32 degrees, hills galore and a DQ

   Woke up this morning to 32 degrees, the blankets kept me from having to pile on clothes to stay warm. I had a 29 degree once doing exactly that. The mosquito netting keeps the heat in, strange but true. At 9:01 I pulled out Pin Oak Creek campsite headed for Cuba. Hills and valleys must of the way, go like hell down the hill and try to make it up the next without having to shift into my granny chainring gear. I walked two hills rather than try to be iron man and needlessly waste energy.  Route 66 parallels interstate 40 to the point of being only forty feet away from semi trucks, RVs, SUVs and sedans cramming the highway, on Sunday no less.  GPS steered me onto a few hard packed dirt roads which were picturesque but difficult to gain any speed combined with clouds of dust from passing cars. I did meet one interest farmer whose first generation Italian father purchased a beautiful secluded farm in 1942. As I was riding away he shout that he would make me an Italian dinner on my return trip. Three hours along I stopped at a gas/convenience store and went door for a Dairy Queen Blizzard. I love the place. After over forty miles of up snd down I arrived at Meramec Valley campground. Pretty much deserted, I set up can where I wanted.  The camp store was closed and I didn’t have much road food to suffice for dinner.  Dialing around I lucked out with Pizza Hut, they delivered.  Being out in the country most of the time it is hard to find a place to stay without wearing my to down to exhausting trying reach a town having accommodations.  Tomorrow may be only a bit over thirty miles to Rolla where there will be places to bunk up.

Back in the groove

      Today I rode from St. Louis to Villa Ridge, Missouri, forty-nine miles. Hilly south of SL but the days rest seemed to get me back into the groove.  One crazy windy road with blind corners and fast drivers tested my avoidance skills. Two hills I walked but all and all the ride was a good one.  At a convenience store I met a fellow woodworker who showed me pictures of his pieces, a good conversation during my lunch break.  He pointedly warned me about the crazy road which I didn’t take seriously until I was in the midst of it.  Anyways, the miles clicked by hoping that the campsite on the map was operational. I rounded a bend with .2 miles on my gps and there she was, Pin Oak Creek RV Camping.  With several boarded up motels and a campsite phone number which failed multiple times I was a concerned that I might be in a pinch to find a place for the night. Part of the adventure is finding a place whether it be a campsite, Warmshowers.org, a hostel, cheap motel, fire department, church or a night stealth camping,  I never know exactly how far I will travel and so the accommodations part of the equation can get a bit dicey.  Anyways, the campsite is well equipped and I am hunkered down for a chilly night. One of the staff, concerned about my well being, brought by two blankets.  That is a first.

Odel to Saint Louis by train

    A day of rest  on the train from Pontiac to St. Louis gave my body time to recover. Yet, hauling my bike on and off the train with no platform was a bit strenuous but worth it given the four days of riding it would save me. 210 miles already covered in 2015 was a welcome reprieve.  Before Craig Rebholz drove me down to the Pontiac train station this morning I contacted warmershowers host searching for a place to stay.  Three out of four responded, I chose Chris Salinas because of his close proximity to the station.  Six tenths of a mile through empty streets due to the Cardinals and the Phillies first playoff game in Busch Stadium. In fact, Chris and his wife Lydia were at the game.  I arrived at a gorgeous 1885 mansard roofed, three story brick house.  A pad and a half.  Chris gave me instructions as to where to store my bike, how to get into the house and where the beer was.  Fourteen foot ceiling and two twenty-one step set of stairs even had me breathing. Great lay out, a very cool pad.  Chris and Lydia arrived home where upon I offered my condolences over the Cardinals losing the first game.  That aside, the cheese and beer came out.  Lydia headed out to be with the girls while Chris and I went around the corner for dinner.  During our walk to and from I saw that the entire neighborhood is full of these fabulous houses and yet fifteen years earlier the area was seriously blighted.  I can’t imagine their heating A/C bills are but they did a beautiful job restoring the place. Like me and my house many hours of toil were expended coming up with the finished product.  As for tomorrow’s ride I will try to limited myself to around forty miles to allow my body more time to adjust to the trip.  Being rather cool I will wait until 9:00 before pedaling off.  It looks like I will be camping tomorrow night.

A rough day into the wind

What is twenty-seven miles down to Pontiac to catch the train to St. Louis?  Seeing as I have bicycled from St. Louis to Odel seven years ago I never like riding the same road twice.  Starting off was fine for the first several miles, then the wind picked up hitting me head on.  Aggravating the situation it was up a slight incline the whole way. My speed slowed from ten mph to seven.  Was I bonking, I had a good breakfast and drank plenty of electrolites.  My body was rebelling and after seventeen miles I crept into Odel total exhausted.  Forty-seven miles the first day and sixty miles the second took its toll.  I should have started off at a much slower pace. After stopping at the Odel route 66 information center I headed  over to the local bank where Jim Robholz was manager.  Seven years early when riding across the country he took me in for night and he and his wife Connie treated me like royalty.  I parked my bike and went into the bank to say hi.  It was great to see Jim and recall the good time I had with his family. Asking him if I could get my bike on the train st Pontiac we both searched online and was able to make a reservation for tomorrow at 11:07. Asking where I could stay in Pontiac Jim immediately offer to put me up. Grateful was was understatement.  My exhausted body needed the break.  After we had lunch together, he took me over to his house and familiarized me with everything and returned to the bank. A hot shower, laundry and a nap brought me back to life. Connie arrived home and remembered me right away.  It was old home week.  Shortly after she arrived home we were off to their son’s house to hook up this huge RV to his GMC truck.  I helped where I could.  We drove over to Fairbury where there is a dirt race track where modified late model cars race. This weekend is the last  race of the season, the Fals Frenzy ( Fairbury American Legion speedway).  There son backed the RV into the assigned spot next Connie’s Brother’s and sister’s RVs, a family affair.  The races start tomorrow and they wanted to get set up before the mobs of humanity showed up. I was envious of the good time they had planned. After setting up we headed out for pizza as the skies opened up, lightning and all. Another good time.  Tomorrow, Craig, Jim and Connie’s son, is driving me to the train station in Pontiac.  I will arrive in St Louis at 2:50.  I pray that the winds I fought against today will not be the case down the road.To sum up I hope I can return the hospitality to the Rebholz when they come east to my place.

Heading south

 Day two, sixty miles from Chicago Heights through Joliet down to Gardner on rte 66. Over forty miles on the old plank road rails to trails, no cars but a bit confining without much change in the scenery.  Once on route 66, the traffic was light but with no shoulder most of the time my eyes were checking with glasses mounted mirror to see what was coming up behind me. The cars all gave me ample room but were still hauling along. Much has changed since my cross country trip in 2015.  People now understand that bicycles have as much right to the rode as cars and trucks. Particularly, when the big semi tractor trailers slow down to creep before passing me when there is ample room I wave my thanks. Two rest breaks, one in Joliet and the second in Wilmington kept me energized through the day. Thankfully the terrain was flat but a headwind slowed me up when on the open road. Being my second day on the road my body is still adjusting…arms, legs and derriere. My goal/destination for today was Gardner thinking there might be a campsite or motel but the town is small and had no accommodations of any sort. I tried one fire department to no avail and there were no churches around to seek sanctuary. Growing a bit concerned I stopped at a gift shop with popular rock being piped outside.  The store owner said Dwight ten miles down the rode had accommodations but at 4:30 and sixty miles on the odometer the store owner took mercy on me and called her husband to check to see if I could pitch my tent in their back yard.  Given the green light and directions to their house I was eternally grateful.  Along with the lawn I was given use of their bathroom to shower up.  The force was with me!  Fifty feet away was a country restaurant where I chilled over a delicious dinner. As before the local folk all know each other and the cost of dining is considerably lower.  Tomorrow, my goal is Pontiac.  In 2015 I covered 210 miles from St. Louis to Odel. From Pontiac I will catch a train to St. Louis.  Now for some much needed sleep.

Day one

     After double checking the bike, I loaded up the bike with four panniers, rear top bag, bar bag and the under seat tool bag; 45-50 lbs added to the weight of the bike adds up to about eighty-five lbs.  Envision driving a semi tractor trailer, twenty-seven gears shifting up and depending on the terrain. Even with plenty of experience it takes a few miles to get in the groove.  A mile down to the Metra commuter train station followed by an express ride to downtown Chicago put me a few blocks from my starting point at Millennium park bordering lake Michigan. Beautiful ride along the lake coast, a number of wrong turns but eventual I made my way out of Chicago.  South Chicago is one place not to be with the lights out with one of the highest murder rates in the country. A combination of rails to trails and secondary roads brought me to twenty-five miles east of Joliet.  In the process my map and velcro map holder fell off without me noticing it.  Gps has been cooperating so I should be ok until I intersect with route 66 tomorrow.  Forty-seven miles today was a stretch for my first day but the body will adapt within the next three days.  A shaky motel was the only choice in the area so I will suck it up and sleep on the bed spread with my sleeping bag….part of the adventure.

On the road….sort of

   All my gear and I made it to Providence  T.F. Green airport thanks to Betsy.  Checked in my mountain of gear, made it through security including my gear being throughly searched, happens every time.  The flight was overbooked and I was one of the last to board which relegated me to a middle seat with a gorilla on either side. I swear the seats are getting smaller and passengers are getting bigger.  Southwest should forego the seats and just provide slots to slide into.  An hour and a half in the air felt like a transatlantic flight.  Kate Wick picked me up and the next day the bike was assemble and my gear loaded on.  At 8:00 I shoved off only to make it to the end of the block before realizing that my front tire had problems.  The tire by the stem was extended beyond the rim. Now what? No luck in deflating the tire and pushing the tire into place.  Fast forward, the bike shop seated the tire on less than a minute but at 11:15 I had to scrap the ride and shoot for tomorrow.  Just getting the train into downtown Chicago would take an hour and them weaving my way out of town would take several hours.  Having to ride through Southwest Chicago is a shaky proposition. Anyways, tomorrow I try again.