Wyoming, IA to Muscatine, IA - Last Century Cross USA on a Tandem - CycleBlaze

July 17, 1996

Wyoming, IA to Muscatine, IA

Sitting pretty

I'm writing this in a bike shop: the rear derailleur is being worked on and my seat post must be replaced. The suspension post broke off completely out in the middle of nowhere today! (I can't have gained that much weight!) But true to form, resourceful Boy Scout Dave was able to rig something up and we made it to Muscatine before the shop closed. Iowa had terrible thunderstorms, floods, and even a tornado while we slept last night. We put off leaving until 10:30 but rode out in a storm. It cleared up in the afternoon and became very hot and humid. I think the fun is over. Heat makes everything horrible. Had the feistiest little elderly waitress at lunch. She was teasing the state troopers about giving a poor little old lady tickets, and they replied that she comes from Pasadena. She was brusque yet attentive---reminded us of our friend T.! The bike shop stayed open late to work on the bike and the owner rode the bike path through town with us afterward to make sure we didn't get lost. I also got a new seat, and in just the few miles to the motel, I felt like a new person! It felt like I was sitting on a soft pillow. I'm anxious to see if it continues to feel this good. If it does, I'll be so mad at myself for going through 30 days of agony instead of getting a new seat before we left (as Dave repeatedly suggested, I must admit). Had a fabulous buffet meal at the "Golden Corral".

Mississippi River at the Iowa/Illinois border.
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Today's ride: 63 miles (101 km)
Total: 2,489 miles (4,006 km)

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