I have now seen Iowa corn fields. They are just as I imagined except....the terrain is a lot more hilly than I thought ( hoped ) it would be.
We left Dyersville this morning and headed directly south....working our way into Illinois. The route was a big one today....96 miles. No one made it the whole way. Everyone of the riders, myself included asked to ride in the van today. Why???? WIND. Relentless warm wind.
Normally, we ride at about 15-17 mph with no tailwind....
Today, we barely broke 10 mph...even the strongest riders barely broke 10 mph. We were heading south but the wind was coming from the south. It came at us at 30 mph with gusts upto 35 mph.
When you're riding out in the open fields, there are no wind breakers...no trees, no buildings...nothing to help shield you from the wind.
We had complete opposite weather in terms of heat and dryness....we were riding in 89* today. It was definitely a challenge.
The fields, barns, farms were so pretty to look at...but after about 42 miles (which really feels like 82 miles in this wind)......we were all totally exhausted, totally done with corn fields. We decided it was time to get out of the saddle, get in the van and go have some salted corn chips with ice cold delicious beverages.
Tomorrow is a 'rest day' - no riding. We'll spend tonight and tomorrow night here in Muscatine, Iowa. On Wednesday, we'll begin our trek east as we head for Kewanee, Illinois.
A few photos I was able to capture today...
A sample of the beautiful farms....
Me in a small town we passed thru....practically a ghost town.....
Another small town...the City Hall is the size of a large storage shed. Look at the vintage gas pumps....
The wind blew down this shed/barn a few days ago....
Iowa American pride...
Hi J! Enjoy your rest day tomorrow! Great pictures today. 10 mph sounds like pure drudgery but at least the scenery kept you going for a while. Hugs, Gerri
ReplyDeleteHi Jeanette,
ReplyDeleteSuki said "urf urf". I think she meant "miss you". She's pretty playful at times.
Enough of Iowa....I agree. Let's get to beautiful up State New York. I'm sooooooooo glad your off tomorrow. Your knees need all the rest they can get. Try and save you energy and knee joints for the better part of the tour.
Love you,
"the tree of us"
Hey J.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures again. Love the small towns...Have a great free day...rest up.
I think you better hurry home,,,,The folks are getting attached to Suki....
Sis
Wow, nothing like warm wind! :/
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy your day off--and Im expecting a phone call.....hope you can "hear me now" since you're in a dead zone!
Im sure you're happy to hear Suki is well cuz I am!! If I miss her, how do you feel? Im looking forward to seeing her this week--I will send u pics :) Goodnite J.! Hugs, Sandy
Sounds like your tour should have started at the end and then ride west and north. Isn't that the way they say it goes. Ugh - the wind! Only 2 kilometers at the end of the runway is enough to get me to take the car to work every day. But this is also the country that invented windmills. Hopefully the wind will die down or start to blow at your back. Great small town pix. What a contrast to OC and LA county eh?
ReplyDeleteFantastic blog and pictures! I know about the wind first hand and I agree it is a KILLER!! Enjoy the day off and rest that knee. Jealous that you are doing this great adventure! Love reading about it though. All our thoughts are with you. Be safe. C&G
ReplyDeleteWow! First rain now wind! You know if I was there, I'd pick you up in my Isuzu :-) Keep taking lots of pictures, they are amazing. Looking forward to Suki!
ReplyDeleteAlways,
Maria G.
What an extreme challenge the last two days have been for you! Don't you love it when nature confronts nature? Did you feel damned like Sisyphus? Thought about you this weekend on my ride (a mere 35 miles) and began daydreaming of embarking on such an adventure. Thanks for the inspiration :-) So I'm trying to work myself up to averaging 15 to 17 mph. I'm only at 12 to 15 right now.
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures and your stories... Ride on Sista!
Mary Ann
Hey JJ! Just got your blog info from Sandy. What a challenging & amazing trip! We are SO excited for you! Keep on keepin on girl! YOU ROCK! Keep the pics & stories coming. Looking forward to seeing you back in the OC!
ReplyDeleteLove,
Fran & Marina
How much is the gas??? I'm sure it's cheaper then LA. Can you bring some home in a suitcase.
ReplyDeleteLove you, mean it,
Jennice