Day 37 – Crawfordsville, IN to Indianapolis, IN via US136 and White River Parkway, 07 Jul 2014

Map and Pics:  Click Here for Map and Pics.

Miles 2689 to 2751, 62 miles, 700 feet of climb, max speed 32 mph, avg speed 14 mph, Temperature was cool after the storm went through, yet moisture and road spray remained.

Paul and Al racing the storm into town

The obvious four star event of today was my wife and daughter Faith driving up from Huntsville to visit! More on that after I describe some earlier events. The obvious concern this morning was not IF we get caught by the storms, but where. We got a respectable number of miles in before we were pulled over and told where to find shelter, in my case, a gas station in New Ross. The picture is Al and Paul just beating the lightning in. While under the awning there we got to talk to a farmer about his soybeans and corn. About a third of his crops are sold as futures. This year that worked out for them because corn yield will be higher than expected and that will drop prices at harvest. He prefers beans because there are four soybean processing plants within delivery distance. That means there will be some price competition.

Brownsburg's Greatest Advocate

A gem of the day was found at the Arbuckle Park in Brownsburg. Arbuckle Park was right across the RR tracks from the titanium bike factory in Brownsburg. I found Shelby changing the park's marquee, something she said she did as a community service to let citizens know of upcoming events. She was excited about what a great place Brownsburg was to live and wanted me tell everybody to look up Brownsburg Parks on facebook and ‘like them’. Brownsburg was a very vibrant city and had all the signs of being a great place to live.

At the Old Speghetti Factory, Indianapolis

They day finally came! Yay!!! Young and Faith arrived from Huntsville around three in the afternoon. We had a wonderful dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory. While there we met the other riders and staff. Afterwards we took a walk around downtown on a perfect evening, but then found the downtown mall and spent some quality time looking at cosmetics, lady's shoes, and purses. Later this evening Young and I walked around the capitol and other monuments enjoying the lights of the city coming on and the beautiful glow of the setting sun.

Bottom Line: My riding buddies made my day. They really made me and my family feel special. Another reason this has been the best vacation ever!

Day 36 – Champaign, IL to Crawfordsville, IN via US150 and US136, 06 Jul 2014

Map and Pics:  Click Here for Map and Pics.

Miles 2609 to 2689, 80 miles, 1100 feet of climb, max speed 32 mph, avg speed 16 mph, wind was favorable most of the day and the rain never came. Temperature was perfect!

Dave & John in Champaign, IL

My brother John pulled out his unicycle and joined me for a short stretch of my ride across America. The fellow riders enjoyed the demonstration but nobody wanted to try and risk a fall. We still have over a thousand miles to ride and don’t need any more bumps or bruises. We all enjoyed breakfast together and then I headed east and John headed north. Many commented how there was no doubt we were brothers.

Another state line today! Not only are we in Indiana, but we crossed our last time zone boundary! We are in the east now and can almost hear the ocean’s waves just 15 days away! The pace has been picked up, averaging over ninety miles a day over the last six days. Thank God we have been blessed with cooler weather without storms.

Searching for pennies after the train passed

Today was also flat penny day. Finally after seven states we finally had the opportunity to put pennies on the rail of an approaching train, and then lucky enough to find them after the train passed. Claire, a rider from Maryland, was out first today and got the pennies down in time before the Illinois Central freight train came by. She is one of our fastest riders, First Out – First In. It’s hard to get a picture of her; she idles at 20 mph, and when she goes downhill, well, only one of our Dutchmen can keep up. She loves riding because it helps her clear her mind and focus on things that are important in life. In this we are similar. The difference is she is out in front of the pack, and me, I didn’t even know there was a pack.

Bottom Line: Today was one of the most enjoyable days yet. I am pretty hardened to things like hills and headwinds. It was just a fun day, and the ride was good too. Precious people make this challenge the greatest vacation ever.

Day 35 – Springfield, IL to Champaign, IL via Lincoln Heritage Trail, 05 Jul 2014

Map and Pics:  Click Here for Map and Pics.

Miles 2514 to 2609, 95 miles (and 6 bonus miles to see train museum),790 feet of climb, max speed 30 mph, avg speed 15 mph, wind was not a big factor.

Downtown Cisco IL

Best news up front! My brother John traveled down from his home in Grayslake IL to spend the evening with us. I say 'us' because the group of riders and staff immediately made him feel like a member of the group. We all had diner together and John got to talk to many of the riders. It was a treat to sit in his car, i.e., padded seats for the whole seat. I never realized how nice a car seat could feel on a tender toushie. He is staying the night at our hotel.

Michelle, our ‘cruise director’ made a special point to me at last night’s Route Rap that there was a train museum in Monticello, IL. It was out of the way, but it sure was fun. Since it was Saturday the scenic trains were running. It was nostalgic watching the old passenger cars go by. A common understanding among the riders is that I stop for any and all trains or things that look like trains, smell like trains, or sound like trains. I am the tour’s tourist in a sea of bikers. That is okay. I enjoy sharing my pictures with my new friends at dinner. The common phrases are ‘where did you see that’ or ‘I saw that too.’ One of my favorite towns today was Cisco. The local volunteer fire department hosted our rest stop today. The town of 300 souls has a city sized mission for its firemen: 30 miles of interstate, 300 square miles of land, a grain elevator, 20 miles of rail, a town of old wooden structures, and for giggles, a nuclear power plant. The above picture is that of downtown Cisco. The image was irresistible to me; all the lines pointing towards a vanishing point. What a perfect description of riding the flats of Illinois.

Adel and the PPP Express

The gem of day was a lady name Adel. Her and her father run a recession-proof business in Monticello that some might say is a thankless job. She would disagree. People are very glad when they show up because it is always in response to a crisis, and when they leave, the crisis goes with them. The father customized their purple truck, to include a steering wheel in the center of the cab. The name of the company, and painted on the side of their (very loud and in need of a muffler) truck is “Purple Poop Pumper” Adel is a very happy young lady and will take over the family business as dad enters into retirement. Sometimes the best blessing in life is finding a vocation that you can enjoy. It may be lowly; it may be lofty; but if you help people and enjoy your job, even the stinkiest job can be a divine calling. Some jobs do require you to wash your hands more often. Just ask Adel, my diamond of the day.

Bottom Line: I got some unmentionable compliments today that money could never buy. Attributes that I have never noticed before are blooming within me. I thought I knew me. Surprise!

Day 34 – Quincy, IL to Springfield, IL via IL Route 104 and Old State Road, 04 Jul 2014

Map and Pics:  Click Here for Map and Pics.

Miles 2408 to 2514, 106 miles, 1750 feet of climb, max speed 32 mph, avg speed 14 mph, 10 mph head wind all day out of the east.

Happy Birthday Barn near Liberty, IL

Happy Birthday America! It seemed that everybody had their homes decked out in red, white, and blue, today, and especially so for the little town of Liberty, IL. They went all out and then some more! At one of my stops along the road (I stop a lot) I talked to a man cleaning his Purple Martin birdhouse. Farmers, by nature, are clever people, and he certainly had an ingenious way to lower the house down off the 20 foot pole. He asked me if I saw his barn on the road, and I asked if it was the white one with the American flag on it and he said yes. I told him a lot of people took pictures of that barn today, including me. We talked awhile and as I left he saluted me. I was honored that there are men and women in the heartland of America that run with a deep respect for the military. I didn’t ask, but as I rode away I bet there were soldiers in his family.



Serial #30, complete with steel spokes!

Mr. Steven Woodrum of Flying “S” Farms said that tractor wasn’t for sell yet, and besides that, how would I get it home pulling it behind my bike? I offered to trade him even for my Scott CR1 carbon framed bi-peddler, but he wasn’t interested. He hadn’t done the estimate on his antique Allis-Chalmers farm tractor, one of the first built (serial #30). He was still deciding if to sell as is or to bring it to working order. He changed the subject and said he was impressed with some of the bikers that passed him while driving his tractor driving down the road today – they were all going at least 15 mph. I told him that 15 mph were the slow ones, and how embarrassed I was when the grandmas pass me by as if I was standing still. Mr. Woodrum fixes tractors when he and his sons aren’t making hay or row farming. They had five completed restorations for sale out front and a good number work-in-progress in the machine shed. What a heritage that man is building in his kids.

Tonight I had a treat. After dinner came laundry, and while in the queue for a washer and dryer I shared the available chairs with a young mom named Katie and her two little toddlers from Morton, IL. Her husband and she put the kids in a trailer behind their bikes (along with everything they needed for overnight adventures) and off they went on vacation. Personally, in my estimation their family vacation is harder than what we are up to, and takes a lot more faith and courage. The boy’s name was Joseph, and he likes trains and tractors. I did not disappoint him. For an hour we had serious discussions (as serious as a 4 year old can hold) while her mom, holding the 2 year old sister, said all the oohs, aahs, and choo-choo at all the appropriate moments as we looked though all my pictures. I hope there is nothing intimate about drying clothes together. I had a small load and so did they. It didn’t make sense to not to pool our quarters and get done twice as fast.

Illinois River bridge at Meredosia, IL

“Forget dinner, where is the ice machine?” Everybody seemed to come in with a deep desire to put ice on their tired muscles. The headwind made today was bothersome (like peddling uphill all day) but the deep hurts come from three days of bone-jarring Missouri roads. Knees, elbows, shoulders, wrists, and that padded fifth point of contact that sits on the saddle were all tender. We were asked who wants to go watch the fireworks tonight. The only answer was moans, to include mine. With what we are looking at tomorrow all opted for the bed over the boom. By the way, the guy with the knot on his knee yesterday went to the ER tonight. No news yet on him.

Bottom Line: If you like corn and beans, Illinois is heaven on earth.

Day 33 – Kirksville, MO to Quincy, IL via backroads, 03 Jul 2014

Map and Pics:  Click Here for Map and Pics.

Miles 2310 to 2408, 98 miles, 2950 feet of climb (gps said 4012), max speed 43 mph, avg speed 15 mph

The Bridges at Quincy over the Mississippi

Another state today! Illinois! Today was perfect riding weather on the least perfect roads. Jim, our original mechanic, said Missouri was the state he feared the most: bent frames, crushed wheels, broken spokes. Yup; he knew what he was talking about, and the bike shop in Quincy saw many of the riders today once we checked in. The alphabet soup of Missouri’s country roads (E, K, C, A, and others) meant one thing: intense rollers on roads that were potholed and tarred. County Road E was particularly brutal, but that is all behind us now. If the topography of Kansas can be compared to a pancake, Missouri is a waffle. Once we dropped into the Mississippi River Valley at Canton and got on the Great River Road we all thought we had died and gone to heaven. Bad road slowed me down, which had the side effect of making today one of my best picture taking days. It is very hard to decide which photos to include in the blog.

The Amish were out in full force today. Early today we were greeted by three sisters, probably ages 5, 7, and 9, as we approached one town past their home. They said good morning and God’s speed, and we wished the same back to them. We had been told never take pictures of the Amish folks, and if you want a picture of a buggy or mill, always ask first. I will have to treasure that moment as a memory. They all had their bonnets on and identical dresses. So cute, and an aura of goodness surrounding them.

Old Gas Station and Edsel

I will complain no more about my knee. We have a Dutch rider that really has a whopper of problem with his right knee. I have never seen such a knot grow on one. The doctor didn’t know what to do with it other than ice it down and see what the morning brings. Bob’s bruises, from the accident with the pickup truck, are in full bloom. Ouch.

The one regret I had today is that I didn’t get to meet many new folks today. I did have breakfast with a California couple that has been empty-nesters for a couple years now. They are traveling to Chicago for a wedding and then will head back through Canada as a vacation for the two of them. They went the southern tier of Arizona on the way out and found out how hot hot can be. NM and TX were erased from their itinerary and they headed to Chicago via CO, KS, and MO instead.

Bottom Line: It was emotional to cross the Mississippi River. The West is behind, the eastern America is ahead.

Day 32 – Chillicothe, MO to Kirksville, MO via MO Route 11, 02 Jul 2014

Map and Pics:  Click Here for Map and Pics.

Miles 2228 to 2310, 82 miles, 4300 feet of climb, max speed 39 mph, avg speed 14 mph

Today was the evil twin of yesterday. The 0% chance of rain got me soaked twice and the brisk north wind made me cold even with a windbreaker on. The hills? We probably had 50 hills over 10% grade and another 20 hills over 15%. It was a truly a small ring day. (The small ring is like using the low gear in a car; high rpms but little speed – but you do get over the hill). I didn’t walk up any hills; which surprised me. There were some real buggers. I am not denying the beauty – oh my – this is a beautiful land. The sun this morning was very bright and illuminated all west facing pictures. That didn't last long.

One of the nicest spots on today’s ride was the town of Linneus, MO. There were so many photo opportunities. The water tower in town looked like ‘Sputnick’, the college on the main corner of town like a country courthouse, the depot looked ready for rail passengers, and the town’s national historic site, the county jail, had two wonderful ladies working hard to make a museum out of it. They were so sweet and posed for a picture. Just north of town was a wonderful Amish type barn, and the houses along the way were decked out for the 4th of July.

There were two wonderful chances to meet people today. At breakfast I talked to a mom and daughter who had driven up from Mississippi in search of Amish merchandise. The daughter’s husband drove the truck along with their son, and her mission was to buy anything Amish (furniture to quilts) that they could sell in their store for a profit in Jackson, MS. They were ready to shop until the truck was full. The second encounter was much more local. At mile 75 I was dog tired and wet. I noticed a yard that was well maintained and full of flower gardens, and rode up the driveway in search of a spot to get out of the wind. The owner, on his John Deere lawn tractor, came by and asked why I would pick such a road as Hwy 11 to ride on. That started the conversation, and was one of the best rest stops all day.

Bottom Line: Today was ‘big pretty’ but it had a ‘big price’. Nobody has any energy left this evening. Most spent the time before dinner napping.

Day 31 – St. Joseph, MO to Chillicothe, MO via MO Route 6, 01 Jul 2014

Map and Pics:  Click Here for Map and Pics.

Miles 2138 to 2228, 90 miles, 3350 feet of climb, max speed 37 mph, avg speed 15 mph

Farm Rise - Early Morning in Missouri

Another day where I thought today was better than all the previous! The route was super-scenic, the weather was perfect (to include a nice tail wind!), the roads well maintained and lightly traveled, the bike worked great, and my aches a pains were overshadowed the wonderful people I met and the things I saw. It was a ride of at least a 100 rollers, but none of them super steep. This was the type of day a biker dreams will never end.

I can’t pick a gem of the day! There were too many. This morning started with breakfast with a lady named Pat. She was from Springfield MO and part of a senior citizen bus tour to the Black Hills and the Bad Lands. I asked her some questions about her discoveries, and later I mention to her what I found out from my research. She was so fascinated by the Lakota legends and the story of Anna Gorgon from Deadwood that she couldn’t wait to tell her friends on the bus. The second gem was a mom and her three kids who cheered us on as each rider came into Maysville, MO. Now that I’m firmly in tourist mode, I decided to stop and chat. The kids were so well behaved and smiles that could win anybody’s heart. The most special gem of the day I am having the hardest time remembering the specifics! I remember dentist DDS, because their initials are DS & DS. Donald and his wife, who I will shorten her name to D (‘cause I don’t remember) were out on their morning walk as I rode by. I had to ask them about one of the great mysteries of the universe. Is Highway UU pronounced ‘you-you’ or ‘double you’? Don said both ways are okay. Mystery solved. Don is a row farmer. He plants rows of crops each year, and this year he has rows of corn. Next year it might be rows of beans. D is another story -wow. She is a third grade teacher at the school just up the road. When I asked her about her work her smile lit up the countryside. Obviously teaching is one of her passions and she was excited to talk about this joy of hers. There is a special place in heaven for elementary teachers. When I was growing up I fell in love with my elementary teachers. Lucky Don. He actually got to marry one.

Helping to solve the deeper mysteries of MO

A real treat tonight was that I got to visit with an Amish family over some ice cream; husband, wife, cousin, three girls, and a son. He and his family run a lumber mill on the same highway we rode our bikes down today, Hwy A. They turn trees into pallets. He asked if I was also a biker (he had already talked to one of our Dutch brethren) and I said yes. I didn’t get to ask any questions after that. They wanted to see pictures of the Rockies and all points west. They loved the pictures of Donner Pass and Lake Tahoe, and had no idea that the mountains in Nevada would have snow on them. What a wonderful family. There was nothing shy about the kids either! We had a great time. I showed them the picture of the long-horned steers I took today, and the kids each knew the cows’ names! The Amish are a very tight knit community.

By the way, the biker involved in that pickup truck accident rode well today! It may take a day or two more, but it looks like he will have a full recovery.

Bottom Line: I didn’t want this day to stop. It started fantastic and got better mile after mile.