Day 3 - ending near Carroll, IA - Iowa on the Tri-speed

July 23, 2013

Day 3 - ending near Carroll, IA

rode on Sauk Rail Trail

Posted via email Wed Jul 24 06:53:01 2013 PDT

Got up at 5:50am. It seemed like I was hearing an alarm, but it wasn't mine (I don't think). Checked the weather radar on the BlackBerry, and what I saw woke me up. A big batch of rain was west of here. I hustled to get the stuff inside the tent packed. The cover of the tent was wet, but I went ahead and packed it (I hate doing that). I was ready to go before it started raining. Said goodbye to my neighbor campers and left at 7:10am.

Back on IA-175 heading east brought me to the Family Table Restaurant on the east side of Ida Grove. I parked the bike as far under the place's overhang as I could, and went in for breakfast. Had steak and eggs. Later the waitress talked me into getting a cinnamon roll. Drank coffee while I reviewed and sent yesterday's report. It still hadn't started raining. Checked the radar and found the rain had moved south instead of east. I was good to go!

Started out at 8:56am going north to 240th Street, then east. I wanted to see if I could locate Alvin Straight's gravesite, which is in the Ida Grove Cemetery. I arrived at the cemetery at 9:07am, and found the gravesite without too much walking around. (What I had to go on was an internet picture showing that the headstone was next to a big tree.)

I left at 9:32am, continuing east on 240th Street. Today I paid for what I'd missed yesterday: hills and headwinds. The hills weren't too bad, and the headwinds weren't straight at me, but rather a moderate northeast breeze. I worked my way on backroads to Arthur, arriving at 10:35am. Took a break there. Sitting at a picnic table, the cool breeze was refreshing. Heard and watched two jets doing maneuvers high above me. Left at 10:54am, getting back on IA-175.

I started noticing small road signs on power poles along the road. Figured out they must be for snowmobile users. Arrived at Odebolt at 11:35am. I was going to pass through, but noticed a Pepsi ad painted on the side of a building downtown. Had to get a picture of that for my friend George, who drinks Pepsi. Once I was downtown, I saw other interesting things, most noticeably, a bank building. I left town seven minutes past the noon whistle.

Riding on IA-175 became a chore. Too much traffic to stay on the pavement much, so I rode on the gravel shoulder a lot. I took a break from this at 12:55pm to call my friend Jim. He reported a very pleasant day there in Morton.

I finally made it to Lake View at 1:57pm. Headed downtown and found Kathy's Korner. Lunchtime! I ordered a root beer float (which I got to "assemble" myself), a roast beef dinner, and cherry pie for dessert. Left there at 3:00pm.

I went east a block to the Sauk Rail Trail trailhead. Then I walked back to Kathy's Korner to get change for a five-dollar bill, since I needed to purchase a $2 one-day trail permit. Finally got to riding on the trail at 3:15pm. Passed by Carnarvon at 3:54pm and Breda at 4:50pm. I stopped in Breda for a nap and to fill my water containers. Back on the trail at 5:22pm. This trail is all concrete, which makes for great riding. Passed through Maple River Junction at 6:09pm. Shortly after, the trail is asphalt (still good!). Passed by Carroll starting at 6:48pm, and arrived at my destination - Swan Lake State Park - at 7:14pm.

By 7:25pm I'd selected campsite R as a good spot. Self-registered for this non-electric site and was set up by 8:06pm. Since there is wood piled here, I made a campfire - something Jim on the phone today said I should find time for.

I was a little hungry, so ate a pack of cheese sandwich crackers, a HyVee protein bar, and drank a bottle of Emergen-C. Now I'm ready to write the report, and get some sleep.

Jeff

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Spent: $16.89 plus $3 (breakfast) + $13.59 plus $2.50 (lunch) + $2 (trail use permit) + $10 (campsite) = $47.98.

Day 3 - Ida Grove, IA to Carroll, IA

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