UpperMiss

Day 14

Friday, 11 June 2010
Hannibal, MO to Grafton, IL
87.6 miles, 7h37m, 11.5 mph
Elapsed Time: 9h33m, Max speed: 37.0mph
Total Climbing: 2525ft, Max elevation: 630ft
Total mileage: 1029.7

I really needed favorable weather today, and I didn't get it. With all the miles I had to cover, I really needed a tailwind, or at least a crosswind. Instead I got a 25mph headwind. Right from the beginning I was thinking about how far I would go before I quit. In the end I couldn't decide, and I just went and rode the whole distance.

I didn't take many pictures. The scenery was pretty much SSDD.

Here's proof of the headwind.

The first 45 miles were pretty miserable with the headwind and all. Also, for some reason most of the small towns in Illinois don't have country stores. I loaded up pretty good at the places that I found, and Linda could always drop me some drinks, so there was never a crisis. But I think things are not as good in Illinois as in Iowa--at least as determined by the density of convenience stores.

The general store in Atlas is a wacky place. They had All-Sport. I didn't know that stuff is still made.

After the first 45 miles things got hillier and, therefore, less windy.

It looked more like this.

Eventually Linda and I were reunited in Brussels...Brussels, Illinois, of course. Then it was a fast nine-miles to the Brussels ferry (to cross the Illinois River), including an incredible three miles with a tailwind.

The Brussels Ferry. This is the coolest ferry I've ever been on. The dude has to drive this thing in
a fast-current river. The tug attaches to the barge on a pivot thing. The barge just goes back and forth and
the tug swings around. It's totally cool.

I rode a couple miles in to Grafton where we loaded the bike in the car and drove to Alton for the night.

Tomorrow we'll drive back to Grafton and get me started. It should be a short day--about 40 miles--to get to downtown St. Louis. Then I can stop riding.

Next