Day 14: If you build it I will ride there

July 19, 2016

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Ride over to "The Field of Dreams" movie set and then on to Dubuque, Iowa. The problem comes in when the actual riding takes place, but I'll get to that.

I didn't sleep well. It wasn't the bugs or the heat which was considerable. No, it was the trains. The campground I stayed at was right on the train tracks. Well, not right ON the train tracks but right next to the train tracks. Not only that, it is near a road crossing, which means the horns blare, and I mean BLARE EVERY time one comes by. And I don't believe I mentioned that the trains come by at least every 30 minutes here, seemingly to haul oil to and fro but I'm sure there are other commodities too.

So, I was a bit weary this morning, and since I was already awake at 5am, thank you 4:59am train, I figured I would get the show on the road early.

After breakfast at the local diner I went down to the ferry, which shuttles cars and Long Haul Truckers across the river to the Iowa side. I thought it opened at 7am, it opened at 10am. It was time for plan B.

I rolled over to the boat launch and waited a few minutes and sure enough a boat showed up being pulled by a car that was big enough to fit me and several Truckers.

"The car ferry isn't open yet. Would you mind taking me across?" I asked the couple.

"Sure," said Jenny (and husband who's name I can't remember)

We we loaded up and off we went. I'm sure Huck Fill would have been impressed with my resourcefulness.

After the inevitable questions about where I was riding to and from, Jenny's husband asked if I had been to Prairie du Chain.

"Did you see the story about how, back in the day, the Indians were slaughtered by the army," he said. "Imagine, woman and children being thrown in the river to drown. Just terrible."

I couldn't agree more. That is one part of our history none of us can be proud of.

I offered to pay for gas but they wouldn't except. "We were coming this way to fish anyway," Jenny said.

So they dropped me off on the Iowa side and I was on my way.

The Trucker was sad about not being able to ride on the ferry.

But in the end we got a private taxi service

This was in the flood plain just after I got off the boat. I couldn't get my camera out fast enough to capture the 3 deer in the road. They jumped into the forest before I could get the shot.

After that it was off to Dyersville and "The Field Of Dreams". It was a pretty ride but there were no shoulders and little too much traffic. There were also some hills and it was getting hot. Still, I soldiered on made it to "The Field" in the early afternoon.

I enjoyed the visit but I am not sure it was worth the what was to come. A long, hot, hilly slog to Dubuque. Arg.

Some local cyclist gave me a hint on "the best way" got get there but another local asked me why in the world I would take the route I was taking. That's how it is sometime.

I arrived around 6pm totally shattered. I limped into a hotel room and not a moment too soon.

I was so tired I took a shower, crawled into bed and stayed put until I couldn't stand being hungry anymore. Then I pulled out my stove and boiled water and added it to my emergency dehydrated beef stroganoff meal. Naturally I added too much water and it was more like a hot, soapy slop. Still, at that point it didn't taste half bad. I was exhausted and didn't care.

For dessert I had the remnants of my chocolate that had melted and reset multiple times. It's amazing what can constitute dinner on a bike trip sometimes.

I need a rest day.

One of the cute as a button little towns on the way to Dyersville.

If you build it, I will come, and visit you

A woman actually owns and lives in the house. She bought the place about 4 years ago.

Looking for Shoeless Joe in left field corn

I could have played but it was kinda hot, and I didn't bring my glove.

Today's ride: 74 miles (119 km)
Total: 957 miles (1,540 km)

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