Day 23 - ending at Corydon, IA - Getting Aligned

August 28, 2017

Day 23 - ending at Corydon, IA

rode on Ringgold Trailway

Posted via email Tue Aug 29 05:26:02 2017 PDT

There were no storms here last night, and I slept until 4:55am. Stars were still out, and it was damp. I finished picture-selection, then took a nap from 6:00am to 6:30am. This is no way to get an early start! Finally wrapped up the report. Next, breakfast (at 9:35am). Then pack and leave (at 11:05am).

Route 2 was just beyond the trees behind the tent, but there was no easy way to get down the hill through the weeds. Anyway, I wanted to finish riding the Ringgold Trailway. Another hike with the bike put me on the trail at 11:14am. At the end of the trail at 11:20am. A short section of gravel road had me at the highway at 11:26am.

I was happy to see a wider shoulder now, and no rumble strips. At noon I was at CR-P64, and recorded the morning's distance: 5.1 miles. The destination for today is Bobwhite State Park near Allerton, which I figured would make a forty-seven mile day. Wish I'd started riding earlier. The wind was from the north, so at least that wasn't a factor, except it was almost cold.

I rode pass Kellerton at 12:35pm, and crossed into Decatur County at 12:51pm. At 2:03pm, I stopped at the intersection with River Road, to search for places to eat lunch in Decatur City. No place open at this time of day, so decided I'd get some food from the Shell gas station there. I crossed over I-35 at 2:12pm, and was at the Shell station at 2:20pm. They don't have a place to sit down - inside or out - so I had my items bagged (which was in a paper bag). I thought I saw a park a block away in Decatur City as I passed. Went back and it was a park, so had lunch there. Back on the highway at 3:02pm.

I noticed right after I left the Shell station, that the paved shoulder was gone. Thought it might be an in-town thing, but no, this was the new situation. Traffic - especially trucks - had picked up too. I moved over into the gravel for vehicles now when necessary, which made for slow-going in these hills.

I rode through Leon at 3:40pm, which is only 4.5 miles past Decatur City. Better keep moving. At 5:13pm, I was at High Point, Iowa, which is an intersection and a few houses. And a cell tower. Full-strength signal here! I considered my options, and decided to ditch camping tonight, and go for a motel in Coryton. That way I wouldn't be setting up the tent in the dark, and would have more time for report-writing.

I entered into Wayne County at 5:35pm, and everything changed. A new road, with a good-width shoulder, and rumble strips far enough to my left to give a sense of separation! Now I could keep moving. Even better, after two hills I was on a level roadway!

I crossed US-65 at 6:04pm. At 6:25pm, I had to stop and mess with my PN-60 GPS, which couldn't seem to keep a signal. Got moving again, and arrived at Coryton city limit at 7:12pm. The sun had just appeared as it moved below the cloud cover, so I spent some time taking pictures of downtown. Then on to the one motel in town - Nodyroc Motel. I registered and was in room 33 at 7:40pm.

I walked over to the nearby HyVee for what I was hungry for: chocolate milk and chocolate-covered mini donuts. They didn't have small packs of donuts, so I went with a Moon Pie. I did some figuring after supper on alternate places to stay the next few nights, to maybe even out the mileage for each day. Next, a shower, and report-writing. Yes! I'm done (at 12:05am). Bedtime. Good night.

Jeff

Spent: $8.41 (lunch items) + $63 plus $5 (motel) + $2.20 (chocolate milk, Moon Pie) = $78.61.

+ plus signs indicate pictures added after returning home from the trip +

Day 23 - Mount Ayr, IA to Corydon, IA

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