May 21, 2010
Day 4 - ending at Danville, Iowa
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Up at 6:21am. Watched TV weather reports. It looked like most of the rain would be ending. I repaired the flat rear tire by replacing the tube while trying to make as little of a mess as I could. My camera seemed to be working again after it dried out, but I couldn't be sure, since it has no LCD picture display.
At 8:30am I went to the restaurant for a cup of coffee, which I drank outside. Back to the room to finish packing and then I was ready to guide the bike to the elevator.
That wasn't easy at all, but I was finally backing the bike out of the elevator on the ground floor. Except it wasn't the ground floor, it was the second! Back to the elevator and finally at 10:25am, I was outside. I felt only half-dressed without the rain gear on. I gave Tahdra a call just for the fun of talking with her, then checked out at the front desk. Started actually moving at 10:51am.
I headed for the Temple, to get a picture.
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Next I headed toward the bridge at Niota, taking back roads.
Here's where I got a nice view of the Mississippi River. The bike is pointed in the wrong direction. It tended to not stay upright unless it was parked just so.
When I was growing up, my Dad's uncle and aunt owned a farm outside Niota. My sisters and I have lots of fond memories from visits to the farm and playing with our cousin there. The early 1970's was the last time I'd been there, before they sold the farm and retired to Missouri. I was very curious if the old farmhouse was still standing, so when I got to the turnoff to the farm, I headed down the lane. Surprisingly, the house is still there.
I knocked on the door of a newer house across the lane. The lady who answered immediately asked, "Did your GPS lead you here?" I said, "No, . . . well, yes." She later explained that a couple showed up there once following their GPS, thinking this place was a Bed and Breakfast. The actual place they were looking for was in Iowa!
I explained my relationship with the previous owners of the farm. She called her husband and then proceeded to show me the old house. She said it probably wasn't safe to go inside, and then did so, with me following. The husband joined us and then showed me the rest of the farm. He didn't know anything about farming when they'd bought the place, but had a good friend who helped him learn.
I had a great time visiting. They let me take lots of pictures.
They even took my picture for me.
I finally left, using the old circle drive, and leaving behind the cat that also had befriended me.
When I got farther down the hill, I could see the bridge that I planned to cross.
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Here's a building on the east side of the road down by the river that I remember always seeing on our trips to the farm.
Finally, Niota.
Through town and to the left was the bridge. The bridge, owned by the BNSF Railroad, is a double-decker swing type - trains below and cars above. One of my concerns, even before starting this trip, was whether I'd make it up the ramp without getting off the bike, which would then make me a pedestrian.
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I waited for traffic to clear, and then went for it.
I made it! What a relief!
The swing span was open for a barge, so I had time to take some pictures.
While waiting, I'd stopped at this spot. That was a mistake, since the horn sounded the alarm (for the span to close, I guess).
When traffic started moving, I was in a dilemma. Should I stay between the vehicles I was beside, or zoom past the cars? Here was one time I could go faster than them. That's what I did, until I got to the toll booth stop sign. One car passed me after that, but the next one wouldn't. The car, a Mini Cooper, followed me all the way off the bridge, holding up traffic behind in the process (I believe intentionally). I stopped and gave the driver, a woman, a big wave when I made it off the bridge.
So, at 2:42pm, I was in Iowa! There was a visitor's center right there, but they were closed. However, their picnic table made a good place for a break, and later lunch. I walked over to the nearby Kum & Go and bought lunch items (Monterey chicken sandwich, barbeque chips, sugar wafer cookies, and Vitaminwater).
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At 3:57pm, I started off by walking (the wrong way on a one-way street whose sidewalk was closed) toward the hill I'd have to get up on the north side of town. I found my first-choice road closed once I got there, so coasted back west to Old Denmark Road. I stopped half way up the hill to talk with a fellow who looked as hot as I was. He was laying landscaping blocks to shore up the edge of his property at the curb. He told me about Rodeo Park ahead at the top of the hill, and how having rodeos in Fort Madison got started (which was thanks to the railroad).
I was at the top of the hill, but not yet to Rodeo Park, when the extra effort to move forward told me I had another flat tire. Hoping that it just needed some air, I stopped and put some in. Of course, a little later it was flat again. I was beside Rodeo Park now (at 4:55pm), and saw a pavilion a ways off the road. This time, tire repair was easier work, since I didn't have to worry about every little bit of dirt I knocked off the tire getting on the motel room carpet.
And this time I found the source of the problem, which had caused yesterday's flat as well - a thorn-shaped sliver of rock protruding straight in at the center of the tread. It had made a very small hole in the tube. So with a tube change, and a chain oiling while I was at it, I was on my way - almost. Just then it started raining very hard. It was one of those showers you don't see coming, but gets you very wet.
A little later it was over and the sun was out. I kept thinking, "A flat tire kept me dry!"
I was now quite concerned, however, about making it to the campground before dark, since it was 7:00pm and I had 12 miles to go.
Just west of Denmark, I turned north on 295th Avenue. Now here was the type of road I was looking for - flat, straight, and deserted.
I surprised myself, getting to the park's registration station at 8:39pm. I rode around some looking for a spot that would get sun early in the morning, but also wasn't too wet on the ground. Eventually (at 8:50pm) I settled on site #108, and got set up.
Still no BlackBerry connection, even after fiddling with the set-up menus. So I called Tahdra to relay another report. I told her how much I enjoyed seeing the old farmhouse, and how I was fascinated by the way nature was slowly reclaiming it. She replied, "Like our house!"
Subject: Jeff report
Sent [by Tahdra]: Friday, 5-21-2010, 11:41 PM
Jeff called to say he made it to Geode State Park. He had a flat tire which fortunately happened near a pavilion which he then was under during a short cloud burst! ~Tahdra
Here's the report I had ready to go:
Subject: Day 4 report
Sent: Sunday, 5-30-2010, 8:12 AM
Up at 6:21am. Repaired tire. Got some coffee, and loaded bike. Left at 10:51am, after giving tahdra a call.
Took picture of temple and headed north.
Arrived at bridge. Made it up approach ok. In iowa at 2:42pm. Stopped at iowa welcome center, but they were closed. Bought lunch items at kum and go next door and ate at center's picnic table.
Headed north out of town. Noticed going was hard. Another flat tire (at 4:55pm). Was near rodeo park, so changed it under a shelter. Just when I was ready to go, a short but heavy rain started. So the flat was a blessing - kept me dry.
Arrived at geode state park at 8:39pm, with just enough light left to set up tent at site 108.
30 miles; 7.6 mph average moving.
Lunch: $9.96; camp fee: $11.00.
Jeff
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Day Four: 29 miles in 9 hours, 59 minutes = 2.9 mph average progress.
Spent: $8.47 (lunch) + $11 (campsite fee) = $19.47.
Today's ride: 29 miles (47 km)
Total: 179 miles (288 km)
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