COVID CROSS

Covid Cross Day #15 June 16, 2020 Ashkum, IL to Henry, IL 96.5 Miles Start 6:46 AM Finish 6:44 PM Ride Time 8:07 Ascent 440 Feet Descent 616 Feet Tour Total 1352 Miles Details at:  https://cyclemeter.com/3f1ef27914a4c684/Cycle-20200616-0646-00615 I had a good nights sleep in the Ashkum Village Park. It was a nice park located in the center of town. Unfortunately the bathrooms were locked and I couldn’t find an electric hook up. There were picnic tables where I could drink my beer, eat pretzels, and edit yesterday's blog post. I had waited until after dark to set up my tent. I had twice dialed the contact person listed on my ACA map, but both times no one had picked up. I was 99% sure that camping would be permissible. Throughout the night I could hear the distant murmur of I-57 as well as freight train horns. A major train artery ran through town, and yesterday I spotted the Amtrak 'City of New Orleans' passenger train.  I woke up at 6 AM Central Time ...

Covid Cross Day #16 June 17, 2020 Henry, IL to Muscatine, IA 119 Miles Start 6:38 AM Finish 5:55 PM Ride Time 9:58 Ascent 1024 Feet Descent 823 Feet Tour Total 1471 Miles Details at:  https://cyclemeter.com/3f1ef27914a4c684/Cycle-20200617-0638-11946 I slept well camping in Waterworks Park in Henry, on the banks of the Illinois river. I could hear motorists crossing the nearby bridge all night long. I woke up with the sunrise and the squawking of geese. When I climbed outside my tent there were hundreds of them gathered along the shore. They eventually dispersed into the stream. A large barge was cruising down the river as I packed up my camp. My first order of business was to pay for the yesterday's downhill that I had enjoyed riding down into the valley. I climbed two bumps to get back up to the plains, and it wasn’t so bad. I spoke with Sam last night and got a central Minnesota weather forecast, where it was currently 90°F. I'd be in St. Cloud in a week, an...

Covid Cross Day #17 June 18, 2020 Muscatine, IA to Cascade, IA 73.5 Miles Start 10:45 AM Finish 6:19 PM Ride Time 6:24 Ascent 1791 Feet Descent 1589 Feet Tour Total 1548 Miles Details at:  https://cyclemeter.com/3f1ef27914a4c684/Cycle-20200618-1045-36744 I slept like a rock last night at the Comfort Inn in Muscatine. That was, until the hotel room alarm clock went off at 6 AM. Who leaves a hotel alarm clock set for the following guest? I hit every button on the damned thing until it stopped. I was able to get a little more sleep.  I had a slow start. My tent and sleeping gear had been packed before I went to sleep. My clothes were dry in the morning and my devices were fully charged. I finished yesterday's blog post and finally cleaned my chain. The hotel breakfast was kind of crappy. I had dried sugary cereal with barely enough milk, grape yogurt, a banana muffin, a coffee, and an orange juice. I grabbed two bananas for the road. I got a little turned ar...

Covid Cross Day #18 June 19, 2020 Cascade, IA to Monona, IA 82 Miles Start 6:48 AM Finish 5:32 PM Ride Time 7:15 Ascent 2715 Feet Descent 2262 Feet Tour Total 1631 Miles Details at:  https://cyclemeter.com/3f1ef27914a4c684/Cycle-20200619-0648-69252 I slept really well last night in my tent at the American Legion Park in Cascade Iowa. Having stayed here last year, I knew to set up my tent under a tree and away from the bright street lights. I used the bathroom sink for a birdbath before I retired to bed. I wasn't quite at level one, as I didn't wash my clothing. I plugged an extension cord into a nearby electrical outlet and ran current into my tent. My devices were fully charged by morning. My tent protected me from the billions of gnats outside. I could hear the traffic from nearby Highway 151 throughout the night. Folks in this part of Iowa were really into baseball, and the parks and small stadiums were impressive. The stadium at the American Legion Park ha...

Covid Cross Day #19 June 20, 2020 Monona, IA to La Crosse, WI 77 Miles Start 7:11 AM Finish 2:46 PM Ride Time 6:58 Ascent 1634 Feet Descent 2165 Feet Tour Total 1710 Miles Details at:  https://cyclemeter.com/3f1ef27914a4c684/Cycle-20200620-0711-58108 I slept alright last night in my tent on top of a concrete slab underneath a canopy at Gateway Park in Monona. Last night after MJ's, I cycled back to the park, located at the edge of town. It was familiar because I had stayed there last year while it was being reconstructed. This year everything was in fine order. I set up my tent in exactly the same spot as last year. The restroom was now open with a sink and toilet, and I knew not to be startled by the life-like military statues There was a massive rain storm last night, and I set up my tent in the perfect place. I woke up around 6 AM and slowly packed. My socks were still wet from yesterday and it was supposed to rain again today so I put them back on. The ro...

Covid Cross Day #20 June 21, 2020 La Crosse, WI to Stockholm, WI 79 Miles 8:37 AM Finish 4:12 PM Ride Time 6:19 Ascent 635 Feet Descent 622 Feet Tour Total 1789 Miles Details at:  https://cyclemeter.com/3f1ef27914a4c684/Cycle-20200621-0837-14327 Last night at the Holiday Inn In La Crosse, I slept probably the best I’ve slept yet on the tour. I was able to completely block the outside light with the curtains, and when I woke up at 6 AM my room was pitch dark. I rolled over and got another hour of sleep. It was a slow pack up and my body was sore. My socks were still damp from yesterday‘s wash, but I put them on anyway. My jersey and shorts were dry and clean. Last night, I had an opportunity to load my iPod with WFMU's Duane Train, Shiela B, and Small change archives. My music situation was now covered. Riding through the streets of La Crosse I noticed that most of it's citizens were wearing masks. It was sunny with no clouds in the sky. I zigzagged through the...