GTD 2014 - Day 14

Bowling Green, MO to St. Charles, MO

Countryside is great for riding but after so many days of countryside it is exciting to get back to the excitement of the city.

Even though a greater part of the day would be spent riding in the countryside along the MR I knew that the last quarter of today's ride would be going through towns leading to St. Louis.

I first stopped in Louisiana, MO and reconnected with the River.  There were some actual steps at the bank of the River that led down into the River.  Not exactly sure why they are there since the River is large and the current is strong.  Nonetheless, interesting.

I rode through small town after small town till I reached O'Fallon, MO.  There I found a Starbucks, the first one I saw since St. Paul, MN.  I enjoyed a snack, a drink and connecting with my friends in Ferguson, MO.

Due to the difficulty of getting to their house on bike Dr. Mike suggested that he meet me at Frontier Park in St. Charles, MO.  Sounded good to me so I set off for Frontier Park.  I was in city traffic but no worries, just energy.  I got to Frontier Park and texted Mike re: his location in the Park.  After hearing from him I made my way from where I was to where he was.  Along the way there was some cool frontier stuff.  It was great to find Mike!

We loaded up my rig and headed to the house.  After arriving at the house I unloaded my rig and took time to clean it up.  After that I cleaned myself up and enjoyed dinner & the evening with Mike & Pam.  Because of the nature of my journey Mike shared a book with me that was written by a man who canoed the MR.  I love adventure, I am looking forward to reading it!

GTD 2014 - Day 13

La Grange, MO to Bowling Green, MO.

I was excited to continue down the MR and go through Hannibal, MO.  A friend told me about the Mark Twain Diner and said that it was a must.

I put it in Google Maps and began to head that way.  Unfortunately Google Maps doesn't differentiate between paved and unpaved roads for cyclists.  My enthusiasm for the morning ride was dampened a bit when Google Maps took me off of a paved road onto a mostly hard packed farm road.

As I said, it was mostly hard packed so there were a few tricky areas along the way.  It was also bumpy and on one downhill section I hit a bump that tossed a water bottle or two out of their holders.  I had to stop and turn around in order to retrieve my bottles.  I was happy to finish that section and return back to the paved road.

I finally arrived at the Diner and enjoyed some fried chicken and veggies.  This would serve as good fuel for the afternoon.  I also took time to charge up my phone and portable battery for the night of camping ahead.

The afternoon ride was similar to others out in the countryside though this one was along a 4 lane road until the turn off to Bowling Green.  I was happy to make the turn east and head to the Campground.  Before the turn off I was surprised to come across the Gailey Branch in Pike County, MO.  I texted a  picture to my family and my brother David had passed by it before.  Pretty cool heh!

I arrived at the Campground and the Manager was really nice.  He directed me to my site, it was nice as well.  I set up camp then prepared some dinner.  After dinner I showered then got into my tent, the temperature was dropping.  It was to be unseasonable cold, this made for great sleeping weather.

Tomorrow I will meet up with the Chambers, looking forward to a great visit with them!

GTD 2014 - Day 12

Burlington, IA to La Grange, MO

I left Burlington and continued down Highway 61 along the Mississippi River (MR) into Missouri.  I was excited about the day's ride because it was taking me into familiar territory due to many trips to the Cornerstone Christian Music Festival in Bushnell, IL.

One time at the Festival I was in need of some $ so I traveled into town Macomb, IL and no $ were available.  I was told there were some grocery stores in Keokuk, IA that would give cash back so I took off on a road trip.  I didn't know that day when I crossed the MR that several years later I would pass by the area on my bike riding down the MR.

The ride through the farmland of Illinois was uneventful, I am so glad that I can listen to music or podcast along the way.

I finally arrived at Wakonda SP in La Grange, MO, it was very nice.

In two days I will arrive in the St. Louis area where I will connect with great friends Dr. Mike &

Pam Chambers.  Before St. Louis though I will make a stop in Bowling Green, MO.

GTD 2014 - Day 11

Davenport, IA to Burlington, IA

After a great breakfast Scott transported me back to my route.  Today I would rejoin my new friend, the Mississippi River, and continue on The Mississippi Trail to Burlington, IA.

I had been calling the Campground in Burlington to confirm my reservation but no one was answering the phone.  Finally late in the day they called me back to let me know that flooding has closed their Campground.  I thought, no worries, I will get a room in Burlington.

I arrived in Burlington and immediately realized that it was an interesting place.  Downtown wires stretched across the street and had bicycles hanging from the wires.  Modern art expression I guess.

I made my way out of the old Downtown area to the Business District where the hotels were.  I checked the first one, no rooms.  Second one, no rooms.  This went on and on till I was at one of the last decent hotels.  At first when I asked for a room there were none.  As I was about to leave one room opened up due to a cancellation.

I wondered why no rooms were available that time of the week in Burlington.  I was told that each week Business people would come to town to conduct business so rooms were always scarce mid week.  I was praising the Lord one opened up or else I would have been looking for a Park or Backyard to camp in.

The hotel provided me with a warm shower and laundry facilities, it was a good day and now good night.

GTD 2014 - Day 10

Dubuque, IA to Davenport, IA

I talked to Scott in Davenport and told him my route for the day.  He said based upon where they live in relation to my route it would be best for him to meet me when I got to Davenport.  He gave me the location and I put in Google Maps.

The ride was very uneventful because I left the river and rode a straight line from Dubuque to Davenport on a 4 lane highway.  I felt very much like riding 11W in East Tennessee or 441 in Florida.

I gave Scott a heads up when I was getting close so he met me soon after I arrived.  His vehicle easily fit my rig so we loaded up quick and set off for his house.  Upon arrival I met his wife, very nice.  Scott said it would be best for him to transport me back to my route the next morning so everything stayed in the vehicle.

After showering we went out to an awesome Italian Restaurant, I put away the pasta!  After dinner we chatted a bit before calling it a day.

The route may not have been the best but the dinner and company made it a great rebound day.

Looking forward to making my way into another State tomorrow!

GTD 2014 - Day 9

Lynxville, WI to Dubuque, IA

I was excited that the rain had stopped and I could pack up with out getting drenched.  I had to strategically place some items on my bags and trailer in hopes they would dry out.

After being on the road for a short bit the rain returned and it brought lightening and thunder with it.  I found a small business that provided shelter under their overhang.  They weren't open yet so no human interaction.

After about 10-15 minutes it seemed as though the lightening had stopped so I set out again.  The rest of the day was off and on rain so I fell way behind on my daily schedule.  A great surprise was that a friend of mine saw that I was going to stop in Dubuque for the night so they contacted a church family they knew and asked if they would like to host me for the night.  They said yes!

Mid day I didn't know how much of a blessing that would be, I figured that out late afternoon when I just couldn't seem to get to Dubuque.  I called the family and told them of my dilemma and they said "no problem, we will come pick you up".  I told them about the extent of my rig and they said, "no problem, we have a van that your rig will easily fit in".  WOW, what a blessing!

I had a great dinner and night with the family.  Their son was a big Badger fan as well as Green Bay Packers so his room was decked out in Badger and Packer items, it was cool.

I got a great night's rest and made contact with Mama C's friends in Davenport, IA, they would be hosting me there.

GTD 2014 - Day 8

Winona, MN to Lynxville, WI

I woke up to great weather but the forcast was for rain.  The morning ride to LaCrosse, WI, was uneventful but I could see rain clouds off in the distance.

I found a McDonalds in LaCrosse so I enjoyed every a hot fudge Sundae for dessert.  At McDonalds I usually order Chicken Snack Wraps or McChicken Sandwiches or the Dollar Menu Cheeseburgers.  I don't worry too much about calories during a GTD Trip.

The rest of the afternoon I kept an eye on the rain clouds ahead.  I made it to the Mississippi River Bend Campground Office and checked in.  The Manager pointed me in the direction of my campsite, up the hill across the street.

What a hill it was!  I found my spot and set up camp as though the rains would come, they did!  Because I was well prepared with an extra tarp or two I stayed dry as did my gear.

The Manager told me I could use the porch and tv at the trailer two sites down from.  Just before the rain started I went there to cook my dinner and watch some tv.

After dinner and tv I hustled to my tent and settled in.  The rain put me to sleep and I slept well till lightening and thunder woke me up.  I couldn't fall back asleep so I went back to watch more tv.
It didn't take long for me to get sleepy so I returned to my tent and slept till morning.

The morning was about breakfast, drying things as much as possible, packing up and setting out to Dubuque, Iowa!

GTD 2014 --- Day 7

Red Wing, MN to Winona, MN

I woke up rested and excited for the day ahead.  After reading my YouVersion verse for the day I enjoyed breakfast at the hotel.

Being at a hotel saves me a lot of time. I don't have to breakdown camp, clean everything and pack it up.  I also can do laundry which is nice since I only take 2 sets of riding clothes.

I am behind schedule so now I have to adjust my schedule and stops.   Today I rode to Winona, MN instead of LaCrosse, WI.  Good thing anyway, I got a call from the LaCrosse Campground and they were closed due to flooding.

The ride to Winona was similar to yesterday, peaceful!  Winona is another small Minnesota town with friendly people.  Once again Celeste found me a hotel because there were no decent camping options.

Tomorrow I head into Wisconsin, I am looking forward to riding the Wisconsin bluffs along the River.

GTD 2014 - Day 6

It was a bummer to miss a visit to The Mall of America due to yesterday's bike troubles but the blow was softened a bit by a Starbucks stop in St. Paul.

There was a very scenic trail all the way to St. Paul.  It took me up high so I overlooked the airport and city and then it took me down to the river the rest of the way.

The Starbucks stop prepared me for the turn south west down the Mississippi.  Riding along the river is so peaceful!  After lunch in Hastings I set my sights on Red Wing, the home of Red Wing Shoes!

I found a cool coffee shop in Red Wing and chatted with a couple riding a tandem, they were heading to Minneapolis.

After coffee and a snack I headed to a decent hotel that Celeste found online.  I was looking forward to a long night of sleep so that I might feel rested as I headed into week 2.

GTD 2014 Day 5

I woke up to a beautiful day, I was excited to return to Minneapolis and hopefully visit the Mall of America as well as my friend.

The ride was going great and then after lunch the heavens opened up.  The rest of my ride became very interesting.

About 10 miles north of Minneapolis I was direct on to a Trail.  It was awesome, even in the cold rain.  As I set my eyes toward the City I shifted up to easier gear to climb the Trail hills.  Unfortunately as I shifted up my chain overshot the top ring.  In the cold rain I had to stop, unload everything and try to get the chain back on to the cluster.  It was really stuck!  I had to tug really hard to get it unstuck.  Because of that I knew I had stretched my chain really bad.

I got the chain back on so I loaded everything up and started again.  I had to find a dry place to find and contact a bike shop on my maps program.  I finally did so I was good to go.  As I was being directed to downtown my phone died.  As the Trail came to an end I rode into a neighborhood.  The first house I found with an open garage door I stopped at and asked if I could use an outlet to charge my phone.  A sweet Asian family agreed to do so.  They even fed me!

After a bit I noticed my phone wasn't charging.  Fortunately it had enough of charge for me to contact Joel and see if he could come get me and take me to the bike shop.  He said he could as soon as his wife returned with the car.

Meanwhile the mom the family had talked with some local extended family who thought it was very strange that I was hanging out at in the garage.  They came over, stirred everyone up and had me move everything down to the curb.  The 2 daughters were very upset and crying.  I assured them it was not a problem.

It wasn't long before Joel arrived and loaded me up.  He took me to an awesome bike shop that stayed open late and was able to make all the repairs.  Before going to the hotel I treated Joel to dinner.  It was great to catch up on life, family and ministry.

He dropped me off at my hotel and I settled in for what would be a short night of sleep.  All in all it was a great day.

GTD 2014 day 4

After a great night's sleep and breakfast I said goodbye to my gracious hosts and set out to get back on the Trail.  I was feeling pretty good due to the good food, rest and ibuprofen.  It was cold but not rainy PTL!  I found the Trail quickly and set out toward the end of the Trail in Brainerd, MN.

The Trail ended but the transition on to the road that would begin my journey to St. Cloud was easy.  I set out through the MN farmlands in bright sunshine.  The roads went from flat to rolling, from good to bad, from paved to hard packed dirt.  I began the journey with some Gatorskin slicks so I was a bit anxious on the dirt surfaces even though I was carrying 2 Schwalbe Marathons on my BOB.

This anxiety led me to reroute quite a bit thus my day grew longer and longer.  I had been in touch with Jacque Breman throughout the day; he and his wife were going to meet me at the Campground and take me to dinner.  They were jetlagged due to just returning from China so I felt bad for them as the day started to move toward evening and the longer I rode the farther away I seemed to get.

My last reroute took me from the country roads I had ridden all day to busy Highway 52.  I could now see the light at the end of the tunnel but would have to endure lots of traffic and a rough shoulder.  I finally got to St. Cloud and to the Campground.  I checked in, got my campsite and then found Jacque and hiswife asleep in their car.

I woke them up and we set out to my campsite.  I was blessed to be setting up camp under a pole barn shelter because the weather was turning bad.  No sooner did I pull under the shelter did it start pouring.  I locked up my bike and trailer, showered then set out to dinner with Jacque and his wife.  They treated me to an awesome all you can eat Pasta Dinner; it was fantastic!

After dinner we returned to my campsite.  Jacque directed his headlights inside the shelter so I could set up my tent.  The land was a bit low so I was strategic in where I set up so I would not be flooded in the night.  After I was finished setting up I thanked them for the dinner and said goodbye; it was great to spend time with friends after a tough second day of riding.

It rained all through the night but my set up strategy worked and I remained dry.  How awesome it was to check in to a Campground that happened to have a pole barn shelter on a rainy rainy night.  Once again God had my back.

Day 3 of riding would return me to Minneapolis and allow me to get some work done on my bike and hopefully visit with Joel Bidderman.

GTD 2014 Day 3

I woke up early and excited to get going on Day 1 of a 24 Day Adventure.  The call was for rain but when I looked outside it was a bit overcast but no rain.  I ate some breakfast, dressed warm, took a pre-ride photo and set out for Pequot Lakes.

The ride out of Itasca State Park was nice.  Ten minutes into the ride a slight rain started.  I turned on to Hwy 71 and the rain picked up and the cold seemed colder.  After about an hour I noticed that my phone was about dead; this was strange since it charged all night was at 100% when I started.  I was able to take a couple of photos before plugging into my I.Sound Portable Battery.  It began to charge right away; whew!

It was a rainy ride to LaPorte, MN.  Half way I received a call from one of the Campgrounds I booked in Wisconsin; they were letting me know that their Campground was under water and they were canceling my Reservation; surprise number 2.  No worries; God will provide.

I arrived in LaPorte and found the Paul Bunyan Trail.  Before starting down the Trail I took a break from the cold rain to get some hot chocolate and hot soup.  The Convenience Store Clerk was very nive and had a great Minnesota accent.  I set out down the Trail after warming up a bit and finishing my hot food and drink.

I was excited to ride the Trail and I was excited that the rain had stopped.  I passecd several ice covered lakes; the ride down the Trail was beautiful.  When I arrived in Walker, MN I got off the Trail to see the town and get a snack.  I was really excited to see the Northern Exposure store.  I snapped a photo and sent it on to Chris; he knew how much I liked NE.  Ironically the NE store was located in a town that sharedhis wife's Maiden name.

After leaving Walker the Trail took me through many small towns with interesting history like Hackensack and Backus. After Backus I was getting tired so when I found a bench overlooking Pine Mountain Lake I took a rest.  I also took time to call Pastor Olsen at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Pequot Lakes, MN; I would be camping at the church.  I could not reach her so I left a message letting her know my location and approximate ETA.  After consuming some nutritious snacks I set off to Pequot Lakes.

After a few more small towns I arrived in Pequot Lakes and followed Google Maps to an abandoned lot.  I turned around and then asked a local if they knew where the church was; they weren't positive but they thought it might be down on the corner.  Since it was a small town I took a chance and that chance paid off; I had arrived!  Pastor Olsen and I had chatted a few towns back so I knew she would be arriving shortly for a meeting.  When she did arrive she suggested that I stay with her and her husband; they lived 8 miles south of the church just off the Trail; it sounded good to me.  Since I was spent physically she called him and had him bring his truck to the church.  We loaded up and went to the house; it was awesome!  After cleaning up he and I went to pick up some Chinese food; amazing!  After dinner and visiting I was ready for sleep.  It had been a good first day but a bit more taxing than I had anticipated: thank God for the prayers of his people and ibuprofen!

GTD 2014 Day 2

I woke up early; excited for the day to come.  My first stop was Freewheel Bike Midtown; I needed help securing my seat post.  Joe got that taken care of and fitted my Jamis VR with a cool fender.  FBM has a cafe so I enjoyed some coffee, a scone and conversation with "All the Way" Ray and Lou.

After FBM I set off for Itasca SP.  It was about a 3 1/2 hour drive to the park; very scenic with a few small towns along the way.  I checked in at thew Park Office and then went to the MR Headwaters to take a photo since it would be impossible to do so the next morning.  There is a certain feel standing at/in the MR Headwaters.  Just knowing that that little stream will grow into a mighty, mighty river that flows all the way to the Gulf of Mexico is incredible.

After the photo I settled in at my Itasca Suite; very cool place to stay.  I couldn't settle for long because I needed to return the truck to Park Rapids and then cycle back.  I dropped the truck off, grabbed something to eat then cycled the 23.5 miles back to the Suite.  It was a scenic cycle with a little bit of climbing.  Good warm up ride.

I cleaned up and then fitted my BOB Trailer with a rack.  After that I spent the rest of the evening organizing and packing so I could leave early the next morning.

It's been almost 2 years since GTD 2012; it's hard to believe how fast the time has passed.  I am now ready to Go The Distance again with the Lord's help and the prayers of His people.

GTD 2014 Day 1

My flight wasn't leaving till 10:40 but I was wide awake and ready to go at 5:30.  I got to the airport early so after turning in the rental car I had plenty of time to check-in, go through security and relax at my terminal.  I did some reading and reviewed what needed to be done when I got to Minneapolis.

Both flights (to Dallas then Minneapolis) were on time and without incident.  I met several nice folks who clued me more into Minnesota and what I would experience riding down the River.

I picked up my BOB Bag then went to Hertz.  They had a truck for me, perfect!  I found the hotel in no time and was relieved to see all my boxes were in good shape (thanks FedEx!).  The remainder of the night was devoted to reassembling my bike and trailer and organizing my gear.  I was happy to get it done and get to sleep.

All in all, a good day one.  Tomorrow I will journey to Itasca SP and Park Rapids.

GTD 2014 Practice Ride #1

With the Semester winding down and GTD 2014 only a couple of weeks away it was time to load up my BOB Trailer and Camelbak and set out on a Practice Ride.  My destination would be Palatka.  I got all my gear together, put it in ziploc bags and loaded it in my trailer.

After having Celeste take a pre ride picture I rode out of the neighborhood and headed north on 15th. About a half mile up the road I hit something that slashed my rear tire and brought my ride to a halt.

   
I walked my bike and trailer back to the house and changed out my rear wheel.  This eliminated a wobble that I noticed while walking back and it saved some time.

Due to lost time I decided to change my route.  Instead of going north to Hampton to catch the Lake Butler-Palatka Trail I would now go east through Melrose to Putnam Hall to catch the trail.  I set out and the ride was good.  There were a few issues with the gearing due to the new wheel but it worked well enough.

I arrived at the store on the corner of 100 and 26.  This is where I met Jeff and Nike from CA; they were on a 12,000 mile ride around the US and Canada.  This time I met 3 sweet American Born Chinese kids; their dad worked at the store.  They had all kinds of questions about my upcoming ride down the Mississippi River.  After chatting I crossed over 100 and started down the Trail.

I talked to Celeste; she was passing through Melrose.  The ride down the Trail was really nice but came to an end about 7 miles out of Palatka.

As I transitioned from the Trail to 100 I met Christian; a local. He provided me with more info re: the Trail and the paved sections.  As I was about to cross over 100 to the east bound bike lane Celeste passed by; waving as she passed.  I would meet her in Palatka.

The final 7 miles was quick; my average speed was between 16-18 mph.  I met up with Celeste and loaded my Gear in the car and the bike on the back.  It was a good Practice Ride.  My next one is to Ormond Beach and back.

This Ride allowed me to deal with equipment problems and problems with the weather.  I will be ordering new tires and a small rack for my BOB Trailer; this will allow me to carry more and access more things easier than if they were in my BOB Bag.

Rain

It's Good Friday and it is raining off and on.  The inclement weather reminds me to check the Weather Channel's 10 Day Forecast for Park Rapids, MN; the start of GTD 2014.  10 days from today the high will be 56 and the low 32.  In between the highs and lows will go up and down; ranging from 66 the highest high and 29 the lowest low.  There will be rain and snow on the 24th and 25th.

 

These conditions are acceptable and to be expected; not much different than my 2008 ride across Colorado in May.  I will be carrying 2 tarps with me; 1 for below and 1 for above my tent.  I will practice this set up in my back yard before leaving.  

In these final weeks it will be more about checking all my Gear before packing up.  I will be shipping my bike via FedEx to the Minneapolis LaQuinta where I will stay on May 4; Jordan will be looking out for it.  I will be breaking down my BOB Trailer, boxing it up and taking it on the plane with me along with my BOB Bag.

There is a lot of double checking that will go on these final 2 weeks; both Gear and Logistics. Looking forward to my GTD 2014 journey and all that God has in store for me along the way.