Day 3 - Ending at Prophetstown, IL - Wisconsin on the Kick-back

August 7, 2018

Day 3 - Ending at Prophetstown, IL

Rode on Hennepin Canal State Trail

An hour and a half after I was asleep last night, I woke to thunder. Checking the radar showed a storm cell just to the south. It stayed there, though there was rain here later, and trains far enough away to not wake me every time.

I was awake enough at 4:50am to get up. Worked some on picture selection for the report, first off. Then breakfast at 6:15am. Packing after that. Radar indicated more rain was coming, but the morning was pretty.

Ready to leave at 8:54am. The road just to the east of the park along the county line was what I wanted to be on, but I had to go back west to get out of the park. The plan for today was to make it to Prophetstown State Park, with a stop along the way for a good meal - hopefully ahead in Mineral.

Biking was good going north on 00E, then it started getting hilly. Fast downhills and slow uphills. At 9:38am I came to a "Road Closed" sign at the start of gravel at the bottom of a hill. Why wasn't the sign at the top of the hill at the intersection, where there are options for a detour, other than just "Turn Around"? I decided to ignore the sign. A little later I was back on paved road, and next to the "Road Closed" sign for those wanting to go south. The road on north flattened out after that, and I arrived at the tee intersection with CR-1500N at 10:13am. Made a right turn here to get to Mineral. It started sprinkling while I was on this nice flat smooth road - the type of precip that evaporates before the next drop hits. After a turn north, I arrived in Mineral at 10:31am.

My meal at The Wagon Wheel Bar and Grill in town would have to wait some, since they don't open until 11:00am. I had a park shelter on the northwest side of town marked on my GPS, and was there at 10:41am. I needed to write yesterday's report, and pulled out my notes. A gentle rain started at 10:50am. I was still typing when the rain stopped (at 11:52am). I kept at the report.

At noon I heard my smartphone alarm, and checked the GPS receivers. They don't always agree, so I usually go with the lower number. This time that was 9.0 miles.

I was still focused on the smartphone (at 12:20pm) when I heard rain start back up on the shelter's roof. Except this was real rain! Heavy rain! Distracting rain! Maybe this is the cold front finally passing through, I thought. It was over at 12:40pm, but still, if not more so, hot and muggy. Maybe it was a warm front.

I left the pavilion at 1:07pm, and was at The Wagon Wheel at 1:10pm. Ordered lunch and wrapped up work on the report while charging the phone. Done with both lunch and the report at 2:37pm.

It was a good thing today's a short day. I went north from Mineral to the Hennepin Canal Trail. Just a few miles west on the trail, then I turned north on CR-E2900 (at 3:29pm). Nineteen miles to go. Moving along, I passed the Green River at 4:40pm, and IL-92 at 5:37pm. There was scattered rain here and there, but my timing through the storms worked out OK without any planning by me. I felt "in the clear" by the time I turned into Lyndon Road at 6:08pm.

Easy riding through Prophetstown had me at the state park at 7:15pm, and, after registering, at site #19 (with electricity and near the showerhouse) at 7:30pm.

During tent set up, one of the poles split at its end, and I had to stop and find my tape. Finally ready for a shower. I feel so much better! Worked on report picture selection until bedtime, which was 11:00pm tonight.

Jeff

Spent: $11.69 plus $2.50 tip (lunch) + $15 (campsite) = $29.19.

Day 3 - Kewanee, IL to Prophetstown, IL

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