Day 13: Fulton MO to Camdenton MO

Three flat tires and I have always wanted to camp in the Ozark's. That about sums up today. Oh wait, what's that aphorism - Black sky at noon, it will rain soon. Turns out to be true.

So not much of a day for progress. I spent a fair bit of time changing tires and hiding from the rain. I had the great idea of taking my tent tarp and tying it down over me and my bike. It kind of worked for my bike. I ended up donning rain gear and yanking the tarp to get rid of the puddling.

Lake Ozark itself - both the town and the area - was pretty nice. Typical summer tourist spot, though a tad on the run down side, but it has its charm.

Too tired to say much more, or to upload any photos.

Tomorrow.

July 10, 2019, Camdenton MO

Day 12: Pittsfield IL to Fulton MO

Had my first flat tire today, but let me start with Fulton:

The Fulton Diner - duh

I have been decrying towns and cities in all my posts, but Fulton is a really nice town.

Dinner at the Fulton Diner

And the catfish was delicious. The pecan pie was good too (of course).

So I crossed the Mississippi:

The Mississippi, not as high as the Illinois

I didn't take the actual bridge because it would have been too dangerous - there were precisely two lanes (wide loads need to request a police escort) and low guardrails between me and the water.

But I was across - important for me because the Mississippi marks so much for me (plus I like the way that people from Missouri pronounce Missouri).

And welcome right back.

And for lunch I, of course, found a tree:

Lunch in Vandalia MO

One other thing I thought most odd was what was clearly a prison:

I would hate to be received and diagnosed there (let alone corrected).

I got rained on in the morning, but it turned out to be a hot day. So I stopped early, am doing laundry, and hoping I can sleep as well as I did last night (best sleep in years).

And my flat tire? Well not much to tell I rode over a big rock (actually a big piece of asphalt from a crumbling (but wide) shoulder). Almost changed the back tire, it about needs it, but I knew I would hold on to the old one since it is still usable - so will do that in a few days and throw away the old one.

Onward - I have about 950 miles to Albuquerque, and I guess I have started counting down. Hopefully I will spare you that in my coming posts.

July 9, 2019, Fulton MO

Day 11: Clinton IL to Pittsfield IL

So I am in Pittsfield again - every 10 days it seems.

Today was an easy day with tail winds, pretty flat terrain, no rain, and not too much heat until the afternoon. Covered about 120 miles - of course I finished by 6 so I could have made it one of those 140 mile days of old, but I really didn't have the desire.

As you have probably figured out from the places I am stopping, Nebraska is no longer on the menu. In fact, I will probably skip Colorado as well and jaunt down through Kansas and take a stitch of Arkansas and I think Texas. But Missouri first - I should hit that tomorrow morning.

Dorothy, this is Illinois

 The hardest part of the day was on a road that must have been paved over concrete. Look at it closely, and it seems okay:

The road that won't stop bumping

But when those cracks repeat themselves every 5 seconds with a very noticeable thump it wears on me. I kept telling myself it would not go on forever. It didn't, but little consolation during the hours spent suffering it.

Saw a neat wind farm with the mills stretching off into the distance:

Blow hard yee matees

I have only seen 1 solar installation since leaving New York - that was a commercial one. This is something that it is hard not to notice in the burning sun. Perhaps rural and solar do not go hand in hand - may look into that at some point.

I decided to ride through Springfield IL just to look at the downtown. Boy am I glad I don't live there. I have to admit it got nicer as I was leaving - even gave me a bike lane. But still.

The railroad cars with graffiti was just an oddity. I could figure out if it was done by the rail company or random kids - put my money on the kids:

Better than serial numbers

The Illinois river was high, and apparently had recently been higher:

East bank of Illinois River

But not as high as 1993:

Also on the east bank of the Illinois

I am a sucker for historical markers - farmer john lived here in 1882, but have never seen one so recent. Guess I am getting old.

That's all for now. Will try to get a good nights sleep and hit the road early tomorrow.

July 8, 2019, Pittsfield IL

Day 10: Shadeland IN to Clinton IL

Clinton has an IGA Foodmaster - and that may be its main claim to fame. It is actually in a pretty nice part of Illinois - its namesake Clinton Lake seems very nice - though I only saw it in passing. But the town, rather than making the most of its geography, seems bent of making it all seem clumsy with railroad, streams and hills just making a mishmash.

Oh well, I didn't really set out to bash Clinton. Everyone I have met here has been nice, it is just I walked from the motel to the IGA and there are no sidewalks. Impressions.

Today was pretty cool for the most part, which has been a nice change. Rain threatened on and off, but never happened and the winds were largely with me. So I did a little bit better in terms of distance, but those 140 mile days I remember from this part of the country are not to be repeated. I will have to accept the new me is not the old me but just older.

Breakfast, never travel without donuts

I didn't feel so bad in the morning (except my butt which is still pretty tender every day), thanks to proper fueling - donuts are my new friend.

Made it to Illinois, and one of the first things I was was  big square bails of hay all stacked up. I guess they may be easier to truck, but building forts?

Got hay?

 

 I spent a fair bit of time of US 320 today. It cuts straight across the state - and boy do I mean straight.

This isn't Kansas

I finally veered off to head to Clinton, and the promise of a shower.

Wifi here sucks so I am still tethered - but the Verizon LTE connection is strong, just not strong enought to revisit history.

July 7, 2019, Clinton IL

Day 9: Merkle IN to Shadeland IN

Hmm - camping again with my computer tethered to my phone. Apparently this is Verizon just barely LTE at work.  So no pictures - but I will try to come back and fill in some blanks when I have a real WiFi connection.

Mornings are turning out to be the hardest, and evenings the easiest. This is upside down for me and all about adjusting to eating more earlier. Breakfast doesn't cut it.

Neither did second breakfast. But the two donuts for elevensies did the trick. I also had a nice lunch with a tuna sandwich, onion rings, and (you guessed it) cherry pie. There do remain a small few real little diners. Most, however, have not survived. I think I am seeing more closed diners than open ones in my travels. This is sad for me - they have been replaces by big chains, gas station convenience stores with some deli and, it seems, Dollar General which is quite pervasive so far. Of course maybe the people who shop there don't do so in place of eating out anyway.

The treemetary I saw today was quite interesting Especially when shown against the tree lined cemetary that came later in the day.

And just outside of Peru? You guessed it llamas. So cute.

July 6, 2019, near Shadeland IN

Day 8: Findlay OH to Merkle IN

The beginning of week 2.

Today's post is best told in pictures, but my connection is too weak to upload anything.

Started with long shadows in the early morning - the view from the bike.

Uphill with headwinds till I got to the Indiana border.

Then more uphill with headwinds.

Dinner (picnic style) at the crossroads pantry in Merkle.

Long shadows at the end of the day.

Beautiful sky at night, bikers - what?

Tent's up, but I left the top off because it is hot and the mosquitoes are overwhelming. Hope it doesn't rain.

July 5, 2019, (near) Merkle IN

Day 7: North Olmstead OH to Findlay OH

Wow, it has been a full week of riding. The days just don't seem to get any shorter. I was ready to stop long before I arrived today. In fact I spent the last couple of hours riding just looking for a good spot to drop my tent and crash - I didn't find one. Instead I ended up at an Extended Stay America, and the person at check-in (Kim) was marvelous. I love it when people's curiosity gets them pass my very odd appearance (and also that Kim didn't blink when I rolled my bike into the lobby.

Though the day was very long, the mileage was so-so. The heat, though not extreme, was hovering up near 90 all day long and the sun was unrelenting. Simply put, there just aren't enough trees in Ohio (I know it will only get worse as I progress - still true though).

People lining up to welcome me to Rochester Ohio

I got off to sluggish start at 7:30 or so, but still made it to Rochester in time for the parade. In fact I was a bit early (or they were a bit late) so I just got to see the parade route. Oh, well - next time.

One of my most amazing discoveries today was that my bike has a built in cupholder:

A cupholder for cups of any size

This turns out to be a very practical discovery, as I can now buy a drink and ride someplace nice (like under a tree) to consume it.

I also saw the most out of place house I could imagine:

Missing urban England?

Probably haunted - that would make sense.


Till tomorrow.

July 4, 2019 Findlay OH