Last night I went to the Toledo Mud Hens Baseball game and it was a very enjoyable way to spend the early evening. I had a single seat between a family of 4 and 2 older gentlemen. I got talking to the older men and it turns out that one of the guys is a retired school principal and his wife is a former Physical Education teacher. She was kayaking in northern Michigan at the time! I left the game after 5 innings, with the Mud Hens losing. I was getting sleepy while sitting at the game and wanted to drive back to my hotel while there was still daylight and before the masses left the game. I was glad I went to the game.
I was up and on the road at 8 this morning and had an easy drive back to Rochester. The traffic was managable and the road construction was minimal. I arrived here, just as the rain started, about 2 PM. I got a load of laundry started and got most of my stuff put away.
So, here are a bunch of photos from the past week. I will try to put a caption under each one.
First night of camping in Missouri Valley, Iowa.
Watermelon and fresh corn- fuel until we can have pie in the next town!
Bell tower in Jefferson, Iowa. We camped in Jefferson.
View from the top of the bell tower.
Statue of Abe Lincoln, in Jefferson, wearing a bike helmet!
View of my bike, resting while I get something to eat!
Waiting for a train to pass. On RAGBRAI, bikers usually have the right of way,
except when it comes to trains. Then we wait!
Butterfly on a flower at the Reiman Gardens on the campus of
Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.
Port-a-potties. Never had a bad one on this trip and they always had paper!
This is one of 2 trailers that followed the ride
and offered computers and free phone service.
Sally and I posing for a photo in State Center, Iowa. We are in town before the bulk of the riders, later in the day one could barely move through this Main Street.
A chance to try your "hand" at milking a cow, in one of the overnight towns,
sponsored by the local dairy association. I was a natural!
A typical camp spot. This is when you hope your neighbor doesn't snore.
It doesn't always work out that way!
Breakfast bratwurst and sauerkraut-the breakfast of champions!
Corn yarn vendor! Do you think I made a purchase?
Bluegrass entertainment, Hen House Prowlers, on the Last Night Out in Tipton, Iowa.
Last Night Out Beer, Tipton, Iowa
Dipping our front wheels in the Mighty Mississippi River, Le Claire, Iowa
Dip Site later in the day on Saturday.
So there is a taste of our Iowa bike ride. All the training I did in advance of the ride paid off and the weather, although exciting at times, was pretty good. And as always the Iowa hospitality was second to none. The receptions we received as we rode into each and every town was enthusiastic and genuinely warm.
Tomorrow Jim goes to Washington, DC for 3 days and comes home in time for our long weekend in Canandaigua.
No blog tomorrow. I have lots to do and it is all probably stuff you don't want to read about!
Hope all is well.
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