Day 38 Waseca to Gaylord, MN

Its a little after 10am and we've stopped at the library in New Prague to post on the blog. I didn't know if Gaylord would have any access, and its been a few days since I've posted.

We're 33 miles into it today. The weather is once again fabulous! In fact it was actually COLD this morning when we set out. After more than a month of 90-degree and higher days, this weather is really a gift! We will eventually have a SE wind which is great as the rest of the day we'll be traveling almost straight west toward Gaylord.

Our itinerary for the rest of the ride should be as follows (weather permitting):
Sun. 7/1 Gaylord to Hutchinson
Mon. 7/2 Hutch. to Willmar
Tues. 7/3 Willmar to Morris
Wed. 7/4 Rest day in Morris
Thurs. 7/5 Morris to Fergus Falls
Fri. 7/6 Fergus Falls to Detroit Lakes
Sat. 7/7 D.L. to Mahnomen
Sun. 7/8 Mahnomen to TRF

I've been informed that the NCTC foundation is planning a reception for us on Monday in the student commons area at 2pm. I'd hope that you would all consider joining us for a root beer float! Also, I'd like to invite anyone that would like to join us on any part of the last day's ride to join us along the route. We'll be coming up highway 59 from Mahnomen. I'd recommend a short ride in from the casino, but if the mood strikes you, join us at any point along the way!!

Day 37 Austin to Waseca, MN

A great big THANK YOU!!! goes out to Bruce and Nancy Rindflesch of Austin for their fantastic hospitality and good humor...our abs still hurt from laughing!!!
Bruce gave us a Ruckus escort out to the Austin city limits, and we on our way. Riding was GREAT! Cool morning air, south wind, and only rolling hills. We made great time to Albert Lea, and stopped at a very odd McDonald's for breakfast. It was all done up like a viking lodge. A few breakfast burritos later we were back on the road and once again made great time all the way to Waseca. It was 57 miles of riding of the kind I had day-dreamed about way back in January!

Andy finally checked his tire pressure... under protest. And found that he was at about 60psi... 40psi low. Well it didn't seem to slow him down too much. Of course we all got a good laugh out it anyway!

Day 35 Charles City, IA - Austin, MN

As luck would have it, the heat broke last night when a small front moved though northern Iowa... and as luck would also have it, the wind changed switched as well and was right out of the north at 6 o'clock this morning at 10-15 mph. We began the day in bigger hills and they lasted for the first 36 miles into St. Ansgar (pronounced: Sintansger). I was somewhat cursing our luck when in the midst of that thinking I passed a cemetery. I began reading the names on the nearest tombstones as I passed, and from that point on I felt very fortunate to be riding a bicycle in ANY weather conditions... always a nice wake up call passing a graveyard!

In St. Ansgar we met up with my cousin Bruce Rindflesch who then provided "local knowledge guiding" and a motorized escort us on his Ruckus scooter.
The terrain evened out and we crossed the Minnesota border on highway 105 and stopped for the traditional border-crossing photos.
The wind continued to pick up and so we just kept crawling along at between 7 and 10 mph all the way into Austin, Minnesota... even Andy had to admit that he was tired and the wind "sucked". All told we spent nearly 10 hours travelling a mere 62 miles.

Bruce and his wife Nancy have the grill fired up, and the alluring scent of some huge burgers (with all the fixings of course!) are prompting me get off the computer. It is GREAT to be back in Minnesota!!!

Day 34 Traer to Charles City, IA

After a great hamburger at the Sunshine Tavern, we enjoyed a real treat last night in Traer, we took in a film at the restored Traer movie house. It was like traveling back in time to the glory days of American theaters in the late 50's and early 60's, and tickets are a DOLLAR... a must visit if you're ever in the area!

This morning we were on the road promptly, but just haven't made the best time. Its nearly 3pm and we've still got about 20 or so miles to go to Charles City. Its hot, humid, but we have a tail wind... not sure whats up with our lack of progress! Iowa is a sea of long low hills, and while its not flat, its also not too bad cycling-wise.

I'm writing from the Clarksville library. "... just take a left at the post office, you can't miss it." Clarksville is another typical midwestern town with friendly people, a drive in, and a downtown area that still has business in it (no Mall!).

Well its back on the road and into the heat. The vague promise of a hot supper and a shower is driving me on... that and the very limited catalog of songs in my mp3 player. Tomorrow at this time we should be in Minnesota!!!

Day 33 Iowa city(Coralville) to Traer, IA

After a longer rest break, Andy and April were up for riding today... While they rested this past weekend I flew to Dallas, TX and attended the 45th annual black belt training clinic for Juko Kai International. I was not quite so rested this morning!

But we hit the road, and the miles seemed to click off pretty regularly today. We put 75 miles behind us, and we are now just over 100 miles from the Minnesota border. Along the way today, I had to turn around and take this photo. It was just too good to pass up! However, in all fairness to the great state of Iowa, the route really was scenic after we passed the corn fields!

I am currently blogging from the Traer public library, and it is a great facility. It is obviously valued by the community as it is state of the art, very well kept, and signs point the way to it in this town of less than 3000.

We're off to find a bit to eat and a shower... the 90 degree weather continues to follow us northward.

Day 29 Mt. Pleasant - Iowa City

After reaching Iowa City today, we have scheduled a long weekend for ourselves. So we will be resting and recovering in Iowa City until Monday Morning... I probably will not contribute much to the blog until leave Iowa city.

The photo is of the storm we thought we would be riding through on our way to rest, but as luck would have it we got all rain-suited-up and it blew right by us!

Day 28 Keokuk, IA to Mt. Pleasant, IA

After enjoying the extensive complimentary breakfast at the Keokuk Hampton Inn, and grabbing a to-go breakfast as well, we hit the road. The difference in topography between Illinois and Iowa across the Mississippi is night and day. Today was by and large flat roads, with a few long, relatively low hills. Riding was very enjoyable, and the "wind", actually a barely perceptible breeze, was at our backs. Again the humidity was well within the tolerable range.

We stopped at a station about 10 miles out of Mt. Pleasant, and while I called KTRF radio in Thief River Falls, Andy went inside. He emerged with a sheepish grin on his face, and told me "they have burgers here"... so he had his 3rd breakfast of the morning and then we set off towards the end of our day.

Upon arriving in Mt. Pleasant we were stopped in the city center looking at a map, when a guy on a little red scooter stopped and asked if we needed directions. We told him we were looking for the library, and he told us to follow him. He led us to Mt. Pleasant's new library and explained that the town had recently spent 6 million to renovate the old high school and turn it into the new library. I would have to say that they did an excellent job, and that the new facility is first rate.

I have found Mt. Pleasant to be exactly that. It is a charming little town, and I'd highly recommend it as a stopping point if you're ever in the area.

Day 27 Quincy, IL to Keokuk, IA

Norma had told me that highway 96 was hilly, and we chose to ignore this and took 96 instead of following the river. It was 40 miles of hills, true enough. However what really made the day was the constant 15 mph headwind, and then the gusts...we actually had to peddle down hill. However we did enjoy a substantial drop in the humidity level, and truth be told the headwind was actually rather pleasant!
Andy rode on ahead to check things out, and April and I followed about an hour behind.
We crossed the Mississippi at Hamilton, IL and rode into Keokuk, Iowa. The change from one state to the next was tangible and riding into Keokuk felt a lot like riding into your hometown. We had bite to eat, checked our bearings and set off.

I stopped at the first motel we found to check on the rates... I was stunned to learn that it was nearly $100/night! I have never stayed at a Hampton Inn, so needless to say I didn't quite know what to expect. I asked the desk clerk if they had any discounts available, and she said "no", but summoned the manager.

McKenzie Slater, the manager, didn't strike me as the type of person to put up with a lot of non-sense, so I was quick to explain that we were on a fundraising ride, and that their rates were simply beyond our means. She asked what exactly our scholarship would fund. I said that we were raising money to help struggling part-time students such as working single moms... and right there and then Hampton Inn of Keokuk, Iowa put us up for the night for FREE!
If I was stunned by the original room rate, the generosity that was extended to us really threw me for a loop!! A HUGE thank you to Hampton Inn of Keokuk and especially to Ms. Slater!!

Day 26 Quincy, IL

We opted to stay in Quincy in order to take advantage of the bike shop in order to get April's rear wheel trued up and to fix the mystery noises that her bike was making. We easily found the Madison & Davis Bike shop thanks to Jay Trimble's directions, and Ryan their ace mechanic quickly had us under way. They are a professional shop, very knowledgeable and I highly recommend them if you're in the area!
In addition to the repairs we bought some needed supplies including tire patches, a new mirror for me, and a new helmet and set of shoes for April. I mentioned to the owner that they came highly recommended by Jay and he said, "Oh sure, Jay is one of our high mileage riders"... I checked the Big Dog roster and last year he logged over 11,000 miles, and put on 30 centuries...humbling.

Day 25 Kampsville to Quincy, IL

We found a campsite just outside of Kampsville at the McCully Heritage Project. The caretake generously allowed us access to his shower, which was wonderful. The entire Project site was very well maintained and the only drawback was that, as with so many other sites we've stayed at, they put the actual campsites down in the bottom land. So the result is that there wasn't a breath of air that got in there! That combined with the humidity really makes for an all-night steam bath.

The weather forcast for Sunday was for hot, and we weren't disappointed. However, the SW wind that was to accompany the heat took until after lunch to materialize so we missed out on our tailwind most of the morning.

We put on just over 70 miles, and we rode through the worst of the heat as a result. But with frequent stops to cool down, it wasn't too bad at all. At one point we were sitting in the shade an ancient tree next to a cattle farm. The cows were very vocal, and it lulled me into a nap. I was awakened when the farmer, Gary, came up to see if we were alright. His wife told him she thought there had been a motorcycle accident... Gary was great conversationalist, and we shot the breeze for quite a while covering a wide range of topics.

Back on the road, we were trudging along when a cyclist pulled up next to us. He was fully outfitted and his bike spoke to the fact that he knew what he was about. This was Jay Trimble, and as it turned out we'd seen him earlier that morning heading the other direction. Jay was putting on a "century" or 100-mile day, returning from Atlas where he said they have "really great" milk shakes.

He slowed his pace, and rode with us the last 12 miles or so into Quincy. Riding and conversing with Jay really helped the remaining miles fly by! He was wealth of information, and being a cyclist his information regarding distances and rest stops were accurate! I have yet to receive accurate information from anyone on this trip that was not a cyclist. In fact most people don't even know distances between towns, only the approximate time it takes them to drive there in a car.

Just outside of Quincy there were a series of mines cut directly into a cliff face that sat parrallel to the road, and as we passed them we were sort of blasted with a nice cool breeze coming from the mine shafts! It was a real treat in 90 degree weather with high humidity... Welcome to Quincy long-distance cyclists!

Day 24 Alton, IL to Kampsville or maybe Belleview?

We got on the road promptly this morning and have made some great time. Stopped briefly in Jersyville at the hardware store to buy some washers for one of my toe clips that fell off right as we pulled into town-- great timing! I noticed that I had already repaired the other pedal, and I wonder why I would have decided not to simply do them both at the same time?!
We are currently in Carrollton, Il, at their lovely public library--surprise there, eh? We're trying to locate a stopping point for today. There isn't much in the way of facilities between here and Quincy, and no marked campgrounds at all. But of course we're resourceful and ready to camp wild. The only real concern for me is that the temperature is supposed to crest above 95 degrees today, and sitting out in that heat waiting for the sun to set doesn't sound smart or too appealing.

With the help of Donna and Angie, Carrollton's "ace" librarians, we were able to locate the McCully Heritage project that has a primitive campsite south of Kampsville. A quick phone call to the project's headquarters confirmed that we can indeed pitch our tents there and that while there are no showers(yet), there is well on site and actual restrooms...always a great bonus!

So we'll linger at the library doing "research" until their 2pm closing time, and then try to eat VERY slowly at the Dairy Queen until the heat breaks later in the afternoon. At that point we'll put on another 20 or so miles to our campsite. Along the way we'll need to cross the Illinois river and so we'll catch the Kampsville Ferry, which amazingly runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week...or so says their website.

Tomorrow we'll be trying to reach Quincy. From there its the push into Iowa and hopefully Cedar Rapids by Wednesday or Thursday. Town and city names are starting to sound more and more familiar!

Day 23 Day Off in Alton

Not much to report, just sleeping, eating, and doing the necessary
bike maintenance to keep us rolling.

I've been doing some calculations, and we are right on track to arrive in the NW
Minnesota region around the 4th of July... if the weather holds, and the bikes
stay rubber side down!

Currently writing from the Hayner Library in Alton. An excellent facility, and friendly staff. Well done, Alton!

Day 22 Belleville to Alton, IL

Navagating in and around East St. Louis was not nearly as bad as we expected. However it was a bit challanging in the road hazard department. The shoulders were littered with all manor of sharp metal bits, and glass, and construction rubble. Amazingly we had no flats-- excellent!

Our goal today was Jerseyville, but it was already nearly 1pm when we made it to the outskirts of Alton at highway 67...due in part to my faulty road map! The temperature was already in the 90's, and our nerves were a bit rattled from the urban navigating, so we decided to call it a day and take the following day off.

I've checked the weather, and it looks like we'll be enjoying a tail wind for the next several days! This is like winning the lottery!

Day 21 Chester to Belleville, IL

Today went fairly smoothly. We were off promptly at 6am and were rolling right along when April hollered out that my rear tire looked "funny". As it turns out it was going flat...funny. We pulled over and I quickly changed it, and we were back under way in 15 minutes. I replaced the brand new tube with a tube that I had patched several days back.

In Belleville we had a great supper at "Big Daddy's" and then I set my self to the task of patching the latest punctured tube. However try as I might I could not find the puncture or any damage of any kind even when submersing the fully inflated tube entirely under water... as I dried the tube off and was replacing the valve cap, the interior of the valve stem fell onto the floor... hmmmmm. Close inspection revealed that it had simply been loose and came apart. A little lock-tite blue and the problem and mystery were solved! Seems that I changed that tire for nothing...

We're all a little dopey and I think we will need a few days off in the near future. I think we're fine physically, but our focus is a bit off... could be all those lead paint chips have taken their toll on me!

Day 20 Grand Tower, IL to Chester, IL

After our sleeping arrangements from last night, it was actually a relief to hear my alarm go off so I could stop pretending to sleep! We were up and packed our wet tents in no time flat, and then lingered a bit over our package-damaged can of chunked pineapple and a box of pop tarts. We got a bit of late start as a result of our lingering, but we really didn't mind.

We were into a head wind right off the bat, and today it was bright, sunny, and warm while we rode. However, the complete absence of any shoulder on highway 3 really made for an interesting morning! It was impossible to relax unless you pulled off into the grass and got off the bike. There was a seemingly continuous flow of Semi-trucks, heavy equipment, and the like.

I was off on the side of the road looking at the map, when 3 touring cyclists pulled up quickly behind me. They were all young, strong, and looked like they were moving fast even when standing still -- of course I hated them instantly! But they were really nice guys and were on a charity ride for Cancer research, heading to Oregon. After they ran off into the trees for a potty break, they were gone in a flash.

I resumed my turtle's pace somewhat self-consciously and settled into my rhythm. Things were going well until the hills started outside of Chester. And what hills they were! Steep and tall with blind turns... remember the trucks and lack of shoulder? Anyway while puffing up one particularly awful stretch, I was considering getting off an pushing the bike when I noticed something up ahead along side of the road. As I got closer I could make out the outlines of bicycles and I could see the Cancer research riders sitting on the road side, apparently watching me make my geriatric ascent.

I had visions of being the butt of some good-natured ribbing, and dreaded pulling up to the group. However, as it turned out they were stopped in their tracks by a snapped chain, something Jim Jesme had to rescue me from last summer with his pickup. I learned then (as did these boys today) that you can't simply muscle a loaded touring bike by standing as you peddle-- things have a tendency to break if you do. They had no spare chain, extra links, or master link, and little mechanical experience... April had already stopped to help the group, and as soon as I pulled up we set about helping to make things right with our spare parts and tools... I felt a bit better about the age, wisdom, and experience thing!

As I watched the group galloping up the succession of steep hills into Chester, April and I began slogging it out to meet up with Andy who was of course already rested at the public library. One of the great things about this, is that I can count on his having already scoped out the camping options, cheap motels, and of course any local buffets. That said, we're off to the buffet, but I can't help wondering if the boys will stop to pick up a spare chain before sprinting out town...

Day 19 Charleston, MO to Grand Tower IL

We crossed the mighty Mississippi for the second time this morning, this time heading into Illinois. We had headwinds ALL day, but it wasn't so bad as there were overcast skies which took care of most of the heat while we rode. Our original destination was Wolf Lake, but while speaking with one of the locals, Andy discovered another campground that, while further down the road, had showers... SOLD!

However the towns in this area seem to have no convenience/grocery stores of any kind, nor any restaurants... so we stopped at a produce "store" at the junction of two highways and loaded up on fruits, veggies and some damaged boxed and canned goods that they were also selling. When I asked to fill my water bottle, the owner graciously gave me a large bottle of imported sparkling French mineral water... that was a bit odd to drink while biking, but much appreciated just the same!

We ended up staying at the "Devil's Backbone" campground directly on the Mississippi River. When we rolled in it was beautiful! Nice facilities, scenic views, etc. However, once I had my tent set up and was napping, there came an omen of things to come in the form of a freight train on the Missouri side of the river rumbling by with it's whistles blowing wide open... I was not to be disappointed either, since they came through regularly during the night and when there was a freight train lull, then a "majestic" river barge would slowly pass by gunning its deep throaty engines and sweeping the campground again and again with it's multi-billion candle-power spot lights. A full sensory extravaganza lasting all night, and all that for only a $5.00 camping fee!

Day 18 Charleston, MO Day Off

Just a day off for us... I'm taking a break from bicycle maintenance and having
a little breakfast and coffee. Andy and April are still sleeping. I've checked the weather, and it looks like headwinds for a while... we'll at least it isn't raining.
I've got to find a Missouri road map today, the one I've been using is a photocopy from an outdated atlas. More later.

Day 17 or how Andy saved Christmas, and got us to Kentucky and Missouri...

Well about 10:30am Andy rolled in... he rode back from Paducah Kentucky with two new derailleur hangers for April's bike. He has literally saved the day! Well done Andy!!! A supreme effort, and a personal test passed on his part have left him glowing a bit.
After inspecting the bike, its became pretty obvious that April's crash yesterday was the cause of the damage, severely distorting and snapping the hanger, and throwing the wheel way out of true. I've trued it as best as I can, but we'll need to stop in at a shop and have it properly trued.

Its 11:30am and we're ready to head out. Andy is having a bite to eat and then a rest, and will catch up with us a bit later in the day... I'm sure that won't be a problem for him. Tonight we'll hopefully be in Charleston, Missouri. Right now we need to ride across the state of Kentucky to Hickman and the ferry.

9pm, Charleston, Missouri
We made it to the ferry, and what cool experience that is! We paid $2.00 each for a ride across the Mississippi river. We gave Steve the ferry captain his "hello" from the librarians in Dyersburg. He was surprised and delighted!

Today turned into a looong day, especially so since we rode into a headwind all day. We stopped to rest during the worst of the heat right on the side of the road under the one shade tree we could find before highway 80. Back in the saddle it was a grind, but we pushed slowly ahead. I discovered a slow leak in my rear tire... yeah! And had to stop to pump it up occassionally. On one occassion Andy and I were charged by two very aggressive dogs, and I was forced to spray one with "Halt" repellent... man does that stuff work! The dog stopped instantly and began rubbing his face in the dirt... the other dog took the hint and stopped as well. April's bike performed very well, and should be fine for a while. I'm going to work on the truing rim a bit more tomorrow.

We all agreed (even Andy!) that we need a day off, so tomorrow we get to sleep in and relax. By the way, a BIG shout out to Dave Sears, of the Ski and Bike shop of Grand Forks, ND who helped us so much with information, parts numbers and store locations, and encouragement--THANKS DAVE!!!

Day 16 Union City UPDATE

This is just a quick update at 4:30pm, Friday. We were just going to go catch a movie, and had no sooner started peddling than April's brand new derailleur hanger snapped. I'm not sure how on earth this could happen; when she went down this morning she fell on the opposite side....

The photos illustrate the problem, and show April with her "charm" that we may have to try to straighten to limp us along.

I'm in the middle of trying to fix this problem, and it'll be interesting as there are no bicycle shops in Union City. In fact the closest shop is Bicycle City in Jackson where we had it fixed YESTERDAY. "...And then all manor of misfortune befell us" -Herb Heintz, Kinbrae.

Stay tuned...

So to update you on the problem: We called back to Bicycle City in Jackson, TN and they said they'd call us right back and they NEVER returned our call...nice. Well, I called Dave Sears, a first-class wrench at the Ski and Bike Shop in Grand Forks, ND (one of our sponsors and our home bike shop). Dave found the part number and the locations of several dealers "close" to us. The closest dealer was Bicycle World in Paducah, Kentucky 60 miles away.

Andy jumped at the chance to put on over 100 miles in a day and immediately volunteered to ride to Paducah this afternoon and pick up the parts; I ordered 2 derailleur hangers. Bicycle World of Paducah is leaving the parts in the mail box, and Andy will pick them up, spend the night at the motel 6 in Paducah, and then cycle back to us in the morning. I'll repair the derailleur and then we'll head out. Tomorrow morning we're heading to Hickman, KY to catch the ferry to Missouri. We'll be getting a late start, but we should be able ride through the afternoon since the high temps are only going to be in the mid 80's in Kentucky instead of the mid 90's in Tennessee... great!

Fri June 8 Union City TN Day 16

We were on the road promptly at 6am today, inspired in no short measure by the immenant threat of severe thunderstorms...! As we left town in the pre-dawn light, there were a dozen or so very large dogs lined up on the side of the highway facing west, shoulder to shoulder. They just watched silently as we peddled by... very surreal! We made great time for the first 30 miles. The road was a designated bike route (highway 51) and had a 6' shoulder most of the way. Add to that the fact that the thunderstorms were coming from the southwest and provided us with a strong tailwind...and motivation!

As usual Andy rode on ahead, so it was just April and I that stopped for a gatorade at the BP station 10 miles south of Union City. We were loudly welcomed inside by the cashier; a woman that genuinely seemed to LOVE her job. We had no sooner sat down, than the weather caught up with us and it was wind, thunder, lightning, and heavy rain!

I called Norma for a radar weather report, and she filled me in on the latest info. which included 2 lines of thunderstorms moving rapidly through our area. Well, we decided that we could out ride the second line if we waited for the first to pass...and since it was raining pitchforks and hammer-handles outside it was easy to have another cup of coffee and wait it out.

When the rain let up a bit and the worst was past us, we suited up in our rain gear and hit the road. We hadn't gone more than a mile when passing traffic began honking at me excitedly... I looked back to see April in the ditch and her bike in an interesting postion nearly on top of her! I stopped, but she was up and moving before I could turn around and signaled me to keep going. I waited until she was underway, and then kicked it down.
Now riding in the rain is bad enough, but the nice wide shoulder I mentioned earlier disappeared and was replaced with about 18" of questionable asphalt. However, inspite of everything we made it to Union City ahead of the second line of storms.

We stopped just inside city limits to assess any possible damage to April or her bike. She had ripped her raingear, and deeply scuffed her helmet... yes, she was wearing her helmet! And as a result she literally does not have a scratch on her...whew! Her bike, with its newly mended derailleur, will need some work on of all things the derailleur...$%&*%&!!! So I'll be getting to that this afternoon once we're fed and dried out.

The weather looks like it'll break by morning, and tomorrow should be an interesting ride.

Thurs June 7 Dyersburg, TN -Day 15

Just a quick update on our situation: We made to Jackson by way of a rental car and had April's bike fixed. The derailleur hanger was seriously bent, but on a stroke of dumb luck they just happened to have an exact match! So with that replaced, the derailleur straightened, and the rear wheel trued, we are back in business. Our thanks to Bicycle City in Jackson Tennessee, and especially to Adrian the mechanic who put our bike on the top of his "To Do" list!!

Tomorrow we'll head toward the Kentucky border, and hopefully hook up with the ferry across the Mississippi in Hickman, KY. The weather is looking dreadful, with the temps in the mid-nineties with a constant chance of severe thunderstorms... perfect!

Tonight we'll feast-up, and get ready for more mileage.

Day 14 Brownsville-Dyersburg ...another interesting day!

Well after an incredibly good night's sleep we woke promptly at 5am, and were on the road sweating by 6am. A GREAT start... The road to Ripley was deja vu back to Alabama, as it was SOLID hills the entire way. However, they really weren't a problem, and we were kickin' right along. Andy had stopped at the library in Ripley, but April and I stopped for a gatorade and then continued on to highway 51 and on towards Dyersburg. Imagine our surprise when Andy called and told us he was IN Dyersburg while we were still 12 miles out! He must have passed us when we stopped for coffee about 9am...

Anyway, I had no sooner hung up with Andy and confidently crested a biggish hill when my phone rang again. This time it was April, whom I had assumed was right behind me, and she breathlessly said "I think I broke it..." and the phone went dead! This scared the daylights out of me, and I immediately called her back. She eventually answered and told me she thought she had broken her chain... whew! I turned around, road back down the hill and there she was, engaged in a comical dance with her bike and trailer.

However, my humor quickly evaporated when I saw the extent of her trouble. Apparently while she was down shifting, her derailleur had gone into the spokes of her rear wheel, and nearly thrown her off the bike! One spoke was entangled in the derailleur itself, and others were a bit worse for wear. We unhooked the bob (trailer), and inverted the bike to work on it. However, after freeing the derailleur, and bending it out of the wheel it became apparent that her bike was in no shape to tow the trailer and was infact barely rideable.

After enough 411 calls to necesitate a second mortgage, I finally found a taxi company that hadn't gone bankrupt in Dyersburg. We made arrangements to have April, her bike, and trailer picked up and deposited at the public library, and I would ride the rest of the remaining 12 miles into town. After the taxi left, I called Andy and had him find a bicycle shop... but the nearest shop is in Jackson, 40 miles from Dyersburg. Hmmmm. So I had Andy find us a rental car place, and tomorrow we go to Jackson to get a new derailleur and a wheel tru-ing for April's ride. We need to physically bring the bike, otherwise Andy would ride in for the parts.

I'm writing from the Dyersburg public library, and once again the librarians have been a god-send! Helping us with maps, phone numbers, and encouragement. A big thank you to the Dyersburg librarians!!

Stay tuned for an update as soon as we sort this out...

Day 13, Tues. June 5 Brownsville, Tennessee

Today was tough.
We're back into hill country, not as bad as Alabama but it's still a factor. Add to that a steady headwind after 11am, 90-plus degree heat, and then a bad decision on my part to continue riding after 1pm.

We just couldn't seem to get started this morning. There were all sorts of little individual things that people kept either forgetting or "just need to do this quick" that held us up initially. Then an extremely friendly railroad worker kept the conversation going for a half hour after breakfast, another friendly- but chatty couple in Whiteville... and finally both April and I just didn't feel 100% this morning.

Its 4.30pm and we've just rolled into the Brownsville library after 60+ miles of riding. I'm hot, tired, and my nerves are raw... The little endearing things that I've enjoyed these past couple of weeks are nothing but irritating to me at the moment, and I'm hoping we can get out of the library without having to exchange "pleasantries" with anyone about our being on an extended bicycle trip.

I've checked the weather and we can expect mid 90's all week in Tennessee. So I'm going to count today as a valuable reminder that I don't like strenuous exersize in the summer heat. Therefore, if we haven't reached our daily destination by 1pm, we'll be stopping until the heat breaks around 5pm.

As for right now, we need to find Andy and the motel he's chosen... and then a much needed shower and some proper food. I'm certain that we'll sleep well tonight!

Day 12 New Albany to Walnut

We're sitting in the Walnut, Mississippi library and the Tennessee border is 3 miles to the north. We were planning to cross into Tenn. today, but our camping prospects look slim and the owner of the local motel gave us a huge discount when she found out that we're on a fund-raising ride. So when it came time to chose between peddling further into an uncertain camping situation, or a really inexpensive, air conditioned room with showers and a bed... no-brainer!
We still managed 43 miles today, even with cutting it short. So we are still plodding along.

Our librarian, Ms. Jamie Wall, at the Walnut Library told us that we can have any books from the book sale we want for free as her contribution, what a lovely gesture! I've found a copy of "The Caesars", telling of the Roman emperors. It was a tough choice given the literally hundreds of harlequin romances...

I found another interesting fact regarding the public library system, and that is the fact that all the computers we've been using have been donated by the Gates Foundation. A big grateful "Thank You" to the Gates' for their generousity! It has certainly made our trip a richer experience. Not simply because of the internet access, but also due to the fact that that access has drawn us to the libraries and allowed us to meet such wonderful people as a result!

Tomorrow we're pushing for Brownsville, TN.

Day 11 New Albany Day Off

Not much to tell today. We took in a movie last night, which made us feel oddly part of society again. Today we all slept in and gorged ourselves on the free breakfast at the motel.

April is out lounging by the pool, and Andy is alternately sleeping, watching TV, and diving into his horded stash of stuff from the free breakfast buffet.

I've been working on my bike most of the morning, hard-core cleaning the chain, derailleur, and such. The staff here at the Holiday Inn Express is a riot, they have a great sense of humor and had no trouble with me rolling my room chair out into the back parking lot to work on the bike. They even gave me a toothbrush for scrubbing in hard to reach areas. So that and a bit of carburetor cleaner has me back in business... Completing it all Betty, the head of maintenance, kept me company smoking cigarettes while I liberally sprayed carb cleaner 3 feet away. Fabulous!

I've done all my chores, and have only to pack everything up in order to be ready for the morning...

With any luck we may be able to cross into Tennessee tomorrow. Not sure of our final destination, but we've got several options depending on how hard we decide to push it. The weather patterns seem to be shifting and so we must now contend with the very real possiblity of storms. I am not looking forward to rain-slick roads, logging traffic, and lightning. Of course on the bright side, the heat from the noon-day sun won't be quite so intense!

Day 10 Houston to New Albany

Last night had an interesting twist. Right around 6pm just as the Carnegi Library was closing someone off-handedly mentioned that we were still looking for a place to stay. Now, were simply talking amongst ourselves, but our favorite Houston librarian Carolyn Rogers, suddenly made her mission to find us a place to lay our weary heads... and I DO mean MISSION! She made nearly a dozen calls, checked the neighboring churches, contacted friends (and even ex-brother-in-laws!) and when it was all said and done let us follow her Jeep across town to our lodging.
As it turned out she had contacted one of Houston's charity organizations (Name withheld by request), and the director graciously interrupted her family dinner to take care of us! ...And the great city of Houston, Mississippi paid for our motel room, and even offered to pay for our supper! What a town and what a great spirit within the community, that on literally a "moments notice" they would find a bed for 3 very tired travellers. THANK YOU HOUSTON and A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR OFFICIAL HOUSTON LIBRARIAN, CAROLYN!!!

By the way our guardian angle librarian even contributed to the Pennies for Part-timers scholarship without our even mentioning the idea!

Today we were on the road at 6am again. As usual the first 30 miles clicked off fairly rapidly, but as it heats up, I slow down. April threw a chain and called me just as I'd finished a big hill (Mississippi big, not Alabama big) and I had to double back to assist. Topping off the day, we got directions fouled up trying to avoid riding on the interstate, and literally took a 45-minute uphill loop back to the city sign of New Albany! So interstate it was... and now with a shower completed and supper looming on the not so distant horizon it all seems sort of funny. At least more so than it did coming upon the city sign sweating and cursing as if in a scene right out of the old Twilight Zone series!

Tomorrow is a glorious rest day, and I've got a lot of bike maintenance to do. My chain has been causing a steady click in the derailler, which by the end of the day is like having someone run their fingers down a chalkboard! Also, I've got to cuts in my Schwalbe Supreme tires, one in each which need attention. And there is the overall tightening of every single bolt and nut which are constantly loosened by the all-day pounding on the road. Then there is laundry, and sewing the the latest holes in my clothing and in my rapidly rotting bicycling gloves...thank you Cannondale for using inferior-grade leather. The gloves were brand new at the start of the trip...

Finally we've figured out the uploading of photos...yeah. And so I'll be attaching images to the previous posts in the blog on Sunday, so please review them for the accompanying images from the road.

Day 9 Columbus to Houston

We started off bright and early at 6am, and before too long we came upon a retired couple in their 60's who were touring on a tandem bicycle. Their names were Jerry and Shirley Smith and they told us they were from Kansas... a cute couple. At least they were until we fell in behind them for our first leg of the morning! They were veteran tourers and set a modest, but relentless pace that was humbling. They were full of great, practical advice and it was fun speaking with them. At West Point they turned off to continue on the newly opened "Underground Railroad" tour route from Adventure Cycling.

We plodded onward toward Montpelier and finally on to Houston, MS. Currently we're unwinding at the Houston Public Library, and as always the staff is friendly, helpful and tolerant of our, umm... fragrance!

We are modifying our route to avoid some of the bigger "hills" that are looming ahead for us in Tennessee and so we'll be skirting Nashville to the east and then making a bee-line for the Missouri/Arkansas border. There we'll catch a ferry across the Mississippi and hopefully find flatness!

Andy has allegedly found us a free campsite for the evening, so hopefully there'll be a shower there to was off some of our 60-mile day today. I need to mention that cell phone service is spotty at best for us right now, but please leave messages.

Quote of the day: "Years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do, than by the things that you did" -Mark Twain

Day 8 Pickensville Al to Columbus MS

We were up an running this morning and made great time on the way out of the hills of Alabama and into the DELIGHTFUL plains of the great state of Mississippi! We got into Columbus and found the Budget Inn, and it was SO nasty that we opted for the Econo Inn down the road... a bit better, or at least a bit cleaner. The Dingy-ness was about the same. Anyway we set about drying our tents out in the rooms, and then went on a quest to find a Chinese buffet... no luck. We did find a take-out place, and opted to eat in. The atmosphere was augmented by the complete lack of air conditioning. It is almost impossible to find anywhere in Mississippi that is not air conditioned, but we persevered and felt right at home in the sweltering heat.

Back at the rooms well fed, it was nap time... right up until supper. I received a call from a friend of Prof. Tony Wright, Shawn Donahue. Shawn is a veteran cyclist, and offered a lot of great advice and support. He also gave me a line on a set of maps that contain not only topographical information, but minor roads as well. Thanks Shawn!!! After searching in vain for these maps at the Columbus Walmart, it was pack up and then it was off to bed. I'll continue looking for maps as we travel.