Anamosa, IA to Morrison,
IL
85 miles
"I'm definitely keeping the eyebrows." [Mark Bazerman, during a discussion of exactly what to shave off when he shaves his head tomorrow]
Today for me was a reminder of what being on a schedule is like. Connie Kleinjans (my girlfriend) and I had plans to eat dinner with some old friends of mine in Chicago, two or three hours by car from the end of the ride, and so the usual feeling of having plenty of time was interrupted. I hope my impatience will be forgiven, and of course we arrived in plenty of time due in part to my second highest average riding speed of the trip (18mph).
The main event for the day was crossing the Mississippi, which turned out to be more complicated due to some construction on the bridge. The van got into the line of waiting cars and let the pickup and Connie's rental car into line, and then the bikes all rode over the bridge behind the pickup, and in front of the car and van. There really wasn't an opportunity to take any pictures of the river itself.
The day also brought some unexpected finds of a museum and a sheriff (see below). The group ended the day at the home of Bev Bealer in Morrison, IL, after which Connie and I drove to Chicago.
Here are Betty and Jim, the proprieters of the Wyoming Historical Museum
(in Wyoming, IA), in the old pharmacy section (there was also an old dentist
office, farming equipment, and too much else to list):
One last picture of the Iowa countryside:
Sometimes directions can be confusing:
Mark Bazerman, Connie Kleinjans, and Mike Weston have a short picnic
by the side of the road just outside Charlotte:
We had a chance meeting with the Sherriff of Clinton County and his
wife, who have ridden RAGBRAI 19 times
and who graciously provided cans of Pepsi for everyone (Connie Kleinjans,
Donna and Gary Mulholland, and (back) Mike Weston and Mark Bazerman):
The group waits to cross the Mississippi river (Rob Christian (seated),
Brian Holsenbeck, Deb Klein (yellow), and Win Westervelt):
Aaron prepares to videotape the crossing:
We finally made it to the other side, into Illinois (Mike Weston, Mark
Bazerman (hanging), Win Westervelt, Deb Klein, Rob Christian (kneeling),
Sandra White, and Brian Holsenbeck):
After dinner in Chicago at Sai Cafe (773/472-8080), my first sushi in
five weeks (Connie Kleinjans, Mike Weston, and Steve and Allison Farkas):
Note that we did manage to catch the last couple of minutes of the Bulls/Jazz game after dinner, which meant that the Bulls won the championship. The trip back to the hotel did have some detours, and we did see some policemen who looked prepared for unruly fans.