Life On A B-I7

Route

• Marquette to Elkader

Metrics

• Miles: 33
• Average Speed: NA mph
• Ride Time: NA hours NA minutes

Notes

• No metrics today other than miles due to technical difficulties, i.e., no cell service out of Marquette.
• Not the most miles I’ve done, but not the least either.

Thought #19

• There is no distinction between your public life and your private life. Both should reflect what is best in you, and do so all of the time.

When I got on the bike this morning, I was tempted to make a wrong turn. Intentionally. There is Jazz Festival across the river from where I am. It looks like a good one and camping is provided with your admission ticket. I decided to forgo the festival and push on. I guess I’ll find out how that works out…

I started out this morning in a heavy mist. It was nice because it made it feel a little bit cooler. Right out of the gate, I was faced with a 2 mile long climb, probably 4% grade. I was kind of expecting that because I spent the night on the river and there’s nothing surrounding this location but hills. Even though I knew what to expect, I was not terribly thrilled. once I reached the top, it was smooth sailing for about 15 miles. (For those of you out there snickering at a 2 mile long, 4% grade hill in 80° heat and 60% relative humidity, oh yes, and carrying 40 pounds of gear… All I can say is, give it a try.)

When I get to a small town instead of blowing right by, I usually pull in, find the main street, and explore a little bit. Occasionally, I’ll find some interesting things, like this morning. A protein smoothie shop in a town with a population of about 500. Of course I went in. The smoothie was excellent. Inside the shop there was a very nice woman selling flower arrangements. They were stunning.

The day’s riding was not without difficulty. The State of Iowa does not invest a lot of resources in building shoulders on their roads. Many of the county roads, and even some of the two lane state highways have no shoulder at all. It’s difficult to get anywhere in the state without encountering a section of road that has nothing but loose gravel to the right of the white line. It seems like I encountered more of that today than I did safe shoulder riding. I had to get off the bike and walk several times because riding the white line was unsafe. After 33 miles of negotiating difficult shoulders, I decided to call it a day.

I stopped in the town of Elkader. I had no idea they were celebrating their “Sweet Corn Days” Festival. I enjoyed a parade and after that I hung out with some people from the town. Everyone in the community was there. I got a great recommendation for a good burger place, then I moved on to the City Park where I am spending the night.

I am mentally preparing myself for another day of tough riding tomorrow. A nice gentleman in the park told me I could expect more of the same until I get to Illinois. That would be about 175 miles from here.

Stopped for an energy shake in Monona. There was a lady in the shop selling beautiful flower arrangements. I told her if I weren’t on a bike, I would buy one!

I caught the “Sweet Corn Days” Parade in Elkader.

Itinerary / Maps