Day 12 - Thursday May 31; Yates Center, KS to Eureka, KS (35 miles)

Some pretty good thunderstorms blew through Yates Center last night so I’m glad I decided to stay in a motel. I had dinner with ice cream last night at Subway. I’d planned for today to be a short day so I tried to sleep in a little but was still up and on the bike before 8:00 AM. I decided to ride uptown to the square just to see what was there and to find a restaurant for breakfast. The square was nice and I took a couple of photos. I had a very good breakfast at the Feed Bunk restaurant on the south side of the square. This is a typical midwest restaurant with farmers talking about last night’s rain and other farm-related topics (like Buck and Joe’s where Susi and I came from).

I finished breakfast and was back on US54 heading west by 8:30 AM. It was cloudy, windy and pretty chilly. I put my rain coat and ear muffs on just before reaching the city limits and didn’t take them off until I arrived in Eureka about 1:00 PM. The wind was out of the north at 15-20 mph with gusts to over 30 mph. This made riding pretty tough at times and I didn’t set any speed records today. At mile 13 I reached the intersection with KS105 which put me on the TransAmerica route. There was a small convenience store at the intersection and I went in to get out of the wind but did sip a soda. Everything else was too expensive. Just before I left, three other loaded cyclists arrived. Two were riding together; one just for a week to Springfield, MO and the other started in Pueblo, CO and is riding to somewhere in southern Illinois. He has ridden the TransAmerica route from Oregon to here in sections over the last few years as his work allows. The third rider did not speak English so I couldn’t communicate with him. It must be interesting being a foreigner trying to bicycle alone in the US. After my stop I headed west again. A few miles down the road I passed a sign “Experiencing the Flint Hills” which are not large hills but the terrain is definitely hilly. Everything around here is really green, though the locals complain there hasn’t been enough rain.  It’s a good thing the sign didn’t lie and say “Enjoying the Flint Hills” because with the wind today, I sure didn’t. US54 is a nice road with a two foot wide shoulder. However, traffic at times is a little more than I’m comfortable with. After today I only have 19 miles left before I say good bye to it for good and I can’t get there soon enough!!.

According to the information on my Adventure Cycling map, Eureka has two options for camping. I went to the first, an RV park, but was told by the owner they don’t host tent campers because there are no restrooms or showers. As I was leaving I opened my map to get the Eureka city clerks phone number to let them know I wanted to camp at the city park. The wind blew the map out of my hand just as I dialed the number. It took me a block and a half to chase it down. At first, I thought it was a goner and I’d never be able to chase it down. But luck was with me and I know now to be more careful!! I rode to a convenience store and called the city clerk from inside as I was sipping a soda. She said to put up my tent any place I wanted. The park was only two blocks south of where I was. I made a trip to the town’s grocery store to restock my emergency provisions, which were all but gone, then rode to the park. It is very nice. The swimming pool is located there and they let me shower for free. I’m sitting at a picnic table under a tree freezing to death. It is only about 65 degrees and the wind is still blowing. The tent is staked out so it should be fine. It is supposed to get down into the upper 40’s tonight which is pretty good sleeping weather for me; at least better than the sweltering conditions I’ve had a couple of times so far. I rinsed my bike clothes out in the shower and am waiting for them to dry before heading off for an early dinner.

I’ve planned another short day for tomorrow to Cassoday, KS 36 miles away. The wind tomorrow is predicted to be less than 10 mph so hopefully riding conditions will be a little better than today, but it is forecast to be cold with a high in the 60s. These low temperatures must be unusual for these parts this time of year, but by Monday it is supposed to be back up into the lower 90’s. A few photos from today follow.

Building mural - just off the square in Yates Center, KS

Town square - Yates Center, KS

Entering the Flint Hills area of south-east Kansas



I finally connected with the TransAmerica route 13 miles west of Yates Center, KS



Eureka City Park - home for tonight

Day 11 - Wednesday May 30; Pleasanton, KS to Yates City, KS (75 miles)

I don’t think I was camping where I was supposed to be last night and got a couple of odd looks by the locals walking around the park. The park was west of town at a secluded city park with a lake. As I was heading south out of town this morning I noticed an area that better matched the description given me by the city clerk yesterday afternoon. Anyway, no one bothered me and I practice “leave no trace” so no one would ever know I was there. A thunderstorm passed through around 3:00 AM as predicted. I had my ear plugs in because there was a high volume of train traffic on the other end of town, but I did wake up briefly when it started raining hard.

I woke at 5:45 AM and it was pretty much clear as the sun came up. I was out of the park by 6:30 AM and, after a brief stop at a Casey’s on the way out of town, was on the road by 6:45 AM. It was a relatively cool start and KS52 was a joy to ride on; nice and wide, recently paved and pretty much traffic-free. I passed through Mound City about seven miles later. There is a mound that you have to climb but it wasn’t bad. A few miles out of Mound City was a pretty good climb but comfortable enough in granny-gear. I probably didn’t really need granny-gear, but it’s there so why not use it? I saw a coyote pass in front of me during the climb, but it was gone before I could get a photo.  After the climb the roads were pretty flat the rest of the day. I passed through Blue Mound at about mile 22 and was hoping there would be a convenience store for a drink/snack but there was only a run-down tire shop with a coke machine out front. I passed oand on by and stopped along the road a few miles later for a breakfast bar and water. At mile 30 I passed through Kincaid then a mile later turned south on US59 which was great riding; very wide, three foot wide lane outside the white line and hardly any traffic. Five miles south on US59 I passed through Mildred which had a small grocery just off the highway, but Moran was only eight more miles and I was sure there would be something at the intersection of US59 and US54 so I kept going. I reached Moran at 11:30 AM and stopped at a convenience store for a lunch of fried chicken, chips and soda. While there, a local guy was telling me that the forecast for tonight calls for more thunderstorms with the possibility of hail. I’m not sure what large hail would do to my tent. Plan A for today was to stop for the night and camp at an RV campground that had tent sites and showers in Iola, KS which was only 13 miles away (55 miles for the day) to the west on US54. Plan B was to continue west on US54, if things were going well, to Yates Center. There are a couple of relatively inexpensive motels there.  When I started west from Moran there was a very nice tailwind and I averaged about 17 mpg over the 13 miles to Iola. It was only 12:30 PM when I got to Iola and, not wanting to waste a good tailwind and given the time of day, I pushed on another 20 miles to Yates Center. US54 was pretty comfortable to ride on from Moran to Iola. It had an 8 ft. paved shoulder most of the way but when approaching Iola the road changed from two-lane to four-lane with only an 8’ gravel shoulder. Traffic volume was moderate but most drivers were very good (though there’s always that one!). After a quick sip at a convenience store in Iola, I was off through town and on to Yates Center. Early afternoon traffic was moderate but there was a decent shoulder and the terrain was flat.

With the tailwind I reached Yates Center in what seemed like no time at all. I had another quick sip at a Casey’s then checked into the fancier of two motels ($44/night vs. $25/night). The room is a little small and outdated, but it is clean. I asked the owner if there was a guest laundry and he said for me to bring my clothes back to the office and he’d do them for me. You can’t beat that. I put my gear in the room and cleaned up, which felt terrific given last night I had no running water and was pretty grimy after two days of cycling. I took my laundry bag to the office then hung my tent out to dry. There is Subway around the corner where I plan to eat dinner then just relax a little. I am only about 13 miles from the TransAmerica route where it turns west onto US54 so my cross-country routing from the Katy Trail in Clinton, MO to the TranAmerica route is essentially finished. I’m looking forward to just following the Adventure Cycling maps from here to Walden, CO where I turn towards Laramie, WY then down to Ft. Collins, CO for the last days of this trip.

There wasn’t much to photograph today. Except for the climbs described above around Mound City the terrain was what I would consider very flat. There were lots of fields and pastures and Kansas farmers haven’t yet cut down all the trees so it was pretty scenic. There are quite a few wheat fields and this must be harvest time as I saw a number of farmers combining their wheat. I didn’t really see anything of particular interest to me today so there is only one photo of a small stone house that looked sort of neat. I’ll be riding through what is called the Flint Hills section of Kansas tomorrow and hopefully there will more things to photograph.

Neat little stone house between Iola and Yates, KS

Day 10 - Tuesday May 29; Clinton, MO to Pleasanton, KS (69 miles)

I didn’t sleep particular well last night being concerned over my route selection for the next two days. I went to sleep about 11:30 PM and got up at 5:30 AM to do some more Internet research on the route selections. I did find that there are quite a few towns along Wednesday’s route to Chanute. I also found the Kansas DOT bike map. It confirmed most of my route choices in Kansas as far as Chanute. I only made one change from what I’d come up with last night.

After eating the M-Star’s continental breakfast, I was off at just before 7:00 AM. The trip through town along MO18 was uneventful. In fact nearly the whole day went according to plan. At the intersection of MO18 and BB, after 23 miles of riding through the rolling Missouri countryside, there was a soda machine outside a building. I bought a soda and noticed an OPEN sign illuminated in the window. I looked in and could see a man and small boy sitting at a table. I tried the door and it was unlocked. It turned out to be a small café. It was about 9:00 AM and they were serving breakfast so I had eggs and pancakes. The food was excellent and reasonably priced. Pretty cool for in the middle of nowhere.  A couple of motorcycle riders also came in and during our discussion they informed me that there was bridge construction on my route and suggested how to best get around it. I took their advice and rode the rural highways around the construction. About six miles down the road from the café, while I was riding along looking at some lawn statues (cow pulling a covered wagon), I looked up I saw another fully-loaded bicyclist coming the other direction. Evan was his name and he is from Kansas City. He left Kansas City yesterday for Clinton where he will ride the Katy Trail to its east end in St. Charles. He has a friend in Jefferson City who will ride from there the rest of the way. Good luck Evan.  I arrived at Amaret which is only about four miles from the MO/KS border at around 1:30 PM. There was an older (84) gentleman and his daughter looking around town. He has two daughters, one in Kansas City and one in Asheville, NC. He is visiting the daughter in KC and was showing her a home that his grandfather used to own and that she’d never seen. It’s great to see fathers and daughters doing things together at that stage in life. Amoret is very small but had a convenience store where I sat and drank a Gatorade and ate a package of Cheetos. That was pretty much my lunch for today. A few miles past Amoret was the MO/KS state line, then US69 which I rode for about six miles to the Pleasanton exit. US69 had a very wide paved shoulder and not much traffic - a pretty pleasant ride.

My first stop in Pleasanton was the Phillips 66 station for a 32 oz. soft drink. There were two fully loaded bikes out front when I pulled up but I never saw either rider and they were gone when I came out. I called City Hall and found out they had not read the e-mail I sent last night requesting permission to camp somewhere in town. Nancy is the City Clerk and after explaining to her that I only needed a patch of ground for the night she said to camp at the West Lake city park. I picked a nice shade tree to camp under and took a short nap. The park was very quiet and hardly anyone was around. I checked the weather and there is a 50% chance of a thunderstorm around 3:00 AM tomorrow morning. These don’t bother me except for packing up a wet tent. I have a few things to snack on so I think I’ll skip riding into town for dinner. There are no showers and no working water faucet so I used some wet-naps to clean the grime off. 

I have to ride back through town tomorrow on my way south and west and will get something to eat for breakfast before heading down the road. Tomorrow is 71 miles to Chanute, KS and the connection with the TransAmerica route. I’m looking forward to getting back on an established route with maps. However, I have to say that the drivers today were excellent. Many of the hills had limited distance sight at the top and without exception drivers slowed down to my pace until they could see if there was oncoming traffic. There are only two photos of note today; the western Missouri countryside and the Welcome to Kansas sign.



Western Missouri countryside



Fred reaches Kansas

Day 9 - Monday May 28; Sedalia, MO to Clinton, MO (41 miles)

It was hard leaving Susi this morning. She dropped me off at the Sedalia Katy Trail depot where she picked me up yesterday and I was riding by 9:00 AM. It was pretty windy all day and started off cloudy but cleared up within an hour. The trail between Sedalia to Clinton is not nearly as pretty as the parts I've ridden the past few days. It is more open and with the wind coming from the direction I was riding, the riding was slow at times. I knew I only had about 40 miles to ride so I took my time. This section of the trail has the highest point of the Katy Trail. Not much more to say about the ride really.

I arrived in Clinton, MO about 1:30 PM and rode around a little, drank a soda, picked up some rags at an O'Reilly's and checked into the M-Star motel about 2:30 PM. After putting my bags in the room I used their hose to wash my bike. I also sacrificed my toothbrush to brush the grit/grim out of my derailleurs and chain which I then lubed. After cleaning up myself I went to a nearby Walgreen's to buy a replacement toothbrush then to dinner.

When I got back to the motel I cleaned the outside of all my bags/gear then started working on routes for the next two days. Susi and I looked at my original planned route last night at the motel in Sedalia and she convinced me that there must be a flatter route. After several hours of work, I picked a route going west first into eastern Kansas then south to the TransAmerica route. I'm not sure how well this new route will work, but tomorrow I'm headed west along MO18 then south to Butler, MO then west again to Pleasanton, KS; a total of 67 miles. Pleasanton has a pool so I can shower then hopefully someone will let me camp there; they have several parks and churches. Wednesday I'll head west and south ending up in Chanute, KS (71 miles) which is where I will join the TransAmerica route. I'm a little apprehensive about the next couple of days, some of which will be on US highways. A few photos from today follow.



Leaving Sedalia,MO for the last leg of the Katy Trail



Katy Trailhead in Clinton, MO - The end of the Katy

Retro DX filling station in the historic district of Clinton - similar to the one Susi's uncle Jess used to own in our hometown of Winchester, IL

Day 8 - Sunday May 27; New Franklin, MO to Sedalia, MO (40 miles)

Even though it was warm and humid last night, I slept pretty well. I was up and out of the Katy Roundhouse campground by just after 6:00 AM. I'd heard they were serving an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast for the bike jamboree participants returning from Boonville. As I headed out, they were setting up but said it would probably be around 7:00 AM before they would be ready to serve. I took off down the trail towards Boonville which was as only about 4 miles. Boonville is larger than most towns on the Katy and I found a restaurant immediately after crossing the bridge over the Missouri River. After breakfast the trail went southwest while the Missouri River headed northwest so that was my last view of the Missouri River. The trail from Boonville to Sedalia was not as flat as it has been up to this point but still mostly tree covered. I came across a man named Chris who was loaded like I was and we chatted for a few minutes. Chris is from Minneapolis, started in Clinton yesterday and is riding the Katy to St. Charles.

I arrived at the Sedalia train depot around 11:30 AM and called Susi to let here know I'd arrived. She was only about 25 miles away and met me at the depot around noon. While I was waiting for Susi to arrive I met a fair-sized group of cyclist associated with a church in Lees Summit who started in Clinton this morning and is riding the Katy this week. One of the participants is Randy Buffington who was raised near Tebbetts where I'd spent the night at the Turner Katy Trail Shelter. I believe his father or grandfather was the song director and this is where Randy went to church as a youth. When Susi arrived, we walked around the depot which is easily the best one between Marthasville and here.

We then loaded the bike and gear in the van and drove around historic downtown Sedalia which has much interesting architecture. The Comfort Inn let us check in around 1:00 PM. I cleaned up and we took a driving tour of the Missouri State Fairgrounds which is very nice. We decided that, though it has all the same facilities as the Iowa State Fairgrounds, things are more spread out. After the fairgrounds driving tour, we drove north a few miles on US65 to the Boswell Lodge State Historical Site and were able to get in the final tour group of the day. This is a very interesting tour if you are ever in the area. We ate an early dinner at a cajun seafood restaurant then returned to the motel to do my laundry and sort through my gear, some of which I've decided to leave with Susi to take back home. Tomorrow Susi will drop me off at the Sedalia train depot and I'll complete the final leg of the Katy Trail to Clinton, MO. This will only be about a 35 mile day so we'll enjoy sleeping in a bit. I'm hoping that someone in Clinton can verify that the roads I'm considering to get 120 miles to the TransAmerica route is a good one - or suggest a different one. A few photos from the day follow.



Last view of the Missouri River at Boonville, MO



Katy Trail Depot in Sedalia - very nice.



My best friend at the Boswell Lodge State Historical Site

Day 7 - Saturday May 26; Tebbetts, Mo to New Franklin, Mo (60 miles)

It was looking like I was going to have the Turner Katy Trail Shelter all to myself last night. At 8:30 PM as the sun was beginning to set three cyclists came in; a father, son (Chris) and the son’s friend (Bradley). They are from Manhattan, KS and the boys just graduated from high school.  The wife/mother dropped them off at the trailhead in Clinton, MO and they are riding to its east end in St. Charles, MO where mom is going to pick them up tonight (90+ miles in 90+ heat/humidity; they’ll need a lot of luck making it that far, but there is a lot of sunlight hours these days).

I got off to a 6:30 AM start hoping to get to New Franklin before the heat of the day – which I pretty much did as I arrived at just before 2:00 PM.  The ride today was very nice; limestone bluffs to the right, Missouri River to the left and nearly all tree covered – very scenic. I met a couple named Dave? and Lauralee  a couple of times yesterday afternoon. They stayed at a B&B in Hartsburg and were still there this morning when I rolled in. It was 9:00 AM and I was in search for a Diet Coke. I had the Coke and two pancakes at Dottie’s Café; a really neat little café where four older people were playing live bluegrass music. The oldest lady played guitar and sang really great. After breakfast I headed down the trail and shortly came upon a fully loaded backpacker with a small dog. He is walking 15 miles one way today then back tomorrow as training for hiking the Appalachian Trail starting next spring. A little later I came across a group of boys and three men, also walking. Two of the men had fully loaded backpacks and one was wearing a Texas A&M ball cap. We chatted for a good while. The Aggie graduated with the class of 1984 and I believe with an EE degree. We likely had a class or two together. The men were Boy Scout leaders from Kansas City out getting ready for a big hike they have coming up. When I arrived at McBain a man was asking questions about my ride. His name is Jim Johnson and he retired last year as a chemistry tech from Ameren’s Calloway nuclear plant. I asked if he knew John Dampf who I served with in the Navy from ’76 to ’78 or ’79 when we were both instructors at the S1W prototype in Idaho Falls, ID. He said he had heard the name and I think he called the control room while I was filling my water bottle. I believe he said John retired a year or so ago. I gave Jim one of my trip cards to follow along or give to John if he ever ran into him. Jim was a Navy NUC ELT and trained at A1W in 1977. I always enjoy meeting fellow ex Navy NUCs. Those were good times (looking back of course). A mile or so down the trail was the intersection with a spur that goes up to Columbia and where the Peddler's Jamboree ride stared this morning. The bike traffic (both ways) was very heavy. There must have been hundreds riding. I had made good time to that point and was not in a hurry so it was enjoyable enough. The only bad part was that a LOT! of dust was kicked up so I am coated head to toe in caked-on trail dust. The jaboree is a ride from the Huntsdale Jct. to Boonville; about 20 miles one way. There are bands at the trailhead towns along the way and a big bash in Boonville tonight. I’m told that they camp tonight in Boonville and ride back to the Huntsdale Jtn. tomorrow. From the looks of many of the riders I saw today, I’m guessing not that many actually ride back tomorrow. Many probably had someone waiting for them in Boonville to take them home at the end of today’s ride. The younger, fitter riders probably party all night and the ride back tomorrow in the expected heat will likely make for quite a challenging ride. Most everyone I saw were having a really good time – that’s terrific. I was told this is the fourth year for the jamboree. It looks like a hugh success.

I’m camping tonight in New Franklin, MO at the Katy Roundhouse campground. They have bands here too. The first one just finished and the second one started. The campground/shower house are a little removed from where the band is playing so it is just the right volume. Pretty good music too.  All this for $6. When I arrived at the Katy Trail trailhead in New Franklin I asked those sitting in the shade if they knew where the Katy Roundhouse was located. A couple of them thought it was just a little further down the trail. To be sure, I rode about ½ mile north into New Franklin to ask someone who actually knew. The information I got from those at the trailhead was correct. The trip into town brought me to a Casey’s where I chugged a 44 oz Diet Coke and ate a caramel-iced donut – good stuff!! I’m sitting at my camp site picnic table listening to the live music. It is still hot, though there is a nice breeze. I’ll wait until later to take a shower as I’d just sit here and sweat if I took one now. It is only supposed to get down to about 70 tonight so it won’t likely be good sleeping weather. But - tomorrow I’ll be at the Comfort Inn in Sedalia and only have about 40 miles to ride. Susi will be driving from our old hometown (Winchester, IL) and will meet me in there. She’s terrific!!!!! A few photos from the day follow.

Long shadow at sunrise



Missouri State Capitol - Jefferson City, MO



Live bluegrass on Saturday mornings at Dotti's Cafe in Hartsburg



MKT Tunnel near Rocheport, IA. To me, this was the most scenic section of the Katy Trail

Day 6 - Friday May 26; Marthasville,MO to Tebbets, MO (57 miles)

The ball games were over around 10:45 PM last night and I showered right after. A large group stayed around the concession area with the ball field lights on until 12:15 AM this morning when the last lights were turned off. I had ear plugs so the talking didn’t bother me but it bothered Joe and Nick. It never rained. I was up and on the Katy Trail at last by 7:45 AM this morning. It was nice riding weather for much of the day with cloud cover until about 1:00 PM when the sun came out then it got pretty hot.  There was very little wind today. The trail had had a tree canopy with occasional breaks into the open. Some was next to the Missouri River and some along 100+ foot high limestone cliffs. Today’s ride, other than being dusty all day and hot this afternoon, was very nice. The crushed limestone was really not bad to ride on, though I’ll need to perform some serious drive train cleaning when I get to the trail's end in Clinton. I’m staying at the Turner Katy Trail Shelter in Tebbetts. It is a hostel that charges $5 a night and has showers and bunk beds. I got cleaned up and was sitting outside in the shade waiting for my clothes to dry when two different local people stop to let me know that this is the Friday night of the month when they serve an all-you-can-eat dinner at the community center for $7.50. I took them up on the offer. It beat the peanut butter and jelly sandwich I had planned on eating. Tomorrow I’m hoping for an early dawn start to beat the heat. It’s supposed to get to 99. I’m headed for the Katy Roundhouse Restaurant in New Franklin. They allow camping and charge $6 for a shower. The annual "Peddler's Jamboree" joins the trail tomorrow where the Columbia spur intersects. During this two-day festival, riders from all over, including Columbia, MO ride to Booneville for the evening on Saturday then back to Columbia on Sunday. There are reportedly food and bands in the towns along the route. I called ahead to the Katy Roundhouse to make sure I could get a camping spot and was told that it should not be an issue. I was also told there is one band starting at 2:00 PM and another at 4:00 PM. The heat aside, it should be a fun day tomorrow. Sunday, Susi is meeting me in Sedalia, MO for an overnight in a motel. It is only 35 miles from Sedalia to Clinton and the end of the Katy Trail – all of which I’m told is not very scenic, just open grassland, so I may clean up my bike and have Susi drop me off Monday morning in Clinton where I’ll get back on the road towards the TransAmerica route that takes me most of the way to Ft. Collins. Some photos from the day follow.


One of many old railroad bridges across creeks and rivers

Much of the trail is shaded by a canopy of trees - very nice riding



Limestone bluffs to the north

Missouri River to the south



My stop for the night in Tebbetts, MO

Day 5 - Thursday May 24; Louisana, MO to Marthasville, MO (78 mi)

I got up pretty early, loaded my bike and had biscuits and gravy at a Shell convenience store across from the motel. I was rolling by 7:00 AM. The first 11 miles were along the Mississippi River to Clarksville, MO. There was one convenience store in Clarksville where I inquired about the Adventure Cycling route and an alternate that I came up with last night while studying blogs and Google Maps. I ended up riding the first five miles out of Clarksville on the AC route. There was a long hill out of Clarksville but it was comfortable spinning in granny gear. The road had a canopy of trees and the views from the top were great. After five miles I took a route that ended up on US61 which is a four-lane divided highway with an eight foot shoulder. The route change was spurred by not wanting to climb any more hills than necessary. The road over to US61 was flat and a nice ride. It was very windy all day with the direction out of the south, the direction I was riding most of the day, at probably 15-20 mph with gusts to at least 30 mph. Once on US61 the headwind was fierce with nothing to break the wind except an occasional convoy of semis going 80 mph. 17 miles later I exited at Troy, MO. It was only 12:30 PM so I ate lunch at McDs then headed 15 miles to Wright City, MO which is an I-70 town. Because it was still early, and because I'd heard that the Cuivre River SP was already full, I rode on past. This was my intended camping place for tonight. I was in Wright City by 3:30 PM, drank a Diet Coke at a small convenience store then headed the final 20 miles to Marthasville. The afternoon riding was along a high ridge line; winding and not especially hilly. Sometimes there were trees to block the wind which was very welcome, but occasionally it was very hard riding into the headwind. Between about 4:30 and 5:00 PM it got a little “harry” traffic-wise. The road was very winding with no shoulder and limited sight distance   I’m guessing people were returning home from work and (maybe because this was Friday afternoon) they had little patience for slow-joe bicycler. After 5:00 PM there was hardly any traffic. I did get chased by what appeared to be a Pit Bull. It was late in the day and I was tired so he got pepper sprayed in view of his owner. I’ll do that if they are charging straight at me and growling ferociously.  I figured they guy would run me down in his pickup but I never saw him. I must have gotten a little pepper spray on my finger then my upper lip because I had a mild burning sensation. I stopped down the road and washed it off with water and the burning was gone. I exited the highway onto the Katy Trail around 6:30 PM. Right on the trail in Marthasville is the KT Caboose. They were still open and serving pizza and ice cream. I ate dinner there and asked about camping. They directed me to the city park/ball diamonds within view of the KT Caboose. They have showers but I have to wait until the ball games are over – which right now is likely to be around 11:00 PM. It is supposed to T-storm around 11:00 PM so they said I could camp under the large pavilion which is where I am now. Two Katy Trail riders just showed up to keep me company for the night. Joe and Nick Stewart (father and son) are headed from St. Charles to Columbia, MO for the annual "Peddler's Jamboree". Joe is a Baptist pastor from Peoria, Il and is on sabbatical while getting his doctorate. Nick works at a coffee shop in downtown St. Louis. A few photos from the day follow.



View after the climb out of Clarksville, MO; my last view of the Mississippi River



The nice part of my alternate from Clarksville to Troy, MO



The not-so-nice part of my alternate; US61 four-lane divided highway for 17 miles into a 20 mph wind!!

Arriving at the intersection of the Great Rivers North route and the Katy Trail in Marthasville, MO

Pizza and ice cream at the KT Caboose (very good after a 78 mile day - especially the ice cream!)

Day 4 - Wednesday May 23; Hannibal, MO to Louisiana, MO (34 miles)

I slept much better last night. It got down to 50 degrees again so I was inside my sleeping bag. I was on the road by 8:00 AM. The first few miles were along the Mississippi River next to limestone bluffs - really pretty. The next 20 miles were very hilly starting with one long, not terribly steep hill. A black lab with no collar followed me up the hill and probably for two miles before he stopped at a farm house where other people were outside. He never barked and a couple of times traffic had to slow for the dog - so maybe he was my guardian. Then there were two "killer" hills; relatively long and very steep. I made it up the first one without stopping, but the second one was a "two-stopper", but I did pedal all the way. There were a number of scenic viewpoint turnouts at the top of these climbs. I stopped at them to rest, snack and take in the serenity. There was not much traffic going my direction, but a lot of semi/dump truck traffic going the other direction. Following the hills the road was flat along farm country for about 12 miles. I thought it would be flat all the way to Louisiana since it is on the river - but no-o-o. There was one fairly short but very steep hill then another long but not terribly steep hill to get over before descending into town. My quads were burning by the time I arrived. Louisiana was my goal for the day and I arrived here by 12:00 noon. While eating lunch at a Dairy Queen I called to check the rates at the Rivers Edge Motel. I'd read several other blogs that recommended it as a clean and inexpensive place to stay. Given the time of day, I considered going on to Clarksville, MO but the only place to stay there is at a wildlife preserve about six miles away. The preserve has no amenities at all; no water, no showers, etc.. After lunch I rode around a parking area/boat ramp next to the river, mulled it over, considered the condition of my legs then made the decision to stay at the Rivers Edge (this is not a race). After checking in, I showered then walked about a mile through downtown to a laundromat and washed my clothes. On the way back I spotted a good place for breakfast on my way out of town tomorrow. I also noticed some murals painted on building walls. I ate an early dinner at a restaurant downtown. On my way back to the motel after dinner, I picked up some Gatorade and peanut butter for tomorrow. There is supposed to be a grocery store in Clarksville, but some of these small towns no longer have stores. Clarksville is the only town between here and the Cuivre River State Park where I am planning to camp tomorrow night. The weather today was a little windy on the flat areas with a high in the 80s and low humidity. The next several days are supposed to be hot with highs in the upper 90s in a couple of days. I'll need to slow down and hydrate. A few photos follow.



Traveling south from Hannibal on MO79



From one of the scenic turnouts overlooing the Mississippi



One of the murals in Louisiana, MO



View looking east into Illinois. Susi and I were born and raised about 38 miles east-northeast of here - somewhere about the far right of the photo.

Day 3 - Tuesday May 22; Hamilton, IL to Hannibal, MO (64 miles)

I slept so-so last night. It was very quite, but being the first night in the tent made it a bit difficult to fall asleep. The temperature got down to below 50 degrees so it was a little chilly. I used both my liner and 40 deg down sleeping bag. I left Hamilton about 8:00 AM. The first 7 miles to Dallas City had several hills but not too bad. In Dallas City, I was unsure of a route change. I rode to about a block from the river where I thought the map and directions were telling me to go, but it was a very steel hill down to the river and I couldn't tell if there was a road at the bottom. I turned around and asked a lady sitting in front of a cafe and she said that the road I was looking for was in fact at the bottom of the hill. I just didn't want to go down only to have to turn around and ride back up. Once at the bottom, the first couple of miles were right next to the river. The road then diverged from the river and I rode most of the rest of the morning through prime Mississippi River bottom land. The corn was already knee high in most places ("knee high by the fourth of July") and it not yet June. I reached Quincy (40 miles) by 12:00 noon and had lunch at a bar & grill near one of the bridges over the Mississippi. After lunch I headed for Hannibal. South Quincy is pretty heavily industrialized and traffic volume was a bit high on the Gardner Expressway. However there was a shoulder on most of it and drivers were very considerate. I entered Missouri over the I-72 bridge in Hannibal - the only Interstate riding I'll do on this trip. Once over the bridge I stopped at a convenience store and had a soft drink. It was getting a little warm by mid-afternoon, though not as bad as it is going to get the next few days!!! I made it out of Hannibal and to the Mark Twain Cave Campground by 3:30 PM. After pitching my tent and cleaning up I rode across the highway to the only restaurant that is nearby and had my fill of their special; chicken Alfredo with salad. That'll have to get me the 31 very hilly miles to Louisianna, MO in the morning. Not knowing how bad the hills are (though I've heard stories), I'm planning to stop for the night in Louisianna. If I'm still feeling good, I'll continue on to a campground north of Clarksville, MO - another 7 or 8 miles down the road. There really isn't anything within reach after Clarksville. A few photos follow.



Unique home entering Dallas City, IL (could not find any info on it's history)



Riding along the Mississippi after Dallas City, IL

View from the bar and grill in Quincy where I ate lunch



Entering Missouri at Hannibal

Day 2 - Monday, May 21; Burlington, Ia to Hamilton, Il (53 miles)

Susi and I slept in a bit this morning and after breakfast at McD’s, she dropped me off on the Illinois-side of the US34 Mississippi River bridge. It was windy and cold when I started at 9:30 AM. The wind was from the north so it was a tailwind when riding south and a crosswind when riding east (the only two directions I rode today). I stopped for a late lunch in Nauvoo, IL. I took a little time to ride around town and take the obligatory photos of the Mormon temple. It really is a spectacular structure and the view overlooking the river very pretty. From Nauvoo to Hamilton was only about 18 miles all of which is immediately next to the Mississippi River. The views were spectacular and the sound of the waves lapping at the shoreline very relaxing. I’m camping at the Wildcat Springs Park in Hamilton. For $10 it has a very nice and shady campground next to the swimming pool. The pool is not yet open but the pool building has a family restroom with a single shower which the park superintendent will leave open all night. I have the place completely to myself. It is supposed to get down to the upper 40’s tonight. Tomorrow I’ll be heading south to Quincy, IL then on to Hannibal and the Mark Twain Cave Campground – probably about 65 miles but I think relatively flat with only a slight breeze out of the south predicted.


Entering Illinois on US34



The Morman Temple in Navuoo, IL (above), view from the front of the temple overlooking the Mississippi River (below)

(2 photos together?) Top - statues in front of Morman Temple; Bottom - Beautiful ride along the Mississippi River between Navuoo and Hamilton, IL

Home for the night at Wildcat Springs Park in Hamilton, IL

Day 1 - Sunday May 20; Muscatine, IA to Burlington, IA (50 mi.)

Day 1 started with a 7:30 AM departure from home in Altoona, IA. The drive to downtown Muscatine was enjoyable over mostly country roads. We arrived at the waterfront in Muscatine in time for me to begin riding at just before 11:00 AM. It was windy but mostly a crosswind out of the west. The ride was great. With Susi's help we were able to figure out that what showed up on the Adventure Cycling map as a 5 mile gravel alternative is now paved. This saved me 4 miles and several hills against the headwinds by not having go to Wapello to pick up IA99. The road today was great, traffic very light,  drivers courteous and one of the flattest 50 mile rides I've ever done. I saw two groups of riders traveling north; likely one of the local bike clubs. We're staying at the Pzazz Casino Resort Hotel. The man at the casino entrance told us about registering for “Player Club” cards which we did. This saved $2 each off of our buffet dinner. The cards were also good for $10 each towards playing the slot machines. Susi played out the $10 from each card and ended up ahead by $24.50 so the card paid for dinner and then some. A few photos follow. Tomorrow takes me across the Mississippi River here in Burlington and eventually to Hamilton, IL; about another 50 miles.



Leaving Muscatine, IA

Note the bus; McLine Gospel Temple 

MidAmerican Energy Company (my former employer) - Louisa Generating Station



Toolesboro Mounds (100 BC to 200 AC)

Riding atop the bluff on the west side of the Mississippi River

Arriving at the Burlington waterfront

My Sweetheart and me - Burlington, IA - May 2012

Day 0 - Ready to Roll

I rode quite a few loaded cycling miles on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week. Inventoried all my gear and took insurance photos of valuables on Thursday and cleanup up the bikeon Friday. Everything is loaded in the van ready for the drive to Muscatine, IA tomorrow morning. Susi is going to spend tomorrow night in a motel with me in Burlington, IA. Monday morning we will part ways with me heading across the Mississippi into Illinois and her heading for a visit with our daughter Jess and new grandson Logan (weeks old and growing fast) in North Liberty, IA. The weather tomorrow is a little "iffy" with 40% chance of isolated thunderstorms in southeast Iowa. However, Susi and the van will just be a phone call away if one gets severe. The 10-day weather forecast at my planned stopover towns in Illinois and Missouri call for lower 90s for highs (a little on the warm side for this time of year) but no precipitation.

More from the road in the days ahead.

Fred

My Steed

Bags Packed

My home for the better part of the next 6 weeks (I lived in it for nearly 9 weeks last fall)