October 20, 2022
Day 29 - Quincy, IL (Microtel) to Nauvoo, IL (Nauvoo Log Cabins)
The Great River Road
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Statistics, Useful & Otherwise;
Elevation Gained Today; 1,508 ft Cumulative; 61,876 ft
Roadkill Seen Today; Raccoon (4), Turkey Vulture (2), Possum (4), Unknown (4) Cumulative; Hawk (3), Raccoon(18), Possum (30), Mouse (1), Squirrel (12), Armadillo (9), Bird (3), Coyote (1), Deer (5), Snake (12), Skunk (5), Rabbit (1), Turtle (4), Owl (1), Turkey Vulture (2), Unknown (24)
Found Money Today; $0 Cumulative; $1.50
Lodging Cost Today; $100.57 Cumulative; $2129.15
Bad Drivers Today; 0 Cumulative; 13
Dog Chases Today; 0 Cumulative; 20
Confederate Flags Today; 1 Cumulative; 7 (plus 30 little flags decorating confederate soldiers graves on the Natchez Trace)
Average Speed Today; 10.8 mph Cumulative; 9.76 mph
Summary of Today's Ride; Mostly traffic-free along Mississippi River back roads in good weather - no complaints here!
My little computer is sitting on a bale of hay outside the office of the place I'm staying tonight, cause that's the only place the internet is good enough to do anything. I brought a chair over from my cabin so I could sit and use the hay bale as a desk - there's no one in the office, they just left keys and instructions for me. It's all good except for the weak internet. I need to do this entry in a hurry cause I need to finish laundry and cook something for dinner and plan tomorrow, so forgive me if it seems a bit rushed. I'm going to go grab something to drink and snack on so this is more bearable, be right back.
I'm back. Sun is setting now and it's getting cool, so that will motivate me to type fast. Last night at the Microtel in Quincy, a mom was walking down the hall with her little girl of about 5 years old. The little girl broke away from her mom and ran up to me and held out her hand for a high-five, which I of course gave her. She seemed like the happiest little thing and her mom definitely couldn't contain her. This morning as I was eating breakfast, the mom was trying to leave with the little girl, but the little girl saw me. She broke free from her mom and ran into the dining area where I was and stomped her feet a bit and said "How about that?" and ran back to her mom. Then she turned around and ran back into the dining area and went to the cereal dispensers and got a handful of the Fruit Loops cereal and ran back out, much to the dismay of her mom. It was hilarious and started my day off right.
I waited until 08:30 to leave so that the temperature would be reasonable. I wore less clothing today, and today was just wonderful. Quincy is a fairly busy little city, but as soon as I left the hotel I turned down to Front Street by the river and from that point on there was just not much traffic all day.
The Great River Road is designated in several states and follows close to the Mississippi River. It was my path for almost all of today and will be so for a lot of tomorrow as well. It isn't any one particular highway, it's just whatever roads the state has decided will host it.
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This humongous tractor was following me for some time and slowly catching up. Each time a vehicle approached from the front or rear he would have to pull way off into the ditch to allow room for them to pass. Eventually he got close enough to me that I pulled off on a side road and let him pass.
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The Mississippi River bottoms make for good farmland. It's hard to imagine how vast it is, it's like looking out at an ocean.
I thought I may have seen the last Confederate Flag once I left Missouri, but I saw one today in Illinois as I approached Warsaw.
This building on the outskirts of Warsaw was built in 1866.
A bit of Google research showed it to be the Warsaw Woolens Company, and it's apparently been used for a lot of other things as well --> Historical Tidbits.
I ate lunch in Warsaw at Jennifer's Family Restaurant, a small diner. Had a BLT with cottage cheese and apple sauce, and apple crisp for dessert. It was great. I love these small town out-of-the-way diners. There was a loud table of older folks (they were probably loud because they can't hear well) being rather boisterous, and they were curious about me being on a bicycle and of course they went nuts when they found out I had biked from New Orleans. I told them I biked all this way just so I could have the apple crisp at Jennifer's, and that set them off laughing and I thought they wouldn't stop.
Leaving town I was shocked to find this humble little house.
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It's getting cold and I don't have time to do the research to figure out the history of this place, but I did see the rental price as shown in the picture caption.
Perhaps it's because the river is reaching historic low levels that all this vegetation can now form. The ducks love it, it gives them a protected area.
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Nauvoo, IL is of course replete with history of the Mormon religion. The temple stands out as one enters the town, and there is a building dedicated to Joseph Smith.
So I'm in Nauvoo, IL tonight. The town was once known as Commerce until the Mormons bought it and renamed it. While Nauvoo is known as being a stronghold of the Latter Day Saints before they were violently forced out, it's history is so much more than that and is quite an interesting read --> History of Nauvoo.
Tonight I'm staying in a Mormon cabin. Being from Arkansas, and being cognizant of the Mormon massacre of a wagon train of Arkansans in the 1850's, it's a big step for me to do so. For those who want to know more and are fascinated by history, here's an explanation of the Mountain Meadows massacre --> Mountain Meadows Massacre. And here's a bit more depth about how the Mormons felt justified to slaughter these folks --> Mormon Rationalization of the Mountain Meadows Massacre.
The Mormon cabin I'm staying in was actually built and used in Wyoming. Like other cabins at the Nauvoo Log Cabins site, it was moved from it's original site and restored here in Nauvoo. It has been modernized inside, so the only thing that's really original is the log cabin exterior.
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Below is the history of the cabin, as copied from the guestbook of the cabin.
Okay, now it's getting cold and dark and my arms are itchy from typing on this hay-bale, so I'm going to wrap it up. I was in Illinois, then I was in Missouri, now I'm back in Illinois; I'm a rambling man.
Did you know that the Allman Brothers Band almost didn't release this song because they felt it was too country? Good thing they did, because it's the only top 10 song they ever had. Background info for the studious can be found here --> Ramblin' Man. Sometimes we just don't know what's best for us and we need other's opinions. Hey, as long as your opinion agrees with mine then I'm good with that :>) . Good night friends, my tour is soon to be over, maybe I'll see you soon...
Today's ride: 53 miles (85 km)
Total: 1,395 miles (2,245 km)
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Like you, I thought Nauvoo was really interesting. I camped at the state park there, but had I known about the Mormon cabins, I'd have considered staying there. Did you venture into Joseph Smith's well-preserved village? Most notable to me was that they've whitewashed his polygamist history.
Enjoy the rest of your trip.
2 years ago
2 years ago