pike's peak cg, WI to dyersville, IA
We left our Pike’s Peak campground this morning at about 8 am and got in 8.5 miles before it began to rain. Gently at first and then pouring in earnest.
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| Actually this is a photo looking DOWN the hill we climbed to get to Pike's Peak CG yesterday; today we start our adventure on the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) |
We should have known that it was going to rain because NOAA was broadcast in the campground bathrooms . . . loudly and all night. It forecast only morning sprinkles, however . . .
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| Waiting under my Fargo Scheel's umbrella for Bill to climb a hill; was a foggy wet day |
In addition to the rain, we had fog, cold, and three big climbs and descents off of and back onto the bluffs along the River. The climbs while only 1- and maybe 2-mile ones, curved around and around and seemed endless.
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| Amazing how hills seem to flatten in photos, this photo, too, from yesterday's climb to Pike's Peak |
Two of the descents were steep and long. All three were nerve wracking as our rims and brake pads were so wet that we had almost no brakes.
We stopped at a restaurant/bar above the River in Guttenberg, IA. Guttenberg, named one of "America's Prettiest Towns" by Forbes traveler, sits on a low bluff of the Mississippi. We stopped mostly to warm up and get out of the rain for a bit. The restaurant sat right above a lock through which a barge passed just as we were leaving. While eating (I had cocoa and toast; Bill had pancakes for $2 as it was $2 Tuesday) we could look out over the River. We watched a bald eagle fish the river.
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| Internet photo from Guttenberg's homepage |
Our next get-out-of-the-rain stop was in Luxemburg (sounds like we're in Europe, no?) in another bar/restaurant—this one more bar than restaurant across from an old general store. We parked our rigs across the intersection under the protection of the canopy of a closed gas station.
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| Internet photo of old grocery/general store in Luxemburg, IA; I took few photos today because of the rain |
Here I had a cup of coffee and a piece of cherry pie. Bill had a coke. While there, we struck up a conversation with the only other patron, a dairy farmer who had stopped in for brats, mashed, and sauerkraut. Before we left, two other men stopped in long enough to eat the same blue plate special.
A couple of drenched motorcyclists also stopped in, too. It was still pouring buckets when we left for our final 9 miles to Dyersville. We found the couple’s motorcycle and trailer parked under the gas station canopy beside our bikes. At this intersection we left Hwy 52 and switched to Hwy 136 to Dyersville.
When we got to the Dyersville Super 8, Kathy, the woman at the front desk, gave us some old towels to dry our bikes and gear a bit before we rolled them to our rooms. After we'd showered and changed into dry clothes, we gave her all of our wet and dirty clothes to wash and dry. In all of my travels, I have found the motel staff to be friendly and accommodating.
Ate cheese curd & crackers, tuna and crackers, and drank coffee for a late lunch and then took naps. Now we are enjoying being dry, warm, and inside.
Tomorrow we will try for 77 miles to Wilton.
