More to come...Work in Progress

Dear readers...

Thanks for tuning in on our progress from time to time. Due to computer issues and difficulties in maintaining Internet connections (there have been none in many of the places we've been) I am going to pick up with posting to the blog here after we get home and get organized again. That should be by mid September I would hope. Until then, there are several other riders who are publishing blogs more regularly since they have computers that actually work! Their URLs are listed further down here on my blog.

See you soon!!!!

Fred and Sandy

August 4, 2008 Elizabethtown, IL to Grand Rivers, KY

The morning started early since hot weather was forecast. As we took off and the sun rose the fog that was present early dissipated.

We rode to the Ohio river and had to take a ferry over to Kentucky.



Leaving our corn and soybeans and wheat we entered forested areas and shady roads.
On the road anything can happen. We were riding along and found a 'wide load' truck blocking the road complete with 'flagger'. We had to wait until they put this mobile home in place in the trailer park before we could pass on.


We arrived at our destination, the in Grand Rivers, the Land Between the Lakes' of the Kentucky River and Cumberland River. Nice town with a marina full of sail boats and the home of Patti's restaurant which was in reality several excellent restaurants a miniature golf course, several shops, wedding chapel, and all kinds of neat stuff.

Our motel, the Grand Rivers Inn was owned by Veronica, a very nice lady from Hungary. Most gracious. Of course I couldn't leave without going to the bike store for a tune up.

August 3, 2008 Elizabethville (Illinois)

Today found us riding to Elizabethtown, Illinois on the Ohio River. As by now usual, a nice day's ride. We stayed at the River Rose Inn, an old riverside mansion beautifully restored with memorabelia from Elvis and just about everywhere else. We had a cook out and nice evening on the river watching the barges and the recreational boaters and just generally hanging out (which I am finally becoming accomplished at). Jim, one of our fellow travelers, brouight hsi guitar along on the trip and has been kind enough to let me use it so I just relaxed plunking away on the river's edge. Doesn't get much better than this. More tomorrow.

August 2, 2008 Chester to Carbondale, Illinois

The trip from Chester to Carbondale was, as usual by now, just fine. We have been blessed with such wonderful weather. A tad hot and muggy by the standards of some but I love being on the bike and really like hot weather anyhow so no big deal. We were again on back roads in the country along the Mississippi or near it. We rode along the tops of the levees as shown here. More low lying wet fields though not as many. Still can't understand how folks can get flooded out and come back over and over again. Some of the fields are filled with crops and others with water but I guess to them it's home.

So far along the trip we've seen wheat (Montana and South Dakota), corn and soybeans in Iowa and Missouri and Illinois so this field of sunflowers was a new scene...in fact the only one we've seen so far.
In Carbondale we visited with friends Oved and Marge who we haven't seen since school. They treated us to a nearby peach festival with live music, bingo, great food, and lots of catching up. Great time!

August 1, 2008 Farmington, MO to Chester, IL

Missing a few days but here we are on the trip from Farmington, MO back into southern Illinois. Missouri holds many beautiful sights and many wonderful people but have to admit we won't be missing some of the truckers. Most are polite and give us wide berth but a few...well let's say we could have done without the guy who laid on his air horn. Crossed the Mississippi...again...this time over this steel bridge. Most of the states are widening the roads to accommodate cyclists but they can't build new bridges for us so we just get on, close our eyes and go. If you hold the road they can't run you off but the options are do that or go into the drink. Such fun. Not boring.The blogger has me in a tizzy. Some of the pictures are out of sync but I need to catch up with this so will label them as they appear.

Chester is the home of the cartoonist who invented Popeye and they are really into it. I missed the statue of Popeye himself and blew past the motel on the downhill (that meant going back up hill to get there but we've been up so many hills already that who is counting). Wound up at the bottom of the hill with the McDonalds which we have been frequenting for ice cream many nights...where there is a McDonalds anyhow.

Statue of Popeye's pal Wimpy. This was next to a farmer's market setting up in the morning as we headed out of town.Everything in Chester is Popeye. The Spinach Can Collector doubles as museum, tourist trap and store.
One of the Statues in Chester. This one is Olive Oyle and Sweet Pea.
Just one of so many peaceful roads we've traveled. Can't take pictures of them all. We are riding on Interstates, US and state highways and then back roads like this one in the country. All offer beauty and challenges.
We are in Missouri here (I said the pictures were out of order). Had to find a cool spot to rest and have lunch. Sacred Heart Church and school (not pictured) filled the bill on a hot day providing some shade.
Had to take this one. It's August and the corn is really high.
This one is on the way back into Illinois.
And this is the entry into Chester and Popeye and his pals.

July 26th, 2008 St. Louis

Rest day in St. Louis. Also my birthday. Spent the day cleaning up the bike, visiting with our friends Selena and Adrienne who drove us to REI co-op where we bought the store and then had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. Yummy. I can't seem to pass up a bike store without buying something that has worn out or will soon.

The Arch in St. Louis the first evening there. Quite a sight to see. The courthouse across from our hotel below. Went for a little walk to the arch and then back and they were having a fireworks display for my birthday! Didn't quite get the pictures. Somebody said it was for some lesser reason but quite a nice display.

The arch on the morning of the 27th by daylight.
As with so many places, we must go back to further explore St. Louis with it's zoo and beautiful parks, not to mention seeing the Budweiser Clydsdales again.

July 24, 2008 Quincy, IL to Hannibal, MO

No pictures today. We have been blessed with wonderful weather...until today. Since each day ends at a new motel (except for rest days) we ride, rain or shine. It rained. In fact, there were thunder storms in the morning in Quincy. We left as the lightening was abating but it rained for much of the morning's ride. We got to Hannibal, MO and on the way I got a photo of the sign coming into Missouri but not much more. Toured the Mark Twain home and museum and dried out a little with the help of some hot cocoa with Sandy and a few others and then pedaled on to Louisiana, MO where we stayed overnight in a B & B.