Cedar Rapids, IA

Took today off so I could spend time with the Weigands, good friends that I've known for years, and had a wonderful dinner that Beth prepared. Tom will accompany me on part of the trip tomorrow... it will be nice to have some company for a change. We're praying for no wind and mild weather.

Driveway leading to the Weigand's home

I've always kidded Tom that he looks like he's got a chew under his lip... Only his dentist knows for sure.

Lowden, IA

 Easy day today, wind was at my back, and only had to do 31 miles to reach my destination.  Staying in a bed-and-breakfast; that's what I call roughin' it! Chose to do this because there are serious storms coming our way. Located halfway between Cedar Rapids and Clinton, this hotel was designed to accommodate automobile travel when it was built in 1915.  Lowden is situated next to the Yankee Run Stream.  It was the site of early wagon roads that ultimately became the site for the Chicago, Iowa, and Nebraska Railroad Co. back in 1857. Liz Norton, owner and proprietor, caters to the bicyclists that travel coast-to-coast on the Northern Tier.  I am, as I have been much of the trip, the first bicyclist of the season. My room is spacious, comfortable, and so inviting as it rains cats and dogs outside.

Lowden as the storm passes through. I do not believe my tent would have held up to this kind of rain! We have had perhaps 2 inches of rain in the last half-hour!  Thank you Liz for having an inn where I could stay when the storm hit.

Hello Iowa

The wind was a challenge at times but all in all it was a good day and I bicycled about 50 miles compared to the 55 I did yesterday. I crossed the  Mississippi River into Iowa this afternoon. I just barely beat a line of storms that came through shortly thereafter. There were tornado warnings, lighting, thunder and a lot of rain.  Left knee bothering me a bit...seems like fighting the wind aggravates it and it seems to be the weak point in my body at this juncture...weak link??? whole body is really a weak link!  The Mississippi River was high, had flooded over onto the plains, and a lot of trees were in the water.  Looks like I'll be heading north for quite a while now before I start my westward trek once again.  Trip is going well, scenery is very pretty, and tonight I'm in a motel in Muscatine, Iowa, that has a hot tub and that is a real treat!

Bridge across Mississippi River at Muscatine, Iowa

Been a hard ride but I was welcomed with open arms in Cambridge, Illinois. Heard that the American Legion was a good place to have a meal, so I went there and ordered. They were asking where I was riding to and from. I explained the details of the trip and the next thing I knew they were buying my lunch. Cambridge is a beautiful city, small, but so peaceful and true Americana.  The courthouse is beautiful as can be seen in the attached picture.  
Here's a picture of the crew at the American Legion, and a picture of the Vietnam/MIA ornament that they asked me to carry along on the trip. They asked that I include Jerry Tharp, U.S. Army National Guard, killed in Iraq, with the souls on board.  Welcome aboard Jerry on our trip to Seattle. Thank you for your service.





The Charm has been given a place of honor on my bicycle as we travel to Seattle.  People across the country continue to astound me with their kindness!

Home sweet home for the night

Nothing fancy but it will keep the rain out. Staying in Orion, IL, for the night. Will attempt Muscatine tomorrow if the winds are favorable. Happy Mother's Day, Andrea. I'll be thinking of you.

My mantra: "The Wind Was Brutal! "

Rained all last night but I was snug and warm in a hotel room. Not so tonight; I'll be sleeping in my tent.  Left about 8 o'clock this morning and was confronted with a brutal wind coming out of the West. Could only make 4 miles an hour at times, and it felt like I could walk faster than I was bicycling. The wind is one obstacle that can really wear on a person's morale. Met my first bicyclists today traveling from Eugene, Oregon, to Washington DC.  Normally I would've taken a picture but I was too pooped to pop! I was too tired from the wind to take their picture; wish I had. They had confronted an eastbound wind the two previous days. Started out with beautiful scenery as can be seen from the picture shown here, and then I traveled to the flat open lands where the wind roared like a freight train.  At 20 miles I realized I was not going to make my 45 miles today. In Bradford, Illinois, checked in at a farm to see if I could pitch a tent and the folks were most accommodating. Have a beautiful view outside my tent door. Should wake up to the rising sun in the morning and behold this pastoral beauty. Hoping that the wind is accommodating tomorrow so that I may put some miles under my wheels. In any event, it's a great trip and continues to be that every day with new and exciting adventures.

They certainly have big raccoons in this part of the country!

Jim Hewitt

Shallow Brook Farms, my home for tonight

View from my tent door

Illinois Travel allows a visit HOME

 No offense, but I must say this was probably one of the best "Warm Showers" stops yet!...time spent with Andrea and Maggie...Home Sweet Home!

Storms in the forecast may make for some interesting travels...tornado drill?  Climb under the bike.

 

 I have all of the gear laid out, ready to be loaded onto "Traveler" and we are ready to hit the road. Let the next leg of the journey begin... Looks like Monty Cherry may join me as I travel through Glacier. Will be nice to have some company...bears get the slowest guy so I will be certain to be fit for this leg of the journey.   There are a lot of states to hit before that adventure!

Several folks have commented that they are having trouble with posting comments on the blog.  I definitely want to hear from you as your comments keep my spirits up on cold, windy, long bicycle rides.  The work around that we have devised (we think it is because some submitters don't have active Google accounts) is to send your comments to the email:  sspeer2@comcast.net  and Andrea will post them.