Day 9 ending near New Harmony, IN

September 1, 2015

I had the alarm set for 5:00am, but had forgotten to arm it. It didn't matter, since I woke up at 4:50am. Worked on report, then went to the motel's check-in area for breakfast.

My hayfever was bad this morning, and the pill I took was putting me to sleep. Battled through and got the report finished. Ready to go at 9:15am.

The bike trail continues on northeast from Harrisburg to Eldorado, so it was an easy start for my day to Indiana. Evening destination: Harmonie State Park.

When I was planning this trip, I used Google Earth and Street View to check out places/roads here and there. I'd noticed then that there was an interesting structure along the trail in the town of Muddy, just north of Harrisburg. Pictures of it on Google Earth were labeled "Mine No. 12". I found it and got a few pictures. The structure is dated "1923".

The rest of the trail north parallels US-45, and is in the open. Not as pleasant as yesterday. I made it to IL-142 in Eldorado at 10:40am, and to Liz's Cafe on IL-142 at 10:44am. I sort of ordered two breakfasts to get everything I wanted. Out the window next to me I could see a Dollar General store across the highway. My next job would be buying items to refill my food bag.

Arrived at DG at 11:45am. I bought batteries as well as Beanee Weenees, sardines, and ginger snaps. I asked for an extra sack so I could double-bag my purchase. It was my original intent to let the bag hang by my flag pole, but both bags were already tearing from the sharp corners of the batteries' package. So I went ahead and unloaded the bike enough to get the food into the food bag.

Ready to go at noon. So far I'd gone only 8.3 miles for the day. My plan was to cross the Wabash River on IL-141, just past New Haven. That highway, and US-45 to it, are marked 'red' on my bicycling map. I had therefore placed waypoints on my GPSs for a country-road route.

I headed out of Eldorado east on Dewey Road. Pleasant enough, until it turned into a gravel road a few miles out. With no short diversion to a highway, I was stuck for the duration. Not that I wasn't having fun, I just wasn't making any time.

At 1:00pm, I found some shade for a break. I'd filled my Klean Kanteen with ice and water this morning. A few sips after a bottle of warm water was a treat. I called my friend Jim back in Morton. For a while, he'd have the latest news on the trip.

I had another break in the shade of a single tree at 2:00pm. At 2:15pm, I came across a tank/pipe assembly signed "Gas Storage Field". I could hear quiet gurgling sounds.

At 2:37pm I was back on pavement (IL-1) just south of Omaha. It'd been 12.8 miles at 4.9 mph since noon. In Omaha I stopped for a Gatorade. Rode north to IL-141, getting there at 3:01pm, and committed to stay with it no matter what.

Sometimes the shoulder was OK and others times it wasn't there at all. Fairly busy traffic. I wouldn't recommend this road for bicyclists. Thankfully, the last few miles to the bridge had a shoulder.

I crossed the Wabash River at 4:45pm, and was in Indiana! Took a break to celebrate at 4:55pm. Now I needed to figure out a route to keep me off Indiana gravel roads. Decided I wouldn't take any roads north that were gravel. That thinking brought me all the way into Mount Vernon, at 5:50pm. I was looking for a good way north to IN-69, and that turned out to be Main Street going north. It connected up with Industrial Road, which connected to IN-69 at Farmersville.

I remembered from my pre-trip checking that IN-69 had a good shoulder, but I didn't realize that it was this good. It seemed to be wider than the highway. What a fun ride with little traffic. I arrived at the entrance to the park off IN-69 at 7:23pm, but I wasn't there yet. A hilly mile road got me to the actual park, and the gatehouse.

The fellow who set me up with a campsite was interesting to talk with - and he was interested in my trip. He set me up with the closest campsite, which he said was, unfortunately, three miles farther into the park! It was a nice road there with a bike path - mostly downhill. I arrived at Campsite #2 at 8:12pm. My day was done! Really done, because I plan to sleep on the picnic table rather than unpack the bike! I want an earlier start tomorrow.

Jeff

Spent: $10.78 plus $2.50 (lunch) + $11.69 (food, batteries) + $1.71 (Gatorade) + $24.61 (campsite) = $51.29.

Day 9 - Harrisburg, IL to New Harmony, IN

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