Day 14 - ending at Metamora, IL - Iowa on the Tri-speed

August 3, 2013

Day 14 - ending at Metamora, IL

Posted via email Sun Aug 4 10:32:01 2013 PDT

I started in on writing the report as soon as I was awake at 5:08am. It was a calm-wind, misty sunny morning early on. By the time I had the report done (except for the final read-through), the tent was drying in the sun. Some fishermen were showing up, but no one said anything to me about my rain gear hanging up to dry in the pit toilet.

Finally packed and ready to go at 11:01am. I was leaving the trail today, heading south to my friends' house in Metamora. I arrived at Tiskilwa's city limits at 11:12am. Breakfast was close. Further into town I noticed a barricade ahead, and a parade behind it. Apparently, it was festival time in Tiskilwa - Pow Wow Days. The parade had just finished, and many were heading to the park. Festival food - that'd work for breakfast. I parked the bike and followed the crowd to the pavilion in the park. Bought a brat and BBQ sandwich from the Boy Scouts, and a slice of pizza and a soda from another stand. I reviewed the report while drinking a second can of Dr Pepper after my meal. The BlackBerry signal strength was poor here, and it took a while to get the report sent. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get a root beer float, once I saw they were available at a trailer. My breakfast stop took longer than expected, but I enjoyed seeing so many families having fun on this beautiful day.

I rode east through downtown to get to the road southeast (CR-4) out of town. A nice road with the expected hills. I got help once again from a tailwind - this time from the northwest. Up on the flat higher ground I heard a snap. The right lower support for the front basket had broken. A few tie-wraps fixed that. At 1:51pm, I came to CR-31. Lone Tree School was across the street. After looking inside through a window, I determined that it's still used - as a polling place.

Arrived at the Marshall County Line at 2:21pm, and found out why the road I'm on is called Coach Road. Made it to Sparland at 3:30pm. Avoided IL-17 (for the most part) by riding through town on the bluff. A steep downhill at the south end of town got me back to the highway. Straight east was the bridge over the Illinois River. Lots of traffic on the way to the bridge. I waited for a break and started up the bridge. I wasn't quite to the top when traffic started piling up behind me. Once over the top, things really speeded up. I passed the vehicles that had passed me as I came off the bridge, coasting into downtown Lacon. My bicycling map doesn't recommend this bridge for bicyclists, and now, neither do I.

It was now 3:45pm, and I was ready for lunch. The Dairy Barn was just ahead on the right. Sat down inside and got a menu. Breakfast items were listed on the back. I asked the waitress if breakfast was still available. She said she'd see, and asked someone sitting outside. I overhead his response: "All day, every day." So, for today, I had lunch food for breakfast and breakfast food for lunch. Got ice water to-go, and was on my way to more hills at 4:30pm.

I left town on CR-16 to the southeast. Took a few "artsy" pictures before making it to the Woodford County Line at 5:54pm. Continued on back-country roads, entering Metamora from the north on CR-975E at 7:17pm.

At 7:33pm, I was at George and Kris' home. What a welcome I received! First supper out at The Flame Family Restaurant, then cherry pie with ice cream back at their house. Towels and shampoo for a shower and a comfy bed in their guest room! Now I'm really on vacation!

I'm not quite home yet, but it feels like I am.

Jeff

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Spent: $13 (breakfast) + $8.77 plus $2 (lunch) = $23.77.

Day 14 - Tiskilwa, IL to Metamora, IL

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+ plus signs indicate pictures added after returning home from the trip +