Keokuk Iowa

These last 2 days have taken us through some pretty flat farmland. We've seen huge fields of corn and soybeans. We had some monster farm equipment pass us on the roads. They say it is for spraying  fungicide on the crops but I think they are filming a Star Wars movie. 

We stopped for coffee at The Filling Station in Milan and the owner is friends with the guy that rides RAGBRAI without a seat so he wanted to talk biking with us. A few miles down the road another guy flagged us down to talk. He had done a Trans-Am ride and was thinking of doing the MRT. It's always fun to talk with other interested bikers and we enjoyed the rest stops. 

After 82 miles yesterday we hadn't been able to find a hotel or even somewhere selling food so we camped in a DNR campground. There was no running water but there were also no fees or other campers. It was actually pretty nice and we had some oatmeal and the rest of our dried Michigan cherries for breakfast. 

We knew there was a town in 20 miles but there were no services. The next town had a Casey's but that was it so we had a slice of breakfast pizza and some Gatorade. We thought we'd stay in Navou. All the motels were full and the town was filled with LDS people so we went on. We went 2 miles out of our way for a total of 60 and crossed the bridge into Iowa to stay in a motel. We really didn't want to go two days without showers. We'll cross back to Illinois tomorrow because while Iowa has services it also has lots of hills. 

We're trying to get to St Louis by Saturday so we can spend some time with our niece, Jane, and her new dog. 

Rock Island

We started yesterday with 25 miles of hills and then we crossed the river into Savannah, Illinois and were greeted by lovely flat prairies. The crossing was about 3 miles of sloughs and then a pretty scary bridge over the main channel. Instead of pavement we had to ride on metal grating with a strong crosswind. The side rail was only hip high and we were quite thankful for the lack of traffic. 

Illinois did not have a sign to welcome us but they had something even better. 60 miles of signed and separated bike trails along the river. A lot of the trail was through wildlife refuge and restored prairies. Very beautiful and relaxing. 

We were at 84 miles when we reached the end of the trail so we stopped in Rock Island. Today's ride should be fairly flat but we won't go through many towns and we'll need to carry some extra food. 

Iowa musings

After spending ten days in Iowa we decided not to run in the next primary but we did get to know a lot more about Iowa. We didn't see any locals that weren't Caucasian and a lot of the small towns are still rooted in their German, Danish or Dutch cultures. 

We saw a lot of signs saying " The churches of ----- welcome you and then about 4 different Christian churches were named underneath. A lot of the town social life is through the churches so they are the main parts of the community. On the other hand there were probably more bars than churches in each town. Another vibrant part of the social scene. 

We saw help wanted signs in windows of restaurants and shops in almost every town. We also saw a lot of local businesses for sale. The farmers say that most of their kids don't want to farm so the farms are becoming bigger and more corporate. Farmers are retiring into the towns and young people are looking for jobs in bigger cities. A lot come home, though, when they are ready to retire. Some towns are offering free lots to families if they will build a house and stay. Some towns are offering finder's fees if you get a physician to move to their community. Some of these things must be working because a lot of the rural areas are showing growth. 

In general the people we've met are happy and interested in conversation. The air is fresh except near the pig farms and food is plentiful. 

Bellevue, Iowa

We finished RAGBRAI yesterday and have better service now so I can blog again. RAGBRAI added 480 miles and we are now over 1000 for the trip. We spent last night in the Guttenberg Motel because we lucked out and called right after they had a cancellation. This morning we headed back down the river but it was not all downhill! We had about 20 hills that were each about a mile up and a mile down. The area is really beautiful. So much green and terrific views of the river. And we were often going slow enough to enjoy them! We had Sunday brunch at the oldest restaurant and bar in Iowa. It was not a New York brunch but it got us over the next few hills. 

We were tired when we got to Belleville after 64 miles so we looked for a place to stay. We found Mont Rest, a B&B with a fantastic view of the River and a great cook for the owner. Chris talked us into leftover coq au vin instead of heading to a local restaurant and it was a wise choice. The conversation was also welcome as we were able to talk politics without having to worry about offending her-- not all that common in Iowa. 

This B&B is up on a hill and we have the tower room with our own hot tub on the roof with a great view of the Mississippi. Are you jealous, Erika?

Mason City

Iowa has been great so far. 46 miles on Sunday, 108 yesterday and only 40 today. We're in the northern part of the state and we've been seeing lots of trees and lakes as well as the usual cornfields and soy beans. The people are so happy to welcome us to their towns. We've had some great pork and ribeye sandwiches as well as pie, ice cream, watermelon, bananas and fresh squeezed limeade.

 We're enjoying the short day in the shady city park across from a Frank Lloyd Wright hotel. 

Okoboji

For some reason the people in the next tent decided to get up at 4:00AM and weren't all that quiet. By 5:00 we gave up and got out of our tent only to find 50 people in line for the kybos. (Iowa's unique word for the port a potty) After a cup of watery coffee we hit the road around 6:30 with thousands of other riders. The 68 mile day turned out to be 76 but we still got into camp by 1:30.  There are a lot more men on this ride than there are women. When we rolled into camp the men's shower line was about an hour long and I was able to just walk right in and shower. Payback! 

  Along the way we enjoyed a lot of great Iowa food and hospitality. For my daily pie I had a slice of rhubarb. It came with a crumble topping. I've never had it that way before but I will be searching for another slice.

 This was a beautiful day. Not too hot yet and when we headed north for a couple miles we were coasting at almost 20 mph with the tail winds. 

And this week we aren't carrying our own packs. I can really tell the difference!

RAGBRAI with Pork Belly Ventures

Prairie du Chien was a great town for final RAGBRAI preparations. We stayed in a hotel with bedtime cookies and a full breakfast, including made to order omelets. We washed all our clothes and made a stop at a hardware store to replace a screw that had rattled loose from my carrier. 

In the morning we rode the final 25 miles to Guttenberg, Iowa to catch our transport to the west side of the state. Fortunately we left early because we had to climb a few long, steep hills to get there. We passed right by Pikes Peak. It was named after Zebulon because he had spent time in this area but it's not quite as high as the one in Colorado. 

We're in Rock Valley now enjoying the music, beer and bike expo. We've met up with JC, our high school friend, and Craig's brother Gary and nephew Greg.

It will be fun sharing the next 420 miles with them as we ride back to Guttenberg this week. 

Prairie du Chien

Last night we were able to find a dry camping spot. Most of the park was still flooded but one of the RV sections was high enough. We were a little cold at night but that's probably the last time for that. Mosquitos aren't hatched yet because the water is still moving fast and the gnats don't bite so it was quite pleasant. 

This section of the river is very wide due to all the navigational locks and dams. It's also a wildlife refuge for migrating birds. We've seen a bald eagle, a white pelican and a couple herons but we've been told that winter and spring bring thousands of these birds through the area.

 The rolling hills are getting a little bigger and when we cross into Iowa tomorrow they'll probably be steeper. We're enjoying a hotel with laundry today because we're heading to RAGBRAI tomorrow and a full week of camping. We'll only ride 23 miles to Guttenberg, IA in the morning and then we'll catch the shuttle to the west side only to spend the whole week riding right back to Guttenberg. (Along with 10,000 other riders)

 We met 3 different groups of riders yesterday. One doing a shortened version  of the MRT and 2 going east west. The largest group was an organized tour with martching jerseys and a truck to carry their bags. 

 So far we rode about 550 miles so we're  about 1/4 of the way down the Mississippi.

LaCrosse

We entered WI yesterday and had a few hills as we passed by Lake Pepin but it's been flat since then. We're also following RR tracks with over 40 trains a day passing through. We've seen at least 4 lines carrying oil, scrap, coal, sand and piggybacks. Sheldon would love it. 

We are following the Great River Trail along highway 35. We've also had the chance to take a lot of bike trails including a 20 mile bike trail through marshlands and wildlife refuges. There have been lots of historical signs to read telling us about industry, history, vegetation, wildlife, etc. I won't spoil it by telling everything in case you plan to visit the area yourself. 

We stopped in Alma to have a wonderful latte and apfel kuchen. We also had a great conversation with a few of the ladies and learned some more about the region. They are still waiting for the flood waters to fully recede.

 We ended the day with 83 miles and are planning on only 40 today. We're in LaCrosse now enjoying lunch and buying supplies. We'll be camping a little ways down the road tonight. 

Red Wing

Today we rode 67 miles to Red Wing. We had paved trails leaving St Paul and through Hastings and into Red Wing. The route changed direction a lot because we had to go around lakes and cross rivers but we flew when we were going Southeast due to a tail wind up to 20 mph. We had the first real climb of the trip and were happy to still be able to do it at our age. 

The River is getting broader and the land is less North Woods and more farmland. 

Craig found a corn field high enough that he could practice for RAGBRAI !

The last 5 miles were on a trail through wetlands that we had to pay a fee to ride. Well worth the price as we saw a blue heron and avoided the gravel trucks. 

  I'm still amazed at the hotel prices. $107 for a room in an historic downtown hotel with a view of the river from our room and a separate room for bike storage.

St Paul

Saturday we rode an easy 40 to Saint Paul. The last 5 miles it started raining and I got a flat but we stayed at a downtown historic hotel for 2 nights and dried out.

We ate walleye, the state fish, cooked in at least 3 ways. The bike paths in the Cities are great but so is the light rail so we toured a lot. We enjoyed the Caribou Coffee Shops, (thanks Karen for the recommendation), and the brew pub in the old Hamm's building, and watched Germany win the World Cup .

Anoka MN

 It rained last night and this morning so we got a late start. It was nice to get a break from the sun and it was fun to watch all the little toads hopping along the road and enjoying the puddles.

 We bought lemonade from 2 kids that argued 5 minutes about who got to pour.      It was only a quarter and they'd mixed it with orange juice so we should have just bought 2 cups. 

 We rode 57 miles today and it's starting to go easier. We told a guy we were planning to ride to New Orleans and he said "It's all downhill from here!"  I'm sure he's right. 

We have a short day tomorrow so we'll stop at a few river parks and then we'll be in the Twin Cities. We plan to take Sunday off to explore the city and watch the World Cup final. 

St Cloud

A rough  64 miles today. We started with oatmeal with added mosquitos for protein. We had headwinds most of the day, the usual third day aches and we're already starting our biker tans. We crossed the river 4 times and followed it pretty closely today. It's really the Mississipi River now. 

We meandered through Saint Cloud enjoying the parks , bike paths and the stately old homes along the river. We started thinking how nice it might be to live here and then we remembered winter.

We found a hotel with a hot tub and a hot breakfast for only $96 with our senior discount . Is that a great deal or were we living in Manhattan too long?

Crow Wing State Park

We started the day with a soak in the hotel hot tub and breakfast at a local coffee shop. The trail stayed smooth and we passed through a town having their annual bean festival. People were lined up for blocks with their souvenir cups to taste the local beans that had been cooking all night. We didn't stand in the line but we did try the kabob side dish. It was brat pieces rolled in bacon and grilled. Delicious but not a good idea for every day. 

The next town was having their weekly turtle races. The kids bring their turtles to 

town and race them while the adults place bets. We saw a turtle speeding across the road soon after but it was too late to register him. 

We ended the Paul Bunyan Trail in Brainerd and were told that there was a new trail to the state park. After 3 sets of wrong directions we ended up on the busy road anyway and added 15 miles to the day for a total of 89.

This park is beautiful but the mosquitos are feasting on us and the showers only had cold water. We'll be looking for a hotel tomorrow.

We did it! We 're finally on the road.

We got in the first 63 miles today and are staying in a hotel in the cute town of Walker on Leech Lake. I don't plan to swim. 

The first 32 miles were on local roads and into a headwind but at Bemidji we turned south on the Paul Bunyan Trail and practically flew with the tailwind and smooth pavement. 

Leech Lake is a reservoir off the Mississippi but so far the river itself is still pretty calm and narrow. 

Ready to Roll

About a year and a half ago I heard about the Mississippi River Bicycle Trail and said that I would ride it to celebrate turning 60. This was in front of witnesses so I had to go with it. 

It is  finally a reality. This week we moved everything out of our apartment in Manhattan and hit the road for the MIssissippi River headwaters. We visited family in Ludington, MI and Waupaca, WI and now we are with good friends on Bad Medicine Lake in MN. 

Tomorrow they'll drive us to the start and it will be us and our bicycles for the rest of the summer 

I can 't wait!!!

We're all moved out and ready to hit the road.