We had another good ride today, even with a bit of climbing. The weather was good, the wind was only a little bothersome on the short section we rode due south and we had stops every seven to eleven miles. Indoor plumbing is such a luxury!
In the first mile, we came to these historical markers. There was nothing to see, but here is the information for your reading pleasure.
A few miles into Iowa, we came to the town of Inwood. Kerry has had some back pain and wanted to find a place we could sit down. It was only 10:00, but we noticed a delivery guy going into this restaurant. I looked in and saw one table of several ladies. They weren't eating, just having coffee. I asked if the restaurant were open and Patty, the cook/server/maybe owner? said it was not really, but we could come in for rest, A/C and something to drink.
Patty - very welcoming and hospitable. She has three daily groups - two women's and one men's - who meet here daily for coffee when the grill is closed. She opens the restaurant at 5:00.
The morning coffee group They meet here every morning at 10:00 for coffee and conversation. The number of the group varies from day to day. Some of them have been meeting here for years.
The last thing we did before checking into our motel today was stop at the local hospital to have my sutures removed. (I attempted unsuccessfully to do this myself.) I waited less than 5 minutes before being seen. The nurse and the NP who treated me were both great, and had the sutures removed in no time.
Besides the great service, we also recieved free ice cream. It seems that the hospital was celebrating National Hot Dog Day by providing free hot dogs and ice cream to the staff. While the medical staff was working on my leg, the receptionist brought us both bowls of ice cream - never before have I had a medical procedure done while enjoying a bowl of ice cream!! It made an excellent ending for this medical adventure.
Today's ride: 47 miles (76 km) Total: 3,883 miles (6,249 km)
