Burlington, IA to Kewanee IL
Hi All—
Much debate last night and today about the route and the destination—Bill and I forgot that we were not plotting the route any longer. Was it going to be Cambridge? Woodruff? Galva? or Kewanee? Only Cambridge had a campground and it was about 70-some miles and on the AC route. In the end, Sylvia and Tim and the wind decided it. So we blew 96 miles to Kewanee and an AmericInn, which, oddly, was the route I had originally scheduled in the day-to-day from Muscatine. Now the group is one day ahead of itself as they want to save their scheduled post-RAGBRAI rest day for a rainy day. Guess they got enough rest yesterday when they rode the Team Crude bus and did not cycle from Mt Pleasant to Burlington.
Much debate last night and today about the route and the destination—Bill and I forgot that we were not plotting the route any longer. Was it going to be Cambridge? Woodruff? Galva? or Kewanee? Only Cambridge had a campground and it was about 70-some miles and on the AC route. In the end, Sylvia and Tim and the wind decided it. So we blew 96 miles to Kewanee and an AmericInn, which, oddly, was the route I had originally scheduled in the day-to-day from Muscatine. Now the group is one day ahead of itself as they want to save their scheduled post-RAGBRAI rest day for a rainy day. Guess they got enough rest yesterday when they rode the Team Crude bus and did not cycle from Mt Pleasant to Burlington.
Sylvia and Tim are the route mappers, motel reservers, and ride leaders now. Sylvia is a take-charge kind of woman. She looks up and calls each motel on her cell phone and reserves before we get there. Neither Tim nor Sylvia have plans to camp, so decided that our goal was Kewanee today—and there is no camping in Kewanee.
[I wonder where Tim got a new infusion of money. He is now sleeping in motels and eating out. Also, little did I realize it this first day, but camping had gone by the wayside. Sylvia books a hotel room every night but neglects to tell reservations how many will be staying in it. I really dislike squeezing into one hotel room and sharing a bed or sleeping on the floor. When I have had to do this, the air in the motel room smells like a distillery in the morning after this group of heavy drinkers has slept in it.]
Presently, I am sitting on the base of a light post at the end of the AmericInn parking lot near my tent. The woman at the front desk called her boss and then gave me the go-ahead to camp in the parking lot, shower in Sylvia's room. I am in high cotton. Just can't bear to lug pounds and pounds of camping gear and food and then eat in cafes and convenience stores and share a motel room. If I am going to lug it, I’d prefer to use it. Plus I like the privacy that my little tent affords.
Just ate dinner of a chicken salad, avocado & cheese flatbread sandwich and orange drink. Waiting my turn for a shower.
This morning Tony Baltes and Marcie Young rode with us to Oquawka. Marcie is riding across country independently & found the group during RAGBRAI when she was keeping an eye and ear out for anyone pedaling to Maine. Kevin has a "Maine or Bust" sign on his bike--something he asked me to make for him before we split. Marcie started in Vermilion, SD.
We all stopped at the Illinois state line for a photo with the state's welcome sign. Tony and Marcie both left us in Oquawka to pedal their own routes. I thought of splitting and going with them but decided not. Both really wanted to ride solo.
We all stopped at the Illinois state line for a photo with the state's welcome sign. Tony and Marcie both left us in Oquawka to pedal their own routes. I thought of splitting and going with them but decided not. Both really wanted to ride solo.
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Marcie, Tony, Sylvia, Bill, Kevin, me, Diane, Tim, whom I pasted into the photo at the sacrifice of his legs; he took the first photo and I the second so had to add him and I do not know PhotoShop techniques |
Norma Jean was 30 years old in 1972 and working the Clark and Walters Circus. It was a small circus playing for small towns where elephants are a delight to small children. On the morning of July 17, in Oquawka a very ominous summer thunderstorm roared east across the Mississippi River. The 6500 pound Norma Jean was chained to the only tree on the town square. While the trainer was attempting to undo the chain, a bolt of lighting came down from the dark sky and struck the very tree which held Norma Jean. July 17, 1972 was Norma Jean's last show day. With permission by the state of Illinois, Norma Jean was interred on the spot where she had fallen. The grave is marked with a large boulder, and with a hand-laid monument erected of local stone holding a headstone.
Peter, Marcie says she knows your company and used to work for a VT State Dept of Natural Resources. She may show up in Jericho as she lives nearby. Knows Bread Loaf, the Snow Bowl, etc., too.
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| Sylvia exiting, Marcie entering, and me posing for a pic; I am holding Bill's bike with the leftover pipe foam rubber on its flag mast, he's taking the photo |
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| Shade is just around the bend |
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| Old discarded fire engiines in Alexis, IL, where the manufacture of fire engines is their main enterprise |
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Bill and Kevin taking power naps on the way to Kewanee
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| While the guys were power napping I filled my time by taking photos of nearby flowers |
Shower time. More later.
