May 31, 2010
Day 14 - ending at Clear Lake, Iowa
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I was awake at 5:20am this morning. Took an early morning picture of the bathroom/shower house, which is appropriately covered with rocks.
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Ate ginger snaps while the BlackBerry sat on the outlet post to charge.
I didn't wait for the sun to get over to the tent, but did move the tent (after it was down) over into the sunlight to dry.
Got to talking to the camper next-door to the east. He mentioned that I might see the 'Bamboo Bomber' this morning, as it would be flying in observance of Memorial Day.
I left at 8:14am, heading uptown to see if there was a cafe open. There wasn't.
When I was out of town heading east, I noticed a band of clouds to the east, which stayed there most of the day.
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I turned north on County Road P16. On this road I did get to see the Bamboo Bomber to the west, and it was heading south. It wasn't close enough to get a good picture with my camera.
Passed this out-in-the-country cemetery at 8:28am.
At 9:30am, I stopped for a break, eating the m&m's I'd bought yesterday. Later on, after several miles of gravel roads, I was ready for a change, and headed north to County Road B55. At the intersection with 100th Avenue, I talked with a farmer that motored across the road on an ATV to see me. He mentioned how glaciers had stopped just northeast of here, depositing three feet of dirt to the south and west, and how his ancestors had traded with Indians along the creek to the east.
This sand/gravel operation is just east of Highway 169, which I crossed at 10:42am.
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At 10:55am I took another break at Irvington, after riding up what seemed like quite a hill. I gave my friend Jim a call a little later after I'd started riding again. He said they were receiving heavy rain just then (back in Morton).
I found these barns interesting - they are all different.
On 170th Street, 3/4-mile past 200th Avenue, was this lone tree casting inviting shade.
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I ended up there for 37 minutes - until 12:42pm - talking to Tahdra on the phone. She also told me about the storms they were having, and the party I'd missed last night with her side of the family.
Moving on, a few miles later I passed this waterway. There were a lot of these in this part of Iowa.
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I'd meant to ride through Corwith, but missed turning toward it by a mile and a half.
The roads are all straight and flat (mostly) and make one-mile squares in this part of Iowa. I was able to correct my course a long ways off to hit Klemme, where I hoped to eat.
At 4:00pm, I arrived at the Klemme Townmart, where I bought supper items. I moved on down the road to a city park bench for my early supper: a sandwich, cookies, Rice Krispies Treat, and ginger ale.
Back on the road, I passed this driveway and thought about the guys at work who are members of the 'Fish of the Month Club' (catch a fish every month of the year).
Passed a bunch of wind generators as I got closer to Clear Lake.
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Arrived at Clear Lake State Park at 7:00pm. I spent the next 25 minutes deciding which site I wanted, which turned out to be #67. There was evidence that the Memorial Day weekend was over.
After self-registering and setting up, I ate some applesauce and gingersnaps for an after-supper snack.
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Then I headed down to the lakeshore. Took a picture of a park building built in 1938 by the WPA (Work Progress Administration).
I tried taking a picture of the inside of the building through the window by holding the BlackBerry against the glass. That worked pretty well.
Later I took lots of pictures of the sunset. Here's one of the better ones.
Subject: Day 14 report
Sent: Monday 5-31-2010, 10:25 PM
Awake at 5:20am. Had ginger snaps for breakfast.
Talked to camper next door who told me about the 'bamboo bomber' that would be flying this morning. I did see it later while on the road.
Left at 8:14am. Mix of gravel and paved roads today, with the wind in my face.
Ate m and m's during a break at 9:30am.
Talked with farmer on atv about good crops, 3-feet of black dirt, and where the glaciers stopped (just to the northeast).
Took break under shade of a lone tree at 12:05pm
At 4:00pm bought supper (sandwich, cookies, rice krispie treat, and ginger ale) at klemme townmart, and ate in park.
At clear lake state park at 7:00pm, and chose site 67 at 7:25pm.
Went to lake to watch sunset.
Ate snack: ginger snaps and applesauce.
68miles; 8.4mph average moving speed.
Supper: $5.28; camp fee: $16.
Jeff
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Day Fourteen: 67 miles in 11 hours, 11 minutes = 6.0 mph average progress.
Spent: $5.28 (supper) + $16 (campsite fee) = $21.28.
Today's ride: 67 miles (108 km)
Total: 656 miles (1,056 km)
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