Last night’s weather forecast led us to expect sunny skies, low 70 degree temperatures, and 15 mph winds from the NW. The reality of today only brought 1 of the three expectations. The day was overcast with light intermittent showers and temperatures in the low 60s. However, the most important expectation was fully met and we flew.
Leaving Fort Madison, Iowa we had to cycle for a few miles on a 4 lane highway with a small 2 foot shoulder with rumble strips every 30 feet. Not very nice but the traffic was light so it was no problem. Ironically, about an hour later we cycled 10 miles on a closed road with 5 foot shoulders and no traffic.
Entering the town of Keokuk, Iowa we cycled along the Mississippi before climbing into town. There our route took us along “millionaire” row with wonderful restored mansions that overlook the river. The attached photos are just a small sample of the wonderful homes we saw. In Keokuk we crossed the river into Illinois and cycled to the town of Warsaw.
For days we have been fantasizing about finding a bakery and getting a slice of pie or fresh pastries. As we entered Warsaw we saw the Gingerbread Bakery and knew we had to stop. Upon entering the bakery, the 8 customers there stopped talking and stared at us. We responded by saying “good morning, we must be in the right place.” That broke the ice and the conversation flowed. While the people were friendly we were not in a bakery. The glass case had 2 cake doughnuts and 4 oblong iced doughnuts; none of which looked like they were baked in the Gingerbread Bakery. A sign that listed the daily specials looked like it had not be changed in years but at one time offered frog legs and peach pie. Leaving Warsaw we cycled within 10 feet of the Mississippi mud flats and soon came across a youth fishing contest where many children were competing for prizes for catching the largest cat fish and turtle.
The next 20 miles to Ursa was a cyclist’s dream. The road was relatively flat and went just the right direction for us to take advantage of the tail winds. We covered these 20 miles in just a little over 1 hour. That included the time we took to talk to Greg who was cycling in the opposite direction on a day trip.
We pulled into Quincy and were surprised that it is a large city. We had to cycle 3 miles from the river (of course, all up hill). Unlike most hotels on this trip, this one is located in a commercial area offering a wide choice of eating places.
Maps: Today Trip to Date
No comments:
Post a Comment