May 20, 2010
Day 3 - ending at Nauvoo, Illinois
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I tried to stay awake last night, but when the raccoon attack came, I was sleeping - sort of. I remember dreaming that I was losing the battle and I'm pretty sure I was mumbling (perhaps yelling) in my sleep, but couldn't wake up.
Here's some of the damage I found in the morning, after I got up (at 5:08am).
There was a 3/8-inch tear in the screening three-foot up from the bottom of the tent. Fortunately, that spot is above the rain cover.
Had Pop-Tarts for breakfast, then got the tent down.
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The weather radar image on George's BlackBerry was showing rain, which disappointed me since it wasn't predicted three days ago. As soon as I got the plastic clipped on the rear cargo, it started raining.
I quickly tried to shut off the BlackBerry, but it was displaying a screen stating something about turning the 'radio' off. I proceeded with the shut-off, not realizing the grief that that would cause me later.
I grabbed my rain gear and went to the shower house to put it on. Here's a picture showing how wet my bike was when I got back.
No one had stopped by to collect the campsite fee, so I noted what it was, to mail in when I got home. I left at 10:00am. The rain was blowing from the east, so after I was out of the park, it was at my back.
There were turns north and turns south as I progressed, but going west kept my face the driest.
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Here's a road going west that I decided to not take.
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I was at the intersection of County Highway 17 and County Road 2150E, trying to guess if the road west was blacktop all the way, when a full-sized van pulled up from the west to the stop sign. The driver rolled down his window, so I asked my type-of-road question. He said it was all blacktop, so I decided to head west again. The driver noted I had a good brand of tires (Continental) on my bike (at least), saying he had Gaterskins on his bike, which was in the back of his van. He wished me well, and I was on my way again.
At 1:30pm, I approached the town of Burnside.
A mile outside Burnside, I turned north, looking for a straight-west paved road to get me to Route 96. I stopped for a break, and was actually able to eat some cookies without them getting too wet, by facing leeward from the wind-driven east rain. After two more miles north, I went west to Route 94. At Route 94 I decided to go north one more mile to get a straight shot west, and hopefully, a paved road. That road west was gravel too, but there was no use going farther north. At this point I pulled the camera from my raincoat pocket, to find it dripping water and not working. That was the end of pictures for today. I definitely wasn't going to use the BlackBerry's camera in this rain. This straight-west road didn't go straight through, contrary to what my melting county bike map was showing, so it was back south for a mile at County Road 1500N.
I found the going very difficult when I turned back north toward Route 96. After I was on Route 96 is when I finally figured out I was riding on a flat rear tire. I decided to walk the last mile and one-half into Nauvoo. I can't remember exactly when I started thinking about getting a motel room, but this sealed the idea.
At 4:40pm, I was in Nauvoo. My bike was a mess, but there was a car wash ahead. Using the 'Spot-free Rinse' setting, I got the worst of the mud and grit off. On down the road I ended up at Nauvoo Family Inn and Suites. They had a room available on the second floor, and would allow my bike in the room. And there was an elevator.
What a welcome place room #235 was to me then. I got a shower and was finally dry.
Now, to address my other concerns: fixing the flat tire, locating a place to get new pedals, finding my spare camera, and supper.
I couldn't find my spare camera! I propped the wet camera on the register, hoping that after it dried out, it'd work again. In the meantime, I'd have to use the Blackberry as my camera, though it appeared there wasn't much storage-memory left.
The BlackBerry won't make a phone or internet connection, so I assumed I was out of Verizon Wireless cell tower range (at least the type of cell tower that connects to a BlackBerry). I was hoping to use the BlackBerry to find the address for a place I could get new pedals. After some thought, it came to me that a phonebook would provide the same information. The room had one and I found a listing for a bicycle shop in New London, Iowa. My planned route was right through there!
At 7:47pm, I headed to the motel's restaurant (The Summer Kitchen Restaurant), arriving at 7:55pm, five minutes before they closed. The hostess assured me that it was fine, so I enjoyed the 'Full Buffet', quickly eating several plates of food, and drinking several sodas. Before I left (at 8:35pm), using the BlackBerry's camera, I took this picture of a mural they had.
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Back in the room, I decided to work on the flat tire in the morning. Using the pre-paid cell phone (TracFone) I'd brought along, I called Tahdra, who confirmed that I'd left my spare camera, loaded with my newly-purchased 64MB memory card, sitting by the computer. I told her the details of my day and asked her to send out a report for me. It was fun talking with her.
I headed to bed. Even with my technology set-backs, I felt content being dry, full, and sleeping inside, with the rain (and raccoons!) outside.
Here's how Tahdra summed up my day:
Subject: Jeff report
Sent [by Tahdra]: Friday, 5-21-2010, 1:20 AM
Jeff has no cell service - He is in Nauvoo in a motel trying to dry out.
~Tahdra
The report I wrote included more details, but it was stuck in the BlackBerry:
Subject: Day 3 - rain and flat tire
Sent: Sunday, 5-30-2010, 8:07 AM
A raccoon tore a 3/8-inch hole in the tent climbing up the side to look at me through the screen last night.
Up at 5:08am. Pop tarts for breakfast.
At 9:30am it started to rain - just after I got plastic on bike.
Left at 10:10am. Decided on going to motel in nauvoo.
Rain at my back going west.
On more gravel/dirt roads today.
Had flat 1.5miles east on nauvoo. Walked bike in (it was still raining). In town used car wash to clean bike.
Staying at nauvoo family inn and suites. Ate 'full buffet' at 7:55pm at 'the summer kitchen' here. Took picture of picture on wall.
47miles, 8.1 average moving.
$1.50 car wash; $11.34 + $2 tip buffet; $67.2 room + $15 tip.
Will be mailing $17 for last night's stay - no one came by.
Jeff
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Day Three: 45 miles in 9 hours, 28 minutes = 4.7 mph average progress (includes walking at end).
Spent: $1.50 (car wash) + $67.20 plus $15 tip (motel room) + $11.34 plus $2 tip (supper) = $97.04.
Today's ride: 45 miles (72 km)
Total: 150 miles (241 km)
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