although these days have few miles, today was only 59, they are very pleasant.  I rode out with a large crowd consisting of Mary, Penny, Pat, Lee and Carolyn and we zipped along until the first SAG.  I road the Southern Tier with Mary, Penny and Pat, and the Northern Tier with Mary and Penny.  We know each other well and, although our riding styles aren’t always the same, I think we have great fun when we are together.  Carolyn is a new-comer to touring and seems to be having a blast.  Tonight at the map meeting it came out that tomorrow it will rain.  Carolyn hasn’t done much biking in the rain and we assured her she is in for a treat.  Lee, who is from Australia, got to see her first cypress trees in one of the many bayous we passed.  They were putting on a beautiful show, knees in the air and all. 

Lee and Cypress

We pulled into Indianola, the home of BB King, in time for lunch and, after giving my bike and myself a good cleaning, headed down for dinner.  At our map meeting Yolande and Bernadette entertained us with a fantastic song they wrote about biking and the sights we see.  Too bad it was in Dutch.

The rain has already started.  Tomorrow is going to be fun

Day 8, Yazoo City, MS - 54 miles

It seems the heat has broken.  And the back to back 80 to 90 mile days are over with for now.  For the next little while we will be riding only 50 miles per day and we will be gradually encountering more rolling terrain.  All of this makes our group of 30 bikers very happy indeed.

Our group seems very good.  The slower riders start early in the day and as the morning progresses, we pass them with a happy greeting.  If we have all started in the proper order, we meet at the first SAG stop at about the same time.  This allows our SAG driver to jump to the next stop in time to catch the fastest riders.  As the day goes on we get more and more spread out so we are cautioned that if we go too fast, we will outrun the SAG.

Today I rode with Mary again.  Both of us have a bit of trouble hearing which makes for some funny conversations and a lot of companionable silence.  It was a short day so we arrived at the hotel at around noon to find that Penny, who decided to ride in the van, had gone to Taco Bell and brought back a 12 pack of tacos.  I had three and they never tasted so good.