May 21, 2009
Day 4 - Destination: Augusta, Missouri
rode on Vadalabene Bicycle Trail, Katy Trail
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I was up today at 6:15am, and received a call from the motel manager at 6:45am saying I could get my bike from the laundry room, if I wanted to then. When she heard what I was trying to do, she 'blessed' my bike and the trip. I parked the bike outside and then had breakfast (corn flakes, juice, a bagel, and coffee) in the sunny breakfast area. The manager knew where the bike shop was (actually part of a gas station - Medford Express 24), so that helped a lot.
At 7:53am I left for the bike shop, which was only six blocks away. They had the correct size tire (a 40 psi-maximum Kenda tagged 'Sunlite 59111') and also sold me a spare tube. Back at the motel (8:20am) I replaced the front tire but not the tube (since it was new from yesterday) - an easier job than yesterday, since it involved just the front tire, and the bike wasn't loaded yet. I debated on keeping the damaged tire as an emergency spare, but in the end tossed it in the dumpster, after checking with the motel manager about any known bike tire disposal regulations. At 9:30am I was on my way.
Since I couldn't take the ferries across the rivers, The Clark Bridge in Alton was my destination. The scenery was pretty much the same as the past days, until I got to the bluff above Elsah. I'm sure I went faster downhill here than anywhere else on the trip. I was relying on the PN-20 to tell me how fast (Maximum Speed readout), but it registered 111 mph - I don't think so! Later GPS data analysis indicated 33.4 mph. (Of course, the problem was that I'd turned on the GPS while still inside the motel, and it 'sped around' trying to lock-in the location.) Elsah had an old, quiet, slow-pace, out-of-the-way feel.
In town I was going slow enough that a local resident stopped me to talk. Referring to my Illinois highway map, we discussed ways to cross the river. A little ways farther I was near Highway 100, next to the river. There were some flood waters around.
I had to ask another resident, who was tending a community yard-waste burn pile, where exactly the Vadalabene Bicycle Trail was that would take me to Alton. She said it was just up on the highway there. And so it was.
I was in the shade of the trees a lot of the time, as were the flowers.
I was four miles down the trail before I realized that I was on the wrong side of the highway - there was another shoulder on the other side for bikes going south! I crossed over in time to go 3000 feet before the south and north bike lanes joined together back on the east side of the road, since the trail was leaving the highway.
This power plant appeared to be on the Missouri side. So I kept my eye on it.
There were some impressive cliffs along the way, as well as places to stop for a break.
Finally, Alton and the Clark Bridge.
I was hoping to find a place to eat that wasn't too far out-of-the-way. I hadn't seen anything and started focusing on how to get on the bridge when I saw a KFC, and thought, 'buffet!' I parked my bike against one of their outdoor tables at 1:25pm.
I really enjoyed lunch at KFC - many trips to the buffet, drink station, and ice cream machine. I finished the last of my soda outside, where I could see the bridge, but still was not sure exactly where to get on. Turns out it was down the road right in front of the KFC.
At 2:30pm I was on the approach.
All the bridge cable lights are numbered!
Missouri! If nothing else, I made it to Missouri. Now, if only my route on the low land between the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers wasn't flooded, I would make it to Machens - the start of the Katy Trail. I was so excited that I missed the turn-off to a short trail I meant to take that parallels the highway. The highway's shoulder was wide, so it didn't really matter. North of West Alton - a detour. At least it was a detour and not just a 'Road Closed'.
Actually, my planned route was along the detour. The only problem was, all the extra detoured traffic along this route with minimal shoulder. At one point I was going to pull off the road to let a car go by, but a dog was waiting for me. I kept going a little ways. The car driver was very patient, but not the motorcyclist behind him who yelled at the driver as he roared by! I was glad when the traffic detoured back to Route 94, leaving me on a no-traffic road. That gave me time to take a picture of the power plant from the south side.
At 3:52pm I arrived at the Machens trailhead. It's sure in the middle of nowhere, hidden behind still-used railroad tracks. (See the west view of the power plant?)
I was very happy. No more hills or traffic issues (for a while)!
A train passed while I was there.
There wasn't too much time for celebrating. I had to get to somewhere where I could sleep for the night - hopefully Augusta.
The trail isn't complete between Machens and Saint Charles. I'd routed on roads to bypass the incomplete sections, but to save time, just went on through (I'd read that it was possible).
At 5:22pm I took a short break at the present start of the completed trail. There appeared to be a lot to see in Saint Charles, even along the trail, but my GPS's indicated that if I kept moving, I might just make it to Augusta before dark. One problem, however, was that I kept stopping to take pictures.
I thought the way this business accommodated the trail was clever.
I was making good time, but my PN-20 was crying for new batteries. I decided to change them while riding. Big mistake! At 6:41pm, just past Amrein Road, I crashed.
The palms of my hands took the worst of it. That's when it occurred to me that smart bicyclists wear biking gloves! The front basket bent some, but all the rear luggage stayed on. I parked and bandaged up my hands, all the while thinking how that battery-changing idea saved time - NOT! Sunset was at 8:14pm. I'd be pushing the trail rules ('not open after dark'), but figured it wouldn't be completely dark by the time I got to the campground.
It was 8:40pm (and pretty dark) when I left the trail to walk my bike up the steep hill to Klondike Park. I read the self-check-in procedure and rode around to find 'the best' campsite, settling on 'Basic Camping' site B8.
While setting up the tent, I realized my right knee took a hit during the crash, since I couldn't kneel on it. None-the-less, it was a beautiful night, and I was glad to be going to bed.
Received a few more emails from the ferry company, so figured I'd better let them know where I was.
Subject: ferry
Date: Thursday, 5-21-2009 10:50 AM (forwarded to me at 12:42pm)
From: Calhoun Ferry Co.
Thursday, May 21st
We will keep the Winfield Ferry open today until 9 pm tonight.
The river is dropping but the water is not receding off the road at Golden Eagle, there is about 11 inches of water on Hwy B and 6 inches on the ferry road.
We will stay open at Golden Eagle for truck traffic only.
The Mississippi River at Winfield is at 29 feet and is forecast to drop 2 feet by tomorrow.
I will send out a new report tonight for tomorrows schedule.
Thank You,
The Calhoun Ferry Company
Subject: FERRY
Date: Thursday, 5-21-2009 6:56 PM (forwarded to me at 8:49pm)
From: Calhoun Ferry Co.
Thursday, May 21st.
The Winfield Ferry will close tonight at 9pm.
The Golden Eagle Ferry will be open at 5am tomorrow with 2 ferry's operating.
The water on the road should be gone by tomorrow morning. They had about 4 inches on Hwy B tonight and it was receding fast.
Thank You,
The Calhoun Ferry Company
Subject: Re: FERRY
Date: Thursday, 5-21-2009 11:02 PM (sent to Tahdra at 11:02pm, forwarded to ferry company the next day at 9:20am)
From: Jeff on bike
Thanks. Your reports allowed me to plan. I crossed this afternoon on the Alton bridge.
Jeff
Email sent to support team:
Subject: Day four - missouri!
Date: Thursday, 5-21-2009 11:27 PM
Up at 6:15am. Motel breakfast. Bought new tire and tube. Installed and left at 9:30.
Buffet lunch at alton at kfc 1:25. On bridge at 2:30.
3:52pm at machens - start of katy!
Took spill at 6:45pm - bike is ok!
Palms of hands took worse of it.
Note to jeff : stop bike to change gps batteries!
8:45pm at klondike park in augusta.
77 miles
Moving 8:53
8.8 average
Max speed: fast. Pn-20 says 111. Not that fast!
Tires, tube $19.99
Lunch $7.86
Camp $10
Jeff
Day Four: 78 miles in 13 hours, 7 minutes = 5.9 mph.
Spent: $19.99 (tube, tire) + $7.86 (KFC lunch) + $10.00 (camping fee) = $37.85.
Today's ride: 78 miles (126 km)
Total: 237 miles (381 km)
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