5/31/01 Newton, KS

50.0 miles

Woke up to a cloudy sky - surprise! Broke camp and headed the ten miles down the road to Cassoday. Just misting enough to bead on my glasses. Fun day ahead, I can tell!

It's still kind of amazing to ride even ten miles and see just rangeland. I'm guessing I could look in any direction and see a couple of miles. Most of the cattle I saw were hunkered down in the grass to protect against the weather.

And how far away is that horizon?

It's kind of a bummer that the weather can taint other experiences. I had breakfast at the Cassoday Café, known to many a cross-country cyclist. I was the only customer and, despite a delightful waitress and good food, I just couldn't get excited.

At Cassoday, I rejoin the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail and head west again. At least I'm getting a crosswind today. There just isn't anything along the 40 miles between here and Newton. So, because of the threat of rain, I decided to not stop until I reached Newton. Four hours total in the saddle - I don't recommend this, kids!

But it put me in town about lunchtime. Stopped at AYCE pizza, then did much needed laundry (everything I owned seemed wet), took a shower at the community center, checked my email, and scoped out a camping spot in the city park.

A must see for anyone headed out here is the Kauffman Museum in North Newton. Across the street is Bethel College, the oldest Mennonite College in North America. The museum highlights the coming of Mennonites from Europe to Kansas in the 1870s. I only had a short time before the museum closed for the day, but you could spend a whole day here. The exhibits are packed with stuff, a lot of it acquired by Charles Kauffman. They even had a collection of antique bicycles, including a single-speed made out of wood.

A real wooden bike!

I keep having trouble when eating out. I always order too much. Stopped by D'Angelo's Pizzeria and had to ask for a "to go" box. Not the smartest thing for a cyclist to deal with.

As I write this, the sun has finally come out. I think they're still calling for thundershowers tomorrow night, but I have a short ride to Hutchinson and hopefully am staying at the Zion Lutheran Church Hostel. Can't wait to see the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center.

5/30/01 Matfield Green, KS

54.9 miles

What a day! I'm so tired, I don't know where to begin.

I think after raining all morning, the skies had to build up for last night. And around 8 P.M., it cut loose. Rain, gusts, and thunder for hours. I kept waking up to see if the tent was floating or leaking. But I was dry and comfortable.

This morning, it had stopped raining, but looked as if it was just building up again. Stopped by the bakery for a donut, but decided to get riding while it wasn't raining.

The terrain was different heading south out of Council Grove. A lot more hilly and I saw more pasture land than crops. In fact, I saw very few houses along the whole stretch of Hwy 177. And because of the storm clouds, I had a hard headwind.

Even though it didn't rain as hard as during yesterday's ride, I only got 10 miles before it started. I saw a hay barn near the road and pulled in. I thought that the rain might blow through, but after 30 minutes, I decided to put on the rain gear and get going. Traffic was light and for that I was grateful.

Stopped at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve and talked to the rangers. Had a nice visit with them while it rained outside. One of the rangers recommended the Grand Central Hotel for lunch. "Best quality and quantity for the money!"

Farm house at Tallgrass Prairie

Talked to a few more tourists about my trip before heading back out onto the road. More rain. Cottonwood Falls is a nice little town. Things must be good because I saw several art galleries. Had a good lunch in the elegant restaurant. Thought I was on the Plaza in Kansas City for a minute.

The Ranger Museum wasn't open and I had wanted to kill some time there. Oh well, back on the road. Ended up riding 25 miles in the rain. My raingear did a fair job. The jacket was muggy and both my waterproof socks and gloves leaked, but I was warm.

Finally, the sun poked through the clouds and I wanted to sing. The wind continued to blow and I knew my sunshine could be short-lived, so I asked Nancy to se if she could intervene. Fount the Hitching Post Bar & Grill just like they said.

I was to go in and ask for directions to Carol's house. Just as you can imagine, I got several different ways to get there from everyone. Most figured it was 7-8 miles on dirt road, so I thanked them and headed out again. Everyone looked at me funny but I didn't think anything about it.

At first, the rangeland was simply amazing. Just what I thought Montana would be like. But then I hit a muddy spot in the road and, before I knew it, the bike wouldn't budge because of all the mud and gravel sticking to it. Eventually got going, but as the miles went by, it kept happening. About the fourth or fifth time, I realized that if it rained tonight, I wouldn't be able to ride these roads at all. Disappointed at not meeting Carol, but I wasn't even sure I could make it back to town, either.

The gods were looking kindly on me when I happened upon Allen Fipps out tending his cattle. He told me I was still about 3 miles from Carol's and I'd already done 8. I asked him which way he was headed and asked for a lift.

Allen is third generation on this ranch and is very thankful for this life. We rode by his place, which he'd just expanded to give the family more room. His kids range from 5 to 19. It is a beautiful home. "And we just moved back in a couple of weeks ago," he smiled. For me, he was a saint for giving me a lift. Thanks again, Allen.

Rode the four miles of pavement back to Matfield Green. A few people were surprised that I was back so quickly. "I never made it," I said as I described the terrible riding conditions. Everyone at the Bar & Grill were kind of relieved that I made it back.

Jerry, who was running the place tonight, said no one would care if I camped in the yard of the vacant house next to the bar & grill. And I asked a neighbor if I could use his hose to wash all the mud off the bike. I did the best I could, but the pedals might need to be re-built.

As I talked to all the friendly people in The Hitching Post, I thought that these things happen for a reason. So I didn't get to meet Carol, but I did meet wonderful people like Annie O'Meara, Jerry's niece from KC Turns out her family is from the Brookside-Armour Hills part of KC Jerry even graduated from Hogan High School (although a few years earlier than me ). Annie was so interested in the stories of my trip. And before the evening was over, she had handed me a generous donation for Nancy's scholarship fund. I promised her I would look her up when I'm back in KC

I really enjoyed myself here. Besides the old-timers and regulars, I even talked to a few cowboys. They loved the idea of my trip, but on horseback. But they said a horse would only travel about 20 miles a day.

Everyone has gone home and I sit under a cloudy sky writing this. They tell me tomorrow will be a sunny day -- let's hope, because I will be reunited with the TransAm and heading west.

5/29/01 Council Grove, KS

59.5 miles

During my travels along the country roads, I see many small cemeteries. Yesterday, all the cemeteries were bursting with the color of fresh flowers and bouquets. And I'd see families stopping by to remember loved ones gone. And even though I'm not there, I have Nancy's beautiful gravesite in my mind. But, more important, I have her smile in my heart and I know she watches over me.

Last night, as evening approached, the Drury family, all three generations, invited me over to their camp next door. They've been coming to this small lake for decades. They invited me to join them for dinner, and I ended up having seconds. We talked about everything under the sun long into the evening. I was surprised when I looked at my watch and it was after 10 P.M. This is why I'm out here alone on the road, to meet people and share a little part of me with them. But I get so much in return, more than I'll ever be able to pay back.

Grandmother Joanne Drury said there are some pretty spectacular sunrises on this lake and she was right. I rolled over to a bright red horizon this morning. Part of me admired the beauty while another part recited "red sky in morning, sailor take warning."

Sunrise in the midwest, Wow!

I slipped out of camp with one last hug for Joanne and was on the road. Not much wind, but the sky was pretty overcast. According to the map, I really wasn't going to go through many towns today, so when I saw a restaurant in Burlingame, I stopped. Seems every country restaurant is always filled with farmers in the morning. Had a great breakfast, but couldn't eat it all. The town has a huge brick-surfaced Main Street where the "Bell Mine #17" restaurant is.

As soon as I came out, it started to sprinkle, an omen of the day to come. I headed south for a ways, then turned west toward Council Grove. A good thing I stopped when I did, because the only towns I saw for the rest of the day were off route. I kept wanting to take a break somewhere, but didn't.

One thing about this flatland called Kansas, you can see weather for miles. All morning my horizon got darker and the clouds started to grow. I kept hoping I'd get to the city before the rain, but no such luck. About 10 miles out, it started, and it rained harder the closer I got to Council Grove. Three things in my favor: the wind was light, so I didn't get chilled; there was very little traffic at this time of day; and, last, I had a wide 3-foot shoulder the whole way into town.

Flat lands of Kansas

When I saw the Pizza Hut and remembered their AYCE buffet, I promptly pulled in. Unfortunately, it was packed with the lunch crowd. I found a spot over to the side where I could peel off some of my wet clothes like my jacket and helmet. I did get a table pretty quickly and ate as much as I could. Anita, the assistant manager, was very helpful on how to get to the lake campground and where the library was.

As I was getting ready to leave Pizza Hut, Mike Miller and his wife stopped me to ask about my trip. When I told him about the fundraiser, he promptly pulled out his wallet and handed me $5. People, complete strangers, can be so generous. Maybe I'll meet more like the Millers along the way. Only now I have to find an envelope to mail in the donation.

Since the library was closest, I went there first. Besides the librarians, one of the patrons, David, was very interested in my trip. He was also interested in hiking, so it didn't take him long to call up my website to explore my adventures.

After the library, I stopped by the Kaw Mission Historic Site and Museum. The mission was built in 1851. The museum had a ton of pictures and artifacts, mostly about the Kaw/Kansa Indians, but some about the early settlers. It struck me that the native costumes reminded me a lot of those from Nepal, Tibet, and other parts of Southeast Asia. After that, it was on to the campground.

If I learn nothing else from this trip, it's that the weather sure has a mind of its own and doesn't follow any rules. For the last week, the storms have come southeast across Kansas. This afternoon, they changed direction, coming out of the southwest. That must be so I'll have a slight head wind on my ride tomorrow.

Got talking to the campground host, Bill Zimmerman, and he was a wealth of information about my ride tomorrow. He lives in Strong City, but said he was at one time the mayor of Matfield Green. He also told me to stop by the café in Cassoday and ask for Debbie. Looks like tomorrow will be even shorter than today, and hopefully that will give me some time to explore the history of this area. That is, if the rain gods can cooperate.

The plan is to stop in Matfield Green at the bar & grill and ask how to get to Carol's farm. She's a friend of one of the ICU nurses that I work with, but she doesn't have a phone. I just hope she's home. If that doesn't work, I'll probably head into Cassoday and camp at the city park.

5/28/01 Osage Lake State Park

77.9 miles

Even with an extra day, I still seemed to have a ton of errands and more people to see. But at least I wasn't as hurried.

So, last night I was home for dinner and tried to spend some time with mom between packing. Later I called to talk to Mike, the Australian cyclist, in Pueblo, Colorado. He was taking a few days off in a motel to avoid the Memorial Day drivers. But because of the holiday, he wasn't able to replace his stove or get his bike fixed. Also got a message from Bubba, the St. Louis rider, that I might run into 2 guys from Arizona. Ended the night trying to satisfy my TV and computer habits (alas, not much luck on either).

The weatherman called for a chance of early morning showers, so I wasn't in any hurry to get up. (He was wrong.) After 6 weeks of breaking camp, I can get the bike ready pretty fast. Tried to get mom to sit for a picture, but she said it was too early. I just want everyone to know how special she is. It sure helps with my peace of mind knowing she's always there for me, despite these crazy adventures.

Again, it was kind of fun to ride my old training route, especially because of the light holiday traffic. At one point, though, I wanted to turn back. It was so easy to fit back into "home" life. It's nice to have a roof over your head along with all those modern conveniences like a kitchen, TV, computers, and a real bed, not to mention a car. And there are my family and so many friends that miss me and I really miss them. It's almost harder leaving KC on a bike than it was flying away to start this adventure.

But just like how easily I slipped into my "home" persona, Jim the cyclist quickly emerged as the miles added up. The sun was up and it was looking to be a warm one; but not a cloud in the sky.

Trains, trains & more trains...

Kansas City might not have as many people as some other cities, but it sure is spread out. I had to ride almost 25 miles from mom's house, which is in midtown, just to start seeing some farm fields. But that was after I waited for two trains in Olathe. And I only got lost once. What are a few extra miles on a day like this?

Stopped for an early lunch in Gardner, mainly because I didn't know what would be available down the road. For these next couple of days, I designed the route to take me from KC back to the TransAm, so I don't have all the information the maps and guidebooks provide me.

Wheat fields of Kansas...

A historical marker said that a good portion of the Santa Fe Trail was ahead of me from Baldwin on Hwy-56. I can't even imagine what hardy souls took on THAT adventure.

Remember that clear sky? Well, it doesn't last long here. The locals called it "breezy," but it didn't compare to those heavy headwinds I had coming into KC I felt the wind, but it didn't bother me. The terrain is easier here, too, than western Missouri. I saw three highway patrolmen today on my road. Hadn't had that before and I kind of liked it. Sometimes I had a little extra shoulder, but mostly it was a bunch of outer white line riding. Only a few semi's today and most of the cars are heading east.

Got to Overbrook a little faster than I thought. Stopped in "Casey's" to ask a few ladies about Osage Lake State Park. They knew it had outhouses and camping, but they were unsure of drinking water. The Boy Scout in me filled up 2 water bottles, my 2-liter backpack bladder, and another 2-liter container, just in case.

Found the lake just like they said (even found the good campsites like they told me). There were still a lot of people camping, but you could tell they'd be breaking soon for home.

I was tired, but satisfied with the day's cycling. The legs still were strong, despite four days of using a car at home. The new bike seat and seat-post shock will take some getting used to, but they seemed to work OK. And even thought the new backpack was heavy with the 2 liters of water, it was pretty comfortable.

After that big mileage day last week, I'm in no hurry now. I'd like to avoid the rain, but I also want to see a little more of Kansas instead of just driving through it. Tomorrow is a short day to Council Grove Lake and the next day I'll be stopping off in Matfield Green, Kansas to meet a friend of one of the nurses at work. Skies look clear tonight, but that will probably change.

5/27/01 Kansas City, MO

0 miles

Last night I decided it would be very hard to be ready to leave this morning. So what do I care, it's not like I have a schedule. So I took a rest day from my rest.

Made a few calls, ran a few errands, and had lunch at Minsky's (where else!).

5/26/01 Kansas City, MO

0 miles

I've had a bunch of problems with the web site since I got home. On the road, I came up with a way to update my site using a modification of the e-Newsletter program. Only, when I tried it, I crashed the entire "Show Me America!" site.

I decided to give it a rest and get my other stuff done. I made a list, left home at 9 A.M. and didn't get home till 9 P.M. But I got almost everything done on the list.

Two important things were to visit my Uncle Joe and Aunt Barb. Joe had a stroke after I left, but is at home now. It was good to see them, which I don't often enough, even when I live here.

The other item was a great barbecue at Ann's, an occupational therapist I work with. Almost everyone from the department was there, including spouses and kids. The kids, most under 2 years old, are all growing up so fast. I feel like an uncle to them all. For being the only guy in a department of women, I've listened to all of their discussions from pregnancy, birth, and child rearing. About pregnancy and birth, I probably know stuff guys shouldn't know. But the girls all tell me I'll be fully educated for my future wife, whoever she might be. I even threw one of the baby showers. "We trained you well," they say.

Madison & Ann

Mark, Logan, Jim & Ellen

Beef!

Stacy, holding Jordon & Logan

Evan & Cynthia

At home, I don't know what I did, but the web site is up and running, complete with the new programming to make it more dynamic. In general, a very satisfying day.

5/25/01 Kansas City, MO

0 miles

Thought about going to the movie "Pearl Harbor," but at 3 hours I really have too much to do. Had a great visit with my grandmother, along with my Aunt Juanita, her husband Bob, and my cousin, Denise.

Started looking at some replacement gear like a new water bladder backpack. And the guys over at the Bike Rack fine-tuned the bike for me.

Tonight mom cooked up a wonderful meal of pizza, salad, bread sticks, and tortellini. And of course, lots of ice cream. The whole brood was here - my brothers, Mike, Chris, Tom, and Bill, my sisters-in-law, Barb, Connie, Peg, and Annie, and, of course, all my nieces, Pam, May, Andrea, and Lauren. My brothers and I are pretty close and I always enjoy when we get together.

5/24/01 Kansas City, MO

0 miles

Just kind of being lazy today. Visited with the nurses and therapists at Baptist Medical Center. My co-workers were amazed at my biker tan and thinning face. On the scale it looks like I've lost about 25 pounds. I even got to see Ann's new adopted daughter, Sophia.

Later, I even saw a movie, "Driven," about race car drivers. Generally a "get nothing done" day. I love not working!

5/23/01 Kansas City, MO

116.4 miles

Yes, you read right - one hundred sixteen miles, plus change. And that wasn't even the hard part. I think the weather gods were trying to slow me down, as I had a nasty headwind the WHOLE WAY.

Jim and I had woken to a chilly sunrise in Sedalia. People said it had gotten down to 40 degrees. A lot different than I've been used to. We decided to put in a few miles, then look for breakfast.

I was riding with wind pants and jacket, but the skies seemed full of clouds. Now that the Katy Trail had left the Missouri River, our scenery was limited. I was really getting tired of how slow it was to bike on this crushed limestone. Kind of looking forward to some fast pavement (little did I know!).

When I walked into Field's Restaurant in Green Ridge, MO, I thought I'd interrupted a farm meeting. About 20 farmers were all seated at the main table. The waitress said, "don't mind them." It was a good thing we took her warning about the pancakes, because they were huge. I think I was already feeling the pull of KC, because I was anxious to get back on the road.

Caboose in Windser, MO

We were traveling southwest on our final 10 miles of Katy Trail. But even in those miles, we saw two thunderstorms fly in front of us. I was a bit worried about getting wet in these cold, windy conditions. At Windsor, MO, it was a right turn onto highway 2 all the way to Harrisonville. I was very happy. For a minute.

Almost immediately, the wind started to pound us as we turned west onto the road. And even though we're in farm country, the road was a straight-line roller coaster of hills. I honestly had to pedal downhill at times just to keep going. Here I was expecting to be in Harrisonville for lunch and it was really looking impossible.

The cows wondered why we were taking a break

Traffic was light, but with the hills cresting so often, some cars had difficulty passing. We stopped a few times for water, but as the morning moved into afternoon, we didn't do it enough. The day just kept dragging on. I drifted off the road several times because of the total effort with cycling into the wind.

Twenty miles outside of town, I had completely run out of water. We should have stopped at a farmhouse or somewhere, but I kept thinking, "just over the hill will be a gas station" or something.

Finally, about 4 P.M., we reached the outskirts of Harrisonville. Water never tasted so good. I hadn't realized how dry my lips were, probably not helped by the sun and wind. I made the decision for a quick bite to eat, then back on the road. It was 72 miles to here, a lot farther than I thought. And even though I didn't know the exact mileage to KC, I thought I still had another 40 miles. Jim decided to take a shorter route along 71 Highway using the outer roads. I still had the romantic notion of using the back roads, so we said our good byes.

The other reason for my haste was the winds had moved in a dark mass of clouds looking for a cyclist to drown. I put on my rain gear and headed back out into rush hour traffic.

As soon as I left the city, I knew my mileage was off because the highway started turning south (not the place I wanted to go!). It seemed to take forever to reach Peculiar, MO, even though I was also moving closer to the dark marrow of black clouds.

My goal was to be in KC proper by sunset so I'd at least have street lights. It sounds pretty far, but I knew I was at least spiritually close when I saw a street sign "246th St." Just 169 city blocks to go!

Got lost coming through Peculiar, not because it was big, but because of the roads splitting off with little signage. I asked a skateboarder, "Does this road go to Belton?" He assured me it did and that he had walked the seven miles himself. Turned out to be one of those outer roads I was trying to avoid. So with interstate traffic whipping by, I moved closer to home.

The highway side of Belton looked new and built up, but traffic was pretty heavy. I kept looking for side streets to go around it all, but ended up lost. I flagged down a woman to ask for directions. "I wish my husband was here," she said. "He owns the newspaper." Turns out I was on the right road after all.

Amazing how torn up everything is on the opposite side of town. Finally on Holmes Road with the sun setting fast, I needed to get off soon. This road wasn't much better and traffic was very fast. Found the side road that would take me to Kenneth Road, then State Line Road. Funny how I have to bike into Kansas just to find a safe route into Missouri.

I passed the 100-mile mark somewhere on Holmes, but felt pretty good. The clouds had blown away, so I could watch the sunset. Soon I was on my familiar bike route along Indian Creek. I'd ridden this way so many times, I was on automatic pilot.

Pulling up to my mom's driveway, 116 miles later, I am ecstatic. I left Sedalia at sunrise and finished under the stars.

Even though I was a day early, mom said she knew it was me when I knocked. 9 P.M. and I wasn't tired at all - too much excitement. After visiting with mom and getting cleaned up, I ended up thinking of food. And in KC, that means Minsky's.

Everyone was surprised and excited to see me, even my favorite waitress, Heather. Besides work, the gang at Minsky's is my second family. I'm having a good time on the trip, but it's great to be home, even for a few days.

5/22/01 Sedalia, MO

74.9 miles

Silently slipped out of the house early today, trying not to wake up Matt or Brian. The guys were great hosts, with a wonderful home. I need to make time to visit them when this trip is over, maybe to do some single-track mountain biking. Plus I need to beat Brian in ping pong.

The plan was for me to meet Jim in Rocheport, some 20 miles away. The ride on the MK&T spur was a little chilly, but the sun was out, promising a good day. I was surprised at how many people were on the trail this early for a run or to walk the dog.

Limestone bluffs

At one point in the miles leading to Rocheport, you find a cave documented to have been used by the Lewis & Clark expedition. As I ride along these massive bluffs, I wonder what those early explorers thought as they traveled upstream. The forest and rock seem so impenetrable, but did they wonder at the bounty hidden on this land?

Saw a group of eagles and was mesmerized at their effortless flight near the river bluffs. Just amazing.

There is a marker honoring Edward D. Jones, Jr., who had a dream of using the abandoned M-K-T railroad as a pathway connecting many of these small communities with others looking to get outdoors. He was able to acquire the whole railroad bed and put up most of the money for the trail's original construction. Because of the devastating flood in '93, the official opening of the Katy Trail was in 1996.

Talked with a few cyclists at the Trailside Café in Rocheport while waiting for Jim. He arrived just about the time the café opened for breakfast. What timing!

It really looked like we were in for a great sunny day, even a little cool.

It was kind of different riding with someone beside me to talk with. We crossed a very windy bridge to enter Boonville. The city is all abuzz because of the new gambling river boat being built. The old factory is going to be converted to apartments and other historic buildings hopefully will be restored.

All Aboard in Boonville, MO

The Spanish-style depot is the only one still standing and houses the information office. I described my grandfather's appliance business in Boonville and the woman remembered it. She also told me that my mom's old school, St. Peter & Paul, still gives a first class education, but they did close the high school (the average graduating class was only 15-20).

The winds still seemed to plague us as we left Boonville. We started to see more frequent black clouds cross our path ahead. Just as we planned to stop in Pilot Grove for lunch, a quick storm moved in.

Brian had just opened up Hunters Hideaway Café the week before, but business seemed good. As we ate, one gentleman asked about our trip, when I told him my family was from Pilot Grove. At the mention of Gramlich, he said, "that family that just left was part of the Gramlich's. And I hate to admit it," he smiled, "but I'm probably related to you, too." I wish I knew more about my family here. I'll see my grandmother in a few days, so I need to ask her again.

The whole afternoon was spots of rain with windy dry spells. As we got closer to Sedalia, I thought we were going to be drenched. The trail ends at the edge of the city, so Jim helped guide me through the city to the campground at the state fairgrounds.

Storm clouds in front of us

The weather is so fickle! Just as we arrive, the sun comes out again. Looks like all this wind is pushing all the weather through here. Reports call for clear skies tonight, but a lot colder. Hoping to do a long ride into KC tomorrow, but wish to miss the predicted afternoon rain showers. Only 20 miles left to do of the Katy Trail, then it's back on pavement to home.

5/21/01 Columbia, MO

52.4 miles

Again, I'm so thankful to have been under a roof during a full night of thunderstorms. Later, I learned of tornadoes in Southern Missouri.

As I packed up, the skies were still covered in a blanket of clouds, and a lot cooler. I dug out my rain gear, just in case. The roads alongside the trail were pretty busy this Monday morning, so I was glad to be on a separate route. Besides the threat of rain, I was riding against a stiff headwind. So what do I do? Start singing, of course. "Rain, rain go away!"

And up on the horizon, I see a sliver of blue sky. The wind is pushing the clouds past me! Now my morning is looking up. And off to my left, I see rising up over the farm fields, the Missouri State Capitol building. What a view!

The farther west I go, the warmer it gets as the sun comes out. Added a few more critters to the Katy Trail menagerie - a skunk and a few black snakes. I think I just surprised the skunk. As I stopped to get my camera, he couldn't be bothered from his rooting among the brush so I could take his picture. This despite all the noise I made (I drew the line at actually approaching him).

Big Muddy

In many places, the trail is literally touching the Missouri River. I am in awe of the immense power that is flowing past me. I'm surprised that it hasn't carved a Grand Canyon right through this state.

Thought I'd stop off in Hartsburg to get some breakfast, but no luck. Seems that Monday is an off day for those businesses along the Katy Trail that cater to the weekend cyclists. So it was back on the bike for a few more miles.

In front of Riverview Traders

Still looking for a morning snack, I stopped at the Riverview Traders General Store in Wilton. I talked with owner Maggie Riesenmy about all the Indian crafts for sale, 80% of which she makes herself. "We're also busy getting ready for Memorial Day weekend," she says. "There will be 30 campers here plus another 30 family members." The store also rents teepees in the campground across the street. After a quick candy bar break, it's back on the bike.

Sometimes a guidebook can be wrong. Such was the case with Cooper's Landing, which had a big "Open" sign outside, while the guidebook said closed on Monday's. Mike Cooper was full of enthusiasm today. He's expanding his river business to become a full-service marina with some grant money he's gotten to prepare for the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial in 2004. "These days, there just aren't many places on the river to service the average boater," he says. He's expecting a lot more river traffic to celebrate that bicentennial of the famous expedition.

As we got talking about bikes and Kansas City, he writes down the name of a KC. cyclist who is practically "one of the family" he's seen so often on the trail. It's Jim Fogle, the very cyclist I'm supposed to meet on the trail today. We keep playing phone tag. That is, whenever I find a phone. But as I come out of the store, the wind has picked up and more clouds have moved in.

I make a quick decision to take the side trail into Columbia to visit my cousins, Matt and Brian O'Neil. Once into town, I stop by Cyclextreme to get help with directions. Turns out my cousins' place is easy to find, just down the street from Stephen's College.

Matt & Brian, my cousins

Matt is at work, so Brian makes me feel at home. After a quick shower, he recommends the "International Café." By the time I get back, Matt is home. I've only met my cousins last Christmas, but they were glad I decided to stop by on my cross-country trip. Later, all three of us would go out to eat at Flat Creek Brewhouse. Great, great food and I even tried a Katy Trail pale ale.

As the evening progressed, along with some of their friends, we played a little "friendly" ping pong. If you're ever in Columbia, Brian could use some competition. The guys have gone out while I sit here catching up on my journal. I think tomorrow we're aiming for Sedalia, some 70 miles away. Then, after that, it's home to KC.!

5/20/01 Tebbetts, MO

55.5 miles

Stopped by the kitchen back door to thank Loretta as she was preparing Sunday brunch. "You have a safe trip," she smiles.

Didn't get out of camp till after 7 A.M. Guess that means I slept in (grin). Almost cool enough for a jacket and the skies were a little overcast. Guess the threat of rain scared people away from the trail this Sunday.

Just because I didn't see many "two footed" animals doesn't mean I was alone on the trail. NO! I had tons of butterflies, snails, tiny frogs, crickets, dragonflies, all more numerous than I can count. Then we had a few turtles, woodchucks, squirrels, rabbits, and geese. A beautiful deer crossed my path, and I startled a heron as he was searching for dinner.

Treloar was still asleep when I rode through, but I was able to get a few danish at the Lantre Market in McKittrick. I stopped off at Steamboat Junction to talk with Dan and Sandra Berry. They run the campground, while Greg and Rozanna Berry operate the B&B. They only get a few cross-country cyclists through here, but they remember one in particular. "He was riding one of those old high wheelers and he dressed the part, complete with knickers and handlebar moustache," Dan said.

"Dan says it's going to rain," Sandra says, "and he's usually right." I took that as a cue and kept going. Stopped for a quick bite to eat at the Riverfront Bar & Grill in Portland, MO. I still had 15 miles to go and you could feel the rain in the air.

Jail House Rock!

So I kicked it into high gear and pushed hard. Stopped a minute in Mokane to take a picture of the jail, then back on the trail. And just as I see the sign for Tebbetts, the rain I've been expecting all day starts coming down hard.

I ducked under the first building I saw with an awning and it turns out to be Turner's Store. When I look inside, I see Mrs. Turner coming near the door using a roller walker. As I tried to come in, so did one of the strangest dogs I've ever seen. It was a very short-legged husky. The poor guy was pretty muddy, so I offered to wipe him down before I came in. After a few minutes, you could tell it was a losing proposition. She asked me to take him around back on the porch. Her son would give him a bath later.

Usually, Mrs. Turner, age 98, lets someone else run the store, but this Sunday everyone was gone. We talked a bit about the store, which is in an old bank building. She donated the building next door so it could be used as a biker hostel. The place has bunks, showers, and a fridge.

After getting cleaned up, a couple of day hikers showed up to wait for their ride. Tom and Mary Moberg were from St. Louis, out to do the Katy Trail in sections. When I mentioned what I was doing, they knew all about the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route because they had sponsored a mile of it with Adventure Cycling.

Welcome home out of the rain

Later after dinner, after the rain sort of stopped, in bikes Martha Morland (from Oklahoma) and Randy Anderson (from Maryville, Kansas). They were a little damp, but glad to have found the hostel. They're out for a week and this was their first day, having started in Hermann. We talked for a while, sampling wine and cheese they had brought in Hermann.

Unfortunately for me, there is no pay phone in Tebbetts, so I couldn't contact Jim who is riding out from Kansas City to meet me. And I couldn't call my cousins in Columbia to see if I could stay there. Guess we'll see how it works out!

5/19/01 Marthasville, MO

42.2 miles

Said goodbye to Mike, but not before he gave me some CampusDog.com t-shirts, his dot.com. Sounds like they're doing everything right, and I wish him success.

Libby loaded up Justin and took me to St. Charles, the eastern end of the Katy Trail. Even though it was early Saturday, St. Charles was preparing for its "Lewis and Clark Heritage Days." I really can't thank Libby enough for everything she's done just so I could have a few days off the bike. And it was so good to see her again after all these years (plus see her son, Justin).

Opening ceremonies 'Lewis & Clark Heritage Days'

I spent some time walking among all the re-enactors as they commemorated the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which left St. Charles in 1804. There were military corps, mountain men, French fur traders, Indians, and a replica of the boats used during the adventure.

Unsure of the weather because it was so overcast, I decided to get started, even though I only had a 40-mile day planned. My touring cycling friend, Jim Foyle, tells me that the surface of the trail is a lot slower than pavement, even though it's relatively flat.

And even though it rained yesterday, the trail was a pretty nice surface to ride. I'm probably lucky the weather looked "iffy" because it wasn't too crowded, either.

I stopped in Defiance, MO to visit at Seasons & Memories. Turns out the owner is in Branson trying to move his dulcimer business there. So Fritz, who is retired (but don't tell him that) opens up the store on weekends while Todd takes care of the rental bikes. After a nice chat with them, I got some lunch at Terry and Kathy's Bar & Grill.

In what is seeming the norm for the weather in my vicinity, about lunch time the temperature took a big jump.

Almost a green tunnel

I like the trail. It has a great mix of tree-covered path through the woods and open sky as it goes between farm fields. There's also the river and the river bluffs. Because I really don't want to lose any conditioning, I've already gained through the east coast terrain, I decided to push myself a little harder on this level trail. Kind of a sadistic pride as I flew past all these weekenders with my fully loaded-down bike. So it really didn't take long to reach my destination for the night, Marthasville.

Stopped in to talk with Terry and Cathy Turman, who run Scenic Cycles. It's actually the only full-service bike shop I've seen directly on my route. And that's in a town of 700. We talked bikes, touring cyclists, the Katy Trail, and camping. Cathy even had a flyer with the latest info on tenting along the route. And she even gave me a complimentary patch kit when I tried to buy one. As I was leaving, I laughed out loud when I saw their shop team jerseys - "Scenic Psychos." "My son's idea," Terry says.

I headed over to Loretta's Place, where she sometimes lets cyclists camp behind the restaurant. She was at home taking a nap, but I did talk to her son, Chad. "I grew up here and it was a dying town," he remembers, "until the Katy Trail became reality." And Terry at Scenic Cycles hopes this will continue, especially if this section of the Katy becomes part of the Lewis and Clark Bicycle Trail, due to be completed for the bicentennial in 2004. Chad tells me I'm coming up on some beautiful sections. "I worked on the Trail back when I was younger, so I know it well. Sure wish I'd had a camera back then." He was covering the restaurant because his dad was sick, but told me to come back and Loretta would probably not care if I camped out back.

"Biker guy, you can camp out back," Loretta says. "My yard is your yard." Since I was camping for free, I might as well eat dinner in Loretta's restaurant. She makes it simple: one meal (buffet) = one price. Good, filling home-style cooking. Then I walked down to Choo-Choo's Frozen Custard for a milk shake. And this being Saturday night, I had my choice of two baseball fields with games all day (and all night).

Small Town America!

It's so easy to slip into the "city life" like when I stayed with Libby. But out here, dependent on myself for my entertainment, the adjustment is much more difficult. It's hard not to be doing something. I guess that's when I should just "be" in the moment.

Stars over my head, the sound of the bat hitting a ball, the squeal of a child's delight on the swing set. Time for peaceful sleep.

5/18/01 St. Louis, MO

0 miles

Spent the day wandering through the neighborhoods of Webster Groves. Stopped by Alpine for a few items and talked to the guys down in the bike shop. The whole area is a wild mix of shops, businesses, and houses. Stopped by a health food store, a vegetable stand, and a guitar shop. After checking my email at the library, I walked back to Mike's and Libby's under overcast skies. It rained pretty hard this morning, with scattered showers possible.

Mike and I later stopped by a huge art supply store. Turns out Mike and I are very similar in that we are full of ideas, but not always the skills or materials to bring those ideas to life.

While Mike headed off to the St. Louis Blues Stanley Cup playoff game, Libby and I had pizza delivered while we watched the game on TV. I don't know much about hockey, but I could tell each team played fast and furious from the second it started. St. Louis lost 4-3 in overtime after coming back from 0-3. It shouldn't surprise anyone that I left a lot of chores for the last minute, like repairing the inner-tube from Wednesday's flat. And I did get my seat shock ordered, too (but the bike sandals I want are out of stock). Finished up a late night watching TV (movie "American Pie").

5/17/01 St. Louis, MO

0 miles

I am so grateful for all the friends I have. Libby and Mike have been wonderful. Today we went to lunch at Fritz's, and window shopped a bit. I went to several bike shops in search of a shock absorber for my seat. Went to another movie, "A Knight's Tale" this time. Then Libby took me out to dinner at Zio's; then on a drive down to the Arch and the waterfront.

Justin, Mike & Libby

This trip is still hard to believe. My mind doesn't even register that I've gone 1600 miles, crossed three states in over a month, just to get here. Maybe that's a safety mechanism to keep me from going crazy, especially if you think about the 6900 miles I still have to go. Tomorrow, while Libby is at work, I'll do a little more research on the Katy Tail and do all those "getting ready to leave town" errands.

5/16/01 St. Louis, MO

93.1 miles

Today started out like yesterday. Got an early start, but still had to deal with hills and rush hour in and out of Sullivan. I was constantly jumping off the road to let the trucks past. Then I hit a long stretch of rolling Missouri countryside with nice houses and good-looking farms.

I made good time until I reached Union. Got lost and had to ask for directions twice. Finally made it to Washington by lunch. But if I thought yesterday was hot, I think today was worse.

I stopped for a sandwich and vanilla shake at Wimpy's, which has been in business for 67 years. After that, I tried to use the internet at the library, but was denied because I wasn't a library patron.

Got lost again leaving town. The road I wanted was closed due to construction. But the alternate was way too busy. I went back to talk to the foreman and he said I could make it through all right, but it was "at your own risk."

I stopped as much for the heat as I did for the hills. Did a lot of bike pushing today! I think these were the steepest roads yet on the trip. I needed to get out of the heat, so I took a long break at the Labadie Market. I just sat there, drinking my coke, trying to get cooler. Again, the women working were very nice and interested in the trip.

I kept thinking that a road that follows the river should be flat - NOT! More steep hills and more heat. They say it got to 90 degrees. HOT!

Fields with bales of golden hay

At first, I thought the map route was confusing when I went towards St. Albans. Then I found Head's Store. I think it is the only original building in the community. The rest being luxury houses -- very big, big houses. Complete with several golf courses. The ladies at the store helped me fill up the bottles with ice and water. And it was back on the road.

After the last hill, I seemed to be dropped into a different world. I have never seen so much money spent on big houses. I mean miles of them. They call the area "Wild Horse."

The map wasn't too clear, so I had to circle the Edmund A. Babler State Park to get in. At one point, I waited 30 minutes for traffic to thin out a bit. But after 82 miles in this heat, what do I find at the park? "Campground closed till July." What to do!

I decided to call my friends in St. Louis, but the phone was another 3 miles. I told Mike I was going to do a few more miles, so it would be easier to pick me up. Some macho part of me wanted to do 100 miles. Almost immediately, I got a flat from the glass on the shoulder. After another 6 or 7 miles, I was exhausted.

I called Mike again and told him where to find the body. Both Libby and Mike have gone out of their way to make me feel welcome. I feel fortunate to have friends like them. Yippee! Two days off. Then it's on to KC.

5/15/01 Meramac State Park

94.3 miles

What a day! 94.3 miles in 12 hours. What was I thinking? But I get ahead of myself.

This morning, as part of our final ritual together, Mike and I were on the road by 5:58 A.M. That's right, folks, even before sunrise. We rode together, the same as always -- me in front and Mike trailing behind. It didn't take us long to warm up with the many short, steep hills, but we did ride some downhills, too. At the 9-mile mark, we said our good byes. I don't know what my future will bring, but it would be great to see Mike again sometime. I hope we can keep in touch.

Good Luck Mike!

The first couple of miles after I headed north, I found a great candidate for worst road. Just rough enough to keep your teeth chattering. Thank god it only lasted a few miles.

This morning was a day of animal frolicking. Twice I came upon puppies wrestling in the grass, then to have them chase me. Since I didn't have Mike and his dog spray, I had to resort to the "dad" voice when a few dogs got too aggressive towards me. I also saw a lot of deer and rescued three more turtles.

And then, after what looked like a long climb out of the valley, I had a smooth flowing uphill that I never noticed. I felt a little guilty because I knew Mike was having a huge climbing day on the TransAm route. Needless to say, I flew down the road. Even with a bunch of climbing near Potosi, I was able to do the 60 miles in less than 6 hours.

Had a vanilla shake at Sonic and then headed to the library to catch up on my email. Because the morning went so well, I got cocky and decided to do the 35 miles to the next state park. Little did I know that the terrain would become a lot worse and the temperature would rise even higher than predicted.

I pushed the bike up more hills than I can count, some not only steep, but long, too. I ended up stopping at Tracy's Quick Stop just to get out of the heat for a while. Tracy took over the store 2 years ago after moving from St. Charles. She said business was good, mainly because she was over 10 miles from Potosi and there were a good number of people in the area. While there, I also talked with a guy from St. Louis who was in the area looking at property with his daughter and her family. They just had that look of shock on their faces when I told them what I was doing.

After a 45-minute break, Tracy let me fill up the water bottle with ice and I was back on the road again. The odometer seemed to be stuck all afternoon and my sixth sense of when the next landmark would appear seemed an hour off. The heat and the miles were definitely taking their toll. A new sound appeared today. For some reason, a strong breeze through the trees sounds just like a semi coming up behind me. Traffic was pretty light going my direction, but the blind turns and frequent hill crests kept me jumping off the road to get out of their way.

As the sun was getting lower and lower, I finally came to the Meramec State Park entrance. Because the visitor center was closed, I consulted the map about camping. Three miles off route! And to top it off, you have to climb over a mountain to get to it. I just didn't have any oomph left, so I pushed the bike one final time.

At the campground entrance, I find Courtney, the attendant, standing in a bucket of water to keep cool. I laughed pretty loud. Courtney was nice in helping me get situated. I even asked her to stand in the bucket again for a picture.

Courtney keepin' cool

The campground is pretty big, but not crowded. A couple behind me are from Vermont, headed for jobs in New Mexico for the summer. I'll talk with Libby later to get directions to their place in St. Louis. She has Thursday off, so I can show up any time. Mike, her husband, says he has a ton of questions. I'm looking forward to a day off, too. Maybe Libby and I can go to the movies while Mike watches their son Justin.

Oops, forgot to tell you I passed the 1500-mile mark today.

5/14/01 Johnson's Shut-In's

39.2 miles

It didn't surprise me to find Ron already packed and gone by the time we woke up. He was one of those early to bed, early to rise kind of folks. Mike and I finally left Farmington about 7:30. We had decided to sleep in because we had a short day (HA, HA, HA!).

One nice thing about an earlier start is that you miss rush hour traffic. Boy, did we sure run into it. And it didn't let up until we got to Pilot Knob. After that we took a side trip to Elephant Rocks State Park. The place seemed more exciting when I was a kid. We were going to re-create a guidebook picture at "Fat Man Squeeze" but they don't allow bikes on the path.

Jim moving those 'Elephant Rocks' [smile]

After that, we had a pretty easy ride except for a slight headwind. I was able to save two more turtles today. The poverty down here seems a lot like Eastern Kentucky, only not as populated. But it's funny that this part of the state seemed more familiar to me. I began to recognize the trees like the Pin Oak.

I was very much looking forward to our final destination of the day -- Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park. I can't believe it, but I have vivid memories of a visit I had here over 30 years ago as a kid. And even though the river is down, it's all that I remembered. The only major difference is that they don't allow diving off the cliffs anymore downstream. My brother, Tom, and I leaped off them like idiots. My only excuse is that we were young - very young.

A bunch of kids playing among the shutes

I talked a bit with our campground hosts, Virgil and Juan Bledsoe. "We're booked up from Memorial Day to the end of August," Juan said. "This is the busiest park in Missouri!" Virgil said they volunteer here from Spring to September; then move the RV to another state park for October; then spoil the grandkids in Memphis for a month. After spending a few months where it's warm, they're back here in the Spring. "We love it," he said.

As the evening wears on, I have mixed emotions. The exciting part is that today I've finished my first full month on the road. But it's also the last day I'll be riding with Mike. Tomorrow, after a few miles, he heads west while I'll head north. I couldn't have asked for a better cycling partner. We got along like brothers and I learned so much from him. The rest of my tour will be a little smoother because of his extensive bike touring experience. I hope someday we can get together again. I'll miss him a lot.

5/13/01 Farmington, MO

52.3 miles

If you've never slept outdoors much, you might not know just how loud birds chirp in the morning. Talk about nature's alarm clock! I kind of like these early starts because traffic is usually lighter and it gives us a lot of flexibility in our time schedule.

Chester seemed very much still asleep when we headed out. Had to stop at the Popeye statue for a photo-op. I would have thought the city would have put the statue closer to the city offices or city center, but they have it down by the river.

Popeye

After so much draught areas we've ridden through so far, it was weird to see the Mississippi River swollen in its banks. I think we got a glimpse of what Kansas will be like. As we crossed the flood plain on the Missouri side, you could see the road miles ahead. So we had about 10 miles of flat, straight asphalt. Then the hills of the Ozarks hit us.

Swollen Mississippi

The ups and downs were more like Virginia. Sometimes we could see several waves of road ahead. A little harder than we'd had in a while. My biggest problem was I couldn't get the bike to shift into my hill climbing gear, the granny. Kind of made the hills a lot harder. Traffic wasn't bad, considering that it was Mother's Day Sunday.

It seemed appropriate that we would ride through St. Mary, MO on Mother's Day. And since I'm a "good" son, I called mom to wish her a wonderful day. Mike and I had breakfast at the Cashotte Café. The locals are always excited when they hear that Mike is from Australia. We thought of stopping in Ozora for an early lunch, but the restaurant turned out to be on the far side of town.

In Missouri now!

The rest of the day was a perfect Spring day. A little on the cool side, especially when you're flying down some hill. That is one very nice difference between the Appalachian Trail and this bike trip - I can coast on the downhills. Top speed today was 39 mph.

We actually made better time than we thought as we reached Farmington (population 12,000). Had a very nice lunch at El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant amid the Mother's Day crowd. Stopped by the police station to get directions to the park and to tell them we'd be camping there tonight.

Spent the afternoon just napping in the sun. After dinner, I look up, and another rider is headed our way. Ron is from California and started his ride in Louisville, Kentucky. "I rode from San Francisco to Louisville 10 years ago," he said, "and now I'm doing the return trip." Besides doing a lot of bike touring in his retirement, he's also an ultra runner (50 plus miles) who has competed in the Western States 100 (100 miles) and a 72-hour marathon. Not bad for a guy 64 years old.

We're planning a short 35-mile day to Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park, but this is supposed to be some pretty hilly country. After that, I say goodbye to Mike, as I make my way to St. Louis. I've looked over the route and it might take me 3 and 1/2 days instead of 2 and 1/2. Just depends on the terrain. My legs are strong enough, but I think I'm developing a saddle sore. So I need to take lots of breaks and keep my "in the saddle" time shorter. No more 8-hour riding days.

5/12/01 Chester, IL

42.1 miles

It was harder than I thought trying to fall asleep in that loft. I was afraid of falling off. The one time I did have to get up to use the bathroom, I had to "fully" wake up so I didn't break my neck climbing down.

This morning, we took Mark and Rachel out for breakfast at Harbough's. Very, very good. And found out a little bit more about them. Mark has been taking in cyclists since 1982. But as of June 1st, Bill will be the new owner of the "Bike Surgeon." Mark said it's perfect for a younger man, just like it was for him years ago. Some other news Rachel let slip was that they're getting married in October and headed for Europe for their honeymoon.

We said thank you and good-byes, then took our bikes through town on errands, especially laundry. By the time we were done, it was lunch time again. We are ruled by our stomachs!

Sayin' goodbye to Mark & Rachel

Our route today was a hodgepodge of other people's suggestions. The road to Murphysboro was a divided highway, but with a wide shoulder. We had a bunch of hills in the miles ahead before we finally dropped down to the Mississippi River Valley. The road was flat and straight, but for much of it we had a headwind.

After waiting forever for a coal truck to pass, we rode into Chester, Illinois, home of cartoonist Elzie Segar, creator of Popeye. I got permission from the police dispatcher to camp in the park. She also recommended Marcello's Pizza "for a good dinner, especially the sandwiches."

The park is nice, with a covered pavilion, electricity, and water, and with outhouses nearby. Now if only the pool was open.

We leave Illinois tomorrow and enter our 4th state, the Show Me State, Missouri. And I'll split from Mike day after tomorrow. Already I'm worrying about being on the road by myself. Not because of poor safety, but of loneliness.

5/11/01 Carbondale, IL

68.1 miles

Morning comes early when you ride with Mike! I roll over at 5:30 A.M. and yell, "Are we getting up?" I don't hear a reply, so I get out of the tent. You know that sound a mouse makes when he's taking up residence in the walls of your house? It's the same when I hear him packing up in his tent! But I'm awake, so what the hell.

We actually left the campsite just after 6AM which was good because the clouds were already gathering. That was the kind of day we had. Clouds, then hot and sunny, then more clouds, then sun. Lucky for us, it only sprinkled at the end of the day.

You really get to see the world around you wake up when you're this early. We saw more deer this morning than total for the whole trip. One even ran across the road in front of us.

I hate to admit it, but we also had some of the worst roads we've ridden on these last thousand miles, between Eddyville and Goreville. Just a bunch of constant bone-jarring bumps on a road that had some traffic. And who said Illinois was flat? They haven't cycled down here!

We saw a sign this morning that said, "Dad's Pizza - 5 miles in Goreville - 2500 miles to Eugene, OR." So, naturally, I wanted to check it out. It was closed, but we were early and they might be open for lunch in a bit. I talked to the postman who said the pizza shop served real good food, but didn't open 'til 4 P.M. Bummer. The sign in the window said, "Dad's Pizza - cheap décor, lousy service, excellent pizza!"

The other suggestion was the Late Bloomer Restaurant. "Everything made from scratch," the waitress said, "and cross country cyclists get FREE dessert." Now is this a great country or what! By the time we finished, the place was packed. Highly recommended by the eating machines, Mike and Jim.

Cyclists get FREE dessert. Wow!

After that we had a pleasant, if very humid, ride towards Carbondale. And saved one more turtle. Not sure if he appreciated it or not.

The shocker came when we reached the city. Definitely the most traffic I've seen in a long while, even compared to my rides back in Kansas City. We rode by Southern Illinois University in search of the Bike Surgeon.

Bill was working and told us to unload the bikes and he'd take a quick look at them. He suggested we eat at New Kahala if we were hungry, then stop on back. He adjusted my derailers and tuned up Mike's wheels for free. "Just taking care of the cross-country cyclists," he said. After he closed shop, he led us over to the house of the owner, Mark Robinson. He wasn't due back to town till late, but Rachel welcomed us to "make yourselves at home."

After a shower, Rachel went way beyond hospitality by letting us borrow her truck to go see a movie. I know I say it all the time, but I'm truly amazed at the generosity of the people I meet on this trip. Thank you, Rachel (P.S., we saw "The Mummy Returns.").

We offered to take Rachel and Mark to breakfast tomorrow. She asked if 8 A.M. were too early. I looked at Mike and laughed. "Not too early for us!

So here I sit, up in the loft, writing in my journal. This house is simply amazing! Looks like a converted store, but the rooms are big and airy, the kitchen is full of light, the TV room has a tin ceiling, and there's a big garden out back. My kind of place.

5/10/01 Golconda, IL

82.6 miles

I woke up about 5:30 A.M. to hear Mike already packing up. We had decided to do another long day -- 80-plus miles - so we'd be able to ride to Carbondale on Friday. Mike is dying to see a movie and get a beer - civilization! So with another foggy start, we rolled out of Sebree at 6:08 A.M.!

A lot of empty coal trucks passed us today, but always gave us a lot of room. We stopped for a photo in Mike's namesake - Dixon, Kentucky - but kept on. Jeri's Café in Clay was a definite draw for us. While Mike ordered, I had to bike over 3 blocks to use the only pay phone in this city of 1200.

Finally got to talk to Deb, Ann, Christel, and Rosalie, too. I miss all of my co-workers. The nice thing about Jeri's Café is that a few grubby cyclists didn't seem to bother her customers or staff. And the food was good and cheap. Two thumbs up!

As the day wound on, I noticed the fields were a lot dryer here. When I mentioned it, a local said they were in serious need for some rain. They didn't get any of the storm we had a few nights ago. Even the rivers were pretty low in their stream beds.

Heat scorched farm fields

After checking my email in Marion, we seemed to be moving well. But we had a bunch of climbing before we got to the Ohio River. Plus, the sun was beating down on me. For a little while, I thought I might have a touch of heat stroke, but I kept hydrating. After a long flat approach, we halted at the stop sign at the river's edge. Yippie, two states down!

We boarded the ferry that would take us across to Cave-in-Rock, Illinois. Nearby is a cave that became infamous because of the robbers who would prey on new settlers traveling down river.

On the ferry

While taking a quick look at our maps and a woman came out of her house. "Where you guys from?" she said. When she found out Mike was from Australia, she got very excited, calling a friend to come out to meet us. Before you knew it, Michelle had invited us in for Kool-Aid and to talk with Beverly and her brother, Robert. What kind, simple souls! I hope a few other TransAm riders get to experience Michelle's generous heart.

Michelle only had eyes for Mike

The route followed the river. But even though we saw little traffic, the hills were tough (had to walk a steep one again). We hit that magic 3:00 to 4:00 rush hour into Elizabethtown. Because traffic was so heavy, we took a break at a covered pavilion on the river shoreline. I bought us a couple of cokes and chatted a bit with the owner of the River Rose Inn (B&B). I was tired, but we still had 20 miles to go before getting to the campground.

I think we've had more dogs chase us in the last two days than any other time. Instead of using the pepper spray on them, we just keep our pace, but talk "kindly" to them. Seems to work. We also found a lot of road kill today: possum, raccoon, cat, dog, rabbit, mouse, bird, and even an owl and a deer.

I almost didn't make the last miles, I was so tired. And to top it off, we finished the last 12 miles with a growing headwind. The weather gods are cruel. Almost missed the road to the campground. An old man in his yard yelled, "Just take a right and you can't miss it." This is our first Forest Service campsite, and didn't know what to expect. Mike was disappointed there were no showers.

After a quick sponge bath and dinner, we worked at the picnic table till the bugs drove us inside. We hope to reach Carbondale tomorrow and, if we're lucky, we might be able to stay at the "Bike Surgeon's" house. But we'll have to start early if we want to beat the forecasted afternoon thundershowers. I wonder what time Mike will get me up.

5/9/01 Sebree, KY

79.4 miles

True to form, we were up before 6AM and on the road in less than an hour. The whole valley was shrouded in a thick blanket of fog. We turned on our blinking rear red lights and hoped the people on the road at this early hour drove conservatively (meaning slower). It was a lot of climbing and coasting to get out of the Rough River Valley.

I forgot to mention that our campsite had some new visitors: some of the largest deer ticks I've ever seen; and Mike had an altercation with a raccoon trying to get into his bike panniers. It chewed and scratched some pretty good size holes in it. He ended up needing the pepper spray to get the animal out of camp.

As the miles ticked away on our odometers and the fog burned away with the rising sun, we decided to stoke our engines with a little breakfast. The diner we walked into was one of the nicest we have eaten at. But from the second we stepped in, we never felt welcome. I said hello to a few patrons that were looking in my direction -- no response. We got furtive looks from everyone, and neither waitress smiled or changed the flat tone of their voices. And while we sometimes get this in the first few seconds at other local restaurants, usually people warm up to us. Kind of put an off-color taint to the morning.

Sign outside of a church

Most of the day was hot and sunny (I forgot to put sun screen on). The farm land was mostly corn, with the fields getting larger and larger with lots of farm equipment. With the flats we moved pretty fast. I really thought I was hammering out the miles. I actually thought I might be pushing Mike too hard. When I finally asked him, he said it was a "nice, easy pace, but you can go faster if you want." Youth does have its advantages.

Some more observations along the road: The barns in Virginia and central/eastern Kentucky were painted black, but now we're seeing red. We've also seen a lot of trampolines and, in western Kentucky, a lot of basketball goals (usually with a grass court).

I was dead tired when we finally reached Sebree. It was kind of confusing finding the city park to camp in. With Memorial Day still a couple of weeks away, the promise of bathrooms and showers didn't happen. There were a few port-a-johns near the ball fields. One of the caretakers told us to camp anywhere.

We decided to go eat first (food is never far from our minds). Back near the post office was the Pizza Palace Plus and we got lucky with a Wednesday special of a large pizza for the price of a small. What a deal! Of course, we ate it in record time. It still amazes me that I still can get sweet tea this far west. After a long while, we headed back to the park.

We picked out a couple of spots for the tents, but before we started to set them up, the trains began rolling through. After the fourth loud train passed us in that first hour, we packed up to look for a different site across the park near the pool.

Without a shower and because a few strange cars kept circling the park, it was hard to get to sleep. A hot, sticky night.

5/8/01 Rough River Dam State Park

55.1 miles

Another early start, with the sun having difficulty cutting through the clouds. We rode in silence through farm land just waking up after last night's much needed rain. You'd be amazed that the only sound you hear is the wind whistling through your helmet. Seems the only things awake are the birds, cows, and horses. Even the dogs only roused long after we had passed them.

Very cool house

The road and surrounding farm land reminded me more of Kansas/Missouri. It was fairly flat with long straight roads. We flew along as my legs felt great today.

Today was the first since the trip started that I didn't use the "granny" gear. That's the smallest gear up front, a gear I never used at home. But with pulling the trailer up these hills, I thought I'd never get out of that gear. We did have one very steep hill today, but I pushed the bike up instead of riding. Mike said we averaged over 11 mph for the entire day.

Rescued another box turtle today...a little more gracefully than yesterday. Our other surprise was a pair of mules. They were huge! I had to circle back just to get a picture.

Today was a great day for riding! Temperatures in the 70's, mostly sunny, with a light breeze. This is what we should have been riding through in the last two weeks instead of this heat wave.

Mike said, "Always eat where the truckers eat." So we had breakfast at Cleo's at a truck stop. Good idea, because they had an AYCE breakfast bar. For lunch, we stopped at "Boogies's Restaurant" between McDaniels and Axtel. The owner, Rita, was our waitress, cook, and busboy. She told us several stories of past cyclists. A nice place to spend some time out of the afternoon sun. And tonight, I'm meeting Ann Sullivan, a thruhiker friend's cousin who wanted to meet me as I rode through. So Mike and I have rumbling stomachs as we wait for the Lodge Restaurant to open.

I almost forgot -- we passed the 1000-mile mark yesterday. Really, lots of changes as we ride west. We're seeing more Methodist and Catholic churches in addition to the ever-present Baptist. The U.S. flag is replacing the Confederate flag. We must be in dry counties because we haven't seen many liquor stores, but we probably pass a dozen businesses a day with tanning beds. Pasture land is giving way to more cultivated tracts. And a lot more people are waving back at us on the road, as well as giving us plenty of room as they pass.

The moment Ann arrived, she was a burst of excitement. While we talked, a close friend of hers had arrived to also meet someone at the lodge. Debbie Drane is the county librarian and had been working on getting authors to visit the schools in Breckenridge County. So when children's author and playwright, Paul Zendel, made his appearance, all five of us had dinner.

Ann had graciously offered to feed us two "hungry" cyclists. We had never met before and had only talked on the telephone this morning. Again, the unselfish kindness of strangers I've found on this trip is amazing. I hope that someday I can return that kindness to someone else.

Conversation went all around the table, everything from local color to international flavor. It was a fun evening and I'm thankful to Ann, and glad I got to meet Debbie and Paul.

Ann, our 'road angel'

Another big milestone today was the entering of the Central Time Zone. In fact, we're camped a couple hundred yards from the Eastern Time Zone across the river. I thought that would give me an extra hour of sleep tomorrow, but with 75 miles ahead of us, we should take every advantage by getting another early start.

5/7/01 Hodgenville, KY

39.6 miles

The rain stopped just long enough for us to get to the tents. Later it started again and went for hours as I fell asleep.

Mike and I are geting used to this early start to our day -- out by 7:30 A.M. again. The first couple of hours flew by. We definitely were riding faster through cultivated farm land. And we only had one major climb.

Overcast skies in farm country

Then the wind started to pick up, straight into our faces. By the time we had gone 40 miles, we were dead tired.

One thing we are learning is to be adaptable. The hotel/campground in Hodgenville no longer allowed camping. Because more rain was predicted, we opted for a motel room, my first of the trip. Good thing, too, because by evening the sky was unloading over a month's worth of rain in one day.

Across the street was the Lincoln Birthplace State Park where the actual cabin is protected inside a granite structure.

The guidebook also talked about an increase in box turtle sighting today and they weren't wrong. After seeing several smashed ones in the road, I found a fellow 3/4 of the way across. Mike said my first attempt at saving this turtle reminded him of a grenade toss. I'll try and be gentler the next time.

Well, it's still raining outside and I've gotten a good dose of TV for awhile. Can't wait till I'll get to see a movie (maybe in St. Louis). A 55-miler planned for tomorrow with clearing skies, but still a bit windy.

5/6/01 Bardstown, KY

64.2 miles

Since everyone was sleeping off the big party from last night, Mike and I were able to make an early exit -- 7:30 A.M., our earliest. We were able to get in 10 miles before stopping for breakfast in Harrodsburg at the Stone Hearth Restaurant. I know I'm in a civilized southern eating establishment when they serve sweet tea!

Jim & Mike

We got to talking with an older couple, Ed and Hanne Gwilynn, from Seattle. They are traveling by train and rental car across the country, stopping at places of historical interest. They told both of us to stop by when we're in their area.

I was anxious to get on the road because I knew it was going to be a hot and humid day...again! Today we rode through the rolling pastures of cattle and horse farms. But that also meant a lot of short hills for us, so many, in fact, I couldn't count them all; at least one every mile (or more).

By the time we reached Springfield, all I wanted was a cold drink in an air conditioned place. We stopped off at Dairy Queen (an obvious "cool" place). It didn't take long before a few curious people were looking over our bikes and then approached us to find out more.

Even though Charlie Stayton (of Louisville, KY) asked the questions, it seemed everyone in the place was catching bits and pieces. We answer a lot of the same questions, so here's a typical set:

1) Where are you going?
2) Where did you start?
3) When did you start?
4) How long will it take you?
5) How many miles a day?
6) How long does that take you?
7) Where do you stay at night?
8) Do the drivers on the road treat you OK?

The manager of the DQ even came over to chat a bit. Soon Charles and his cousin, Mary Wiser, wished us safe travels. As I was filling up my water bottles, one couple asked a few questions. When I told them I was surprised at the hot weather we were riding through, he said it had only rained 1/10 of an inch in the last six weeks. He didn't sound happy at all; more concerned, I'd think.

But we still had miles to go, so back out into the Kentucky sun we went. Our main stop of the day was Lincoln Homestead State Park. The buildings were magnificent in their simplicity. We walked through the Lincoln Cabin, where President Lincoln's father was raised. And we got to see even more of the Francis Berry house where Abraham proposed to Nancy Hawks in front of the fireplace.

Berry house where Abraham Lincoln proposed to Nancy

Golf carts zip past

The only thing disturbing about the park was that they built a golf course, also. They even had to put up golf ball netting to protect some of the buildings. Guess history doesn't pay as well as golf.

After that, we just needed to go another 20 miles to Bardstown, where Stephen Foster wrote "My Old Kentucky Home" when he was a guest here. The roads got considerably busier the nearer we got to the city. At one pont we came across a police barricade. Turns out the city hosts the "Kentucky Colonels Barbecue" the day after the Kentucky Derby at the Wickland Mansion.

Another observation of today was the people we were seeing. We've finally ridden through an area more racially diverse. White or black, we saw a lot of folks headed to church or just spending Sunday afternoon on the porch. Besides a Mexican grocery store in Harrodsburg, I overheard two elderly gentlemen speaking Spanish on the steps of one of the churches. This has been very different than we've experienced so far.

We got a campsite at the My Old Kentucky Home State Park only to find another cyclist there. Chris, who hails from Amherst, NH, started in Lexington, KY and is headed for New Orleans using the TransAm and Great Rivers Route (I'm taking the same Great Rivers Route north to St. Louis).

Soon after dinner, the sky finally opened up with a huge downpour and thunderstorm. So we're sitting on the veranda surrounding the golf pro shop (yes, they have a golf course here, too!), catching up on our journals and staying dry.