June 3, 2010
Day 17 - ending at Lansing, Iowa
rode on Fayette County Recreational Trail
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I was expecting sun, but it was cloudy at 6:10am when I got up. It brightened up later.
As I was getting around, a pick-up truck pulled up. The driver, it turned out, had heard of The Straight Story. In fact, in the movie it was her grandfather's building that was burnt down at the bottom of the hill when the tractor lost its brakes! She invited me to eat breakfast at the Quarry Lodge (the camp's main building), saying she'd cook my breakfast.
I was packed up and at the Quarry Lodge at 9:18am.
I was their only customer at that time, and enjoyed the 'Two Tee' breakfast (2 pancakes, 2 eggs, and 2 bacon) along with coffee and orange juice.
This breakfast was just what I needed, remembering a line from the movie: "Well, you know, Alvin, there's a lot of hills bigger than Clermont's between here and Zion." - Danny Riordan, The Straight Story.
I talked with the cashier as I was leaving about the location of the John Deere tractor that I'd read was in Clermont. She had lots of stories about the filming of the movie in Clermont, since she lived in the town back then. The film crew had great praise for the hospitality they'd found in Clermont. (I do, too.)
I left full at 10:05am to find the tractor. Before crossing the river I stopped to take some pictures.
After crossing the river, I walked my bike through downtown. There was a John Deere dealer in town. This building wasn't shown it the movie, but the John Deere dealership mechanics at Clermont were portrayed in the movie.
Just like the cashier at the Quarry Lodge said, I found the tractor building without difficulty.
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This tractor was the one used in the movie, not the one the real Alvin Straight used.
They also had the Rehds mower that was featured early in the movie, but sunlight glare from the window was such that I couldn't get a picture of that.
With another location checked off my list of 'to see' places, I continued north to the start of the Fayette County Recreational Trail.
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I was pleasantly surprised that this trail was flat, or at least it seemed to be. In such a hilly area, I'd expected to be climbing.
I took a break on a bench at the trail's end at 11:04am. After that, I was climbing. It was a beautiful day with lots of scenery.
On gravel road downhills like these I'd say to myself, "Be careful!"
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Passed this building, but couldn't figure out if it had been a church or a school.
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At 3:20pm, I arrived in Waukon, and stopped at Cynda's West Side Cafe for lunch. I had a bacon cheeseburger, cottage cheese, root beer, and pecan pie with ice cream.
There aren't any back roads to Lansing, so I took Route 9 north out of Waukon. I passed the town's water tower, which looks like a rocket. A worker nearby wearing a backpack completed this picture for me.
Just out of town a quick downhill turned into a very long uphill walk. I was finally at the top, and the highway seemed to follow the high ground from then on. There was just enough traffic that I found it easier to just stay on the gravel shoulder.
I passed this church, which seemed to be out in the middle of nowhere.
At 6:07pm, I started an incredible downhill to Lansing's city limits. I was sure glad I wasn't going (walking!) the other way.
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At 6:40pm I checked in at the Red Barn Resort and Campground office. I was assigned site T4, which has a spring-fed creek behind the site.
This was a nice spot. The only damper was that rain was predicted for overnight.
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The only other concern I had this evening (besides the anticipated rain) was, would I be able to make it up the Lansing bridge ramp tomorrow without tying up traffic?
Subject: Day 17 report
Sent: Thursday, 6-3-2010, 8:38 PM
Up at 6:10am. I was expecting sun, but it was cloudy.
I'm glad I waited for the rain to pass yesterday - clermont got an inch I heard.
Met granddaughter of owner of building they burnt down in movie. She cooked me breakfast at the quarry lodge (part of skip-a-way campground).
Went through town (clermont) about 10:30am. Saw tractor used in the movie.
Was at clermont's bike trail at 10:40am. Took gravel roads after that, until near route 9.
Ate lunch in waukon at west side cafe at 3:20pm.
Followed route 9 to lansing. Had to walk up one hill just outside waukon. Then flat and a really long downhill.
Too much traffic to ride the white line so rode on gravel shoulder.
Arrived at red barn campground, site t4, at 6:50pm.
The last picture is from behind my campsite.
Breakfast: $8.62+2; lunch: $10.86+2; campsite: $21.40.
43miles, 8.1mph average moving speed.
Jeff
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Day Seventeen: 43 miles in 9 hours, 37 minutes = 4.5 mph average progress.
Spent: $8.62 plus $2 (breakfast) + $10.86 plus $2 (lunch) + $21.40 (campsite fee) = $44.88.
Today's ride: 43 miles (69 km)
Total: 804 miles (1,294 km)
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