Day 7 - ending at Vinton, IA - Iowa on the Tri-speed

July 27, 2013

Day 7 - ending at Vinton, IA

rode on C.R. Roberts Memorial Trail, Old Creamery Nature Trail

Posted via email Sun Jul 28 08:48:01 2013 PDT

Woke up at 6:08am. It was cool overnight. I wore the thick socks given to me before the trip, but didn't need the hand warmers. Still a cool northwest wind this morning. It's going back and forth cloudy, then sunny - cold, then warm. The tent initially was in the shade of a tree, with sunshine on both sides. That didn't matter this morning, since I'd be spending time writing yesterday's report while the tent eventually dried.

Just before noon I had my chores done (report sent in and bike loaded). Then, when I wasn't watching, the bike blew over, splintering the safety flag pole. The water jug survived again without getting cracked. After I got the bike upright, a mother and her grade-school-aged kids walked over from their campsite across the road. They were curious about my trip, and I enjoyed telling about it and showing them the bike. They'd been enjoying the recent nice weather as much as I have been.

This was my latest start yet: 12:27pm. Went east when I got to the park exit, but not as far east as I'd intended. I saw the turnoff for the waterfall the mom and kids had told me about, and thought it was the main road north. Well, C-Avenue is a road north, but not the D-Avenue I'd intended to take. But it did get me to where I was going: Gladbrook (at 1:23pm). I turned past the Casey's, toward downtown, to see if I could find a sit-down restaurant. I found one - Uptown Lounge & Supper Club, but they were closed for renovations. I back-tracked up 2nd Street, seeing an interesting (to me) window display, and also came to Matchstick Marvels. Oh yeah, I meant to see that when I got here. Went inside, paid the $5 entrance fee, and signed in. This place is filled with impressive models made by Gladbrook resident Patrick Acton. They're all made from matchsticks! Took lots of pictures and read details about their construction. I would have enjoyed reading more, but time was getting away from me. I'd asked when I'd signed in about a place in town to eat. The sandwich-making section of Hometown Foods had been recommended.

I walked the bike across the street and found the deli inside the grocery store. A customer ahead of me pointed out that 12-inch sub sandwiches were on sale, and handed me an order form. I checked boxes on the form for what I wanted on my sub, and handed it over. Potato salad, an apple pie, and chocolate milk completed my purchase, which I ate at a picnic table in front of the store. I was full before I got to the second half of the sandwich, so packed that for later.

I left from Hometown Foods at 2:44pm. I overruled my pre-trip route east on gravel roads and took to highway IA-96 instead. What a great road! What a great tailwind! I was moving! Passed through Tracer at 4:05pm, and arrived at the west end of a bike path through Dysart at 4:58pm. This paved trail ends at the east side of Dysart, next to a Casey's. Bought a chocolate milk there, and went to a nearby picnic shelter to eat the other half of my sandwich. I called my friend Jim first though, to hear what was going on back in Morton. Nice weather there also, and I was missing our church's annual basement sale. Clouds covered up the sun before I had the sandwich eaten, and with the wind, I was almost cold. I was way too full after finishing supper. Seems like I go from one extreme to the other, ignoring my wife's advice to eat small amounts of food all day long. I tried calling her, but she wasn't home.

The paved trail through town connects to the gravel Old Creamery Nature Trail at the east end of town. At 6:15pm, I was on my way east. Stopped for a break at an Eagle Scout project-built bench at 6:40pm. I was still hurting from over-eating. Tried the bench out to see if it would work for napping. It would work fine, but I had no time for a nap. Back on the trail at 6:50pm.

I passed through Garrison at 7:52pm. Shortly on down the trail I approached a bridge where a group of about nine bicyclists were parked. "You have to stop at the party bridge", one of them said. So I did. Next thing, there's an ice-cold can of beer in my hand! There were questions about where I'd been and where I was going. I told them my plan called for staying at Benton City-Fry Park tonight, but I was now thinking 'motel' in Vinton. One fellow told me exactly where the two motels in Vinton are, while another wrote down his phone number if I found the motels full, since it's fair time in Vinton. Great Iowa hospitality! I got to see the timing that's needed to get a tandem bicycle started, as two girls took off. The rest of the group left also - all heading east to the next bridge. I stayed to take some pictures, then headed out myself, at 8:18pm.

I kept stopping to get sunset pictures, which made me realize it was getting dark, and I should just keep moving. I caught up with the 'party bridge' group just as we got to Vinton (at 8:54pm). They continued east into town while I turned north, following the "left four blocks" directions I'd received to get to the Modern Motel. I was relieved to not see many cars in the parking lot. Checked in, and got a free cup of cold coffee to microwave in my room.

Started work on the report, took a shower, then crawled into a real bed!

Jeff

------------

Spent: $5 (museum entrance fee) + $9.76 (lunch) + $2.09 (chocolate milk) + $50 plus $5 (motel) = $71.85.

Day 7 - Gladbrook, IA to Vinton, IA

Heart

Comment

Link

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