August 2 – August 8, 1989
August 2 (Day 36): Dyersville IA to Davenport IA
98.9 miles
12.3 avg
8:30 pm CDT
What a sort-of-not-so-great day. The roads weren’t so bad, but my butt really hurts where it contacts the seat. Ouch! In fact, right now during dinner I could use a pillow (wooden seats).
Eighty-nine degrees hot, with a nasty 10-15 mph (head) wind from the south. There were decent hills, too, but my max speed was only twenty-six.
When I bumped into some cyclists preparing for a time trial (20K) I asked if there was a good way to get to the Excel Inn. If I had taken the Bikecentennial Route it would have been ten miles – their way was two, including a bit of easy highway.
Hemorrhoid is in remission. Perhaps my troubles are “behind” me. My new worry is my left knee. One mile before Eldridge I got a stabbing pain under the kneecap any time I moved it. I stopped and ate some pizza – a half-hour later it was okay. Fortunately, I only had five more miles.
A mentally tough day – the wind pissed me off and I really didn’t feel like riding. And the scenery gets dull as one approaches Davenport. Riding in this heat all day takes its toll at night. I get chilly at bedtime and in the morning the sheets are soaked from sweat.
My wounds are slowly healing. It hurts to breathe deeply or walk.
(2006) Overnighted at an Excel Inn – $28.29. My ribs hurt so much that I could not roll over in bed without using my arms to push.
August 3 (Day 37): Davenport IA to Kewanee IL
70.0 miles
11.7 mph
7:00 pm CDT
This seems to be a very depressing evening. It’s very interesting how the surrounding environment affects my emotions and attitudes. There is something very depressing about the hotel I am staying in (The Heritage Inn). I chose it because it costs half the one in the town center – but I was warned.
Maybe it’s: The dead bugs. The live bugs. The smelly dumpster outside. The moldy smell inside. The smelly, bad-tasting water. Or it could be: The odorous pillows. The water marks on the walls and ceilings. The dirty rug. The missing light bulb (there were two, but they gave me one – now it’s only dim). The shower curtain that barely touches the top of the tub shelf.
Maybe it’s the rain outside. The loneliness, although it’s very short-lived, is very difficult to handle since time passes very slowly in hotels/places such as these. It is not easy to avoid being controlled by the environment. I feel a little saddened, yet even uplifted here in Pizza Hut – almost. Everyone here is with family or friends and I’m not – at least I’m with people.
Fortunately, I’m only in this hole for one night.
Today’s ride was hot (again) and humid. A 50% chance of thunderstorms tonight; the same through at least Sunday.
I got out of bed at 5:15 am. today to get my miles in before it got too hot. I’ll do the same for the next several days.
I have a dilemma: money shortage. The choices are (1) motels via credit card; (2) camp, risk getting soaked and/or a damaged tent (from hail) and a wet bicycle due to forecasted evening and overnight thunderstorms; (3) get more $ from the folks. The solution(s) may be (1) and (2) or (1) and (3).
I really miss Vicki tonight.
I called Hugh – pretty much I told him that I can’t wait to get home, and that I’m only enjoying this sometimes. The bad days outnumber the good, but I’ll not regret my decision to go on with the trip.
I would like to get to Bowling Green, Ohio soon – I’d like to stay a day at Bill Conn’s place and rest. I might get there Monday. I miscalculated a few days ago when I thought I had 1,000 miles to home. I still have about 1,200 right now. Ouch! That would put the whole trip at about 3,600 miles. The scenery was boring today. Winds from the south today at 10-15 mph. Definitely slowed me.
(2006) Ahhh, the Heritage Inn of Kewanee (intersection of routes 34 and 78). No good memories at that place. $24.38 – definitely overpriced. At those prices, could they have not afforded a light bulb or two?
I think I spent four hours in the Pizza Hut that evening.
I crossed over Rock River from Davenport to Rock Island on route 67. It was a toll bridge. I recall that the toll was ten cents. I paid it.
August 4 (Day 38): Kewanee IL to Gilman IL
151.9 miles
16.0 avg mph
8:00 pm CDT
Holy jeez! I got a little carried away today – by the wind. The most wonderful wind blew out of the west today at 10-15 mph. I certainly took advantage – it would have been stupid to pass up the friendliest wind of the trip. And I feel better than after most of my centuries so far.
I started pedaling at 5:45 am and finished at 6:40 pm. Breakfast was at 40 miles (Henry, IL), lunch at 72 miles (noon, in Streator) and dinner right now.
It was incredibly hot today. It’s 86º now. The high must’ve been mid-90s and humidity about 70%. Mercifully, there was only 40% sunshine.
When I left the dump this morning, there were thunderstorms twenty-five miles north and ten miles south. I fortunately avoided them by modifying the route as I went along. I don’t think there were any today because there wasn’t enough sun. Also, I am cycling through the remnants of Hurricane Chantal.
I’ll try to connect with Paul Vandervoort tomorrow. Even if the tailwinds continue, I don’t see myself doing this kind of mileage again.
My motel is nice – I like that.
I must have set a record for gallons sweat out. I drank about the equivalent of fifteen water bottles and urinated twice.
If I read the smudged receipt, I stayed at the Lee Mar Motel for $27.00. I think I remember that dinner tasted especially good tonight.
I am not sure – it may have been August 3 or August 5. On a warm sunny late morning, I stopped for lunch in a dark restaurant in a small town. Inside a Glen Campbell fan must have dropped a bunch of quarters into the jukebox. The songs are good, though Glen Campbell’s singing leaves a lot to be desired. Nonetheless, whenever I hear certain Glen Campbell tunes, I find myself back in that dimly lit restaurant as if it happened yesterday. It was not an uplifting moment, but at this point I was beginning to realize that I just might have what it takes to finish the trip and was beginning to enjoy more the experience of being on the road, but seeing the end of the journey coming near.
(2024) I remember that I went off-route a little in the morning to avoid lightning, and when I stopped for breakfast, the flag outside of the diner was blowing to the west – against me. When I came outside after, as I unlocked my bike, I realized that the flag was now pointing east, and it was straight out. It was a perfect 100% tailwind.
August 5 (Day 39): Gilman IL to Kokomo IN
116.8 miles
13.9 mph avg
11:30 pm EST
I made it to Paul Vandervoort’s. I made it to Indiana. I made it to Eastern Standard? Time. Oh well. A stinking hot day. Took US 24 across until US 35 to Kokomo. Good road! I am very tired. Headwind for first twenty miles, tailwind for remainder.
Paul bought dinner (I owe him one) and I got a tour of the town. He also met me on his bike nine miles north of town, but I had to fix his flat on the return. There was a torrential rain in Indianapolis today. We got none. But it’s thundering now.
— 8:00 am Sunday, August 6 —
Hell of a storm last night – hail, wind, rain. But it’s beautiful now.
I dreamed I was home last night. I was crying and Vicki asked why. I said, “because I’m happy.” It was a letdown when I awoke.
August 6 (Day 40): Kokomo IN to Huntington IN
65.0 miles
12.9 mph
7:45 pm EST
At this moment it looks and feels like Autumn. It has clouded up and the temperature has fallen to 65 degrees. It’s very refreshing! Tomorrow’s high should only be 67°.
Vandy fed me well: Salad, steak, rolls, fries, cheesecake (that was dinner); custard cone (dessert); eggs, bacon and toast (breakfast); cinnamon rolls (lunch); and gallons of lemonade and orange juice. I don’t think he would have minded if I stayed another night. I sort-of wanted to, but I don’t want to take a day off until Bowling Green, Ohio, Pittsburgh or Johnstown.
A lot of headwinds today. From the north at 25 mph. Most of the time my speedometer showed 10 mph. Hopefully, it won’t be so bad tomorrow as I head east, having rejoined the Bikecentennial route. The cool weather made it quite workable.
I really wanted to camp tonight. I couldn’t find the “Hi-Lo Campground” because it was turned into a trailer park. The nearest alleged campground is about five more miles, it was becoming dark (I didn’t leave Vandy’s until 1 pm), and I still had to eat. So I am in the LK Motel, at the junction of state roads 9 and 24. The sun sets about 7:50 pm because those idiots are not on Daylight time.
I haven’t been able to get in touch with Bill in Bowling Green; he must be away for the weekend. I left messages.
I get alternately excited and depressed as I get closer to home, but I realize that I’m still a week and a half away. I could do it in less, but I want to arrive strong, not trashed. My beard badly needs trimming.
(2006) I stayed in room 312 of the L K Inn (2996 W Park Drive). It was $39.90, proving that as one heads east, hotel prices rise. On this night I watched the pilot of a television show. It was called, “The Seinfeld Chronicles”, the forerunner of the “Seinfeld” show. All I recall of the show is a scene in an airport with George and Jerry.
August 7 (Day 41): Huntington IN to Bowling Green OH
133.6 miles
13.5 mph avg
12:30 am EDT
Finally I am on East Coast Time. I’m in state ten of twelve.
I didn’t arrive until sundown tonight, about 8:45. I left late (8:00 or 8:30) and lost an hour at the Indiana-Ohio border. There was a very stiff wind from the northwest which slowed my 20-25 northbound miles. The maximum speed today was only 19 mph.
My butt hurt a lot! Pimples in the wrong places, where I sit.
The roads in Ohio are generally excellent. Traffic was light, decent shoulders. No hills today.
I’m at Bill Conn’s apartment tonight, and tomorrow night since I need rest. The weather was gorgeous; mostly sunny, 70 degrees. More tomorrow.
August 8 (Day 42): Bowling Green OH (rest day)
No miles
5:40 pm EDT
The Eat-A-Thon continues. Last night we went to “Big Boy” restaurant where I had a salad and two helpings of the “all-you-can-eat” spaghetti, and cheesecake. It wasn’t that good, but I was so hungry that it was okay. Today for lunch I cooked a pound of rigatoni and had an english muffin and a bagel. There’s a broccoli quiche in the fridge that I think I’ll leave alone.
Bill’s place is small but comfortable. I just finished an hour’s nap.
I’m going to continue east until Cleveland, then leave the Bikecentennial route and head towards Pittsburgh to visit Dave and Karen Wilk. My chest still hurts – maybe it’s more than a bruised rib. I’ve pedaled about 2,860 miles.
(2006) Bill took me for a tour of the University there and gave me a pass so I could get in. He thought I might want to get a workout there. Funny – I did not have the heart to tell him that all I really wanted was to eat and to sleep. I believe that Bill Conn was an acquaintance of Sue Corcoran’s from her stint in the Peace Corps. My trip was to take a different direction a few days later when I reached Sue’s parents in Johnstown PA.