 |
| Looking for a safer route |
The Holiday Inn was such a treat—we were super comfy! I even took the time to replace my worn chain. It was a bit of a mess, but it ultimately worked out.
Jordan spent over half the night in the bathroom again. I’m so sorry, but he said sleeping with his legs on the toilet isn’t the right way. This morning, we woke up to rain, which stopped before we started riding. However, the humidity was unbearable. We ate the breakfast buffet at the Holiday Inn and were on the road by 9:30 AM.
The roads out of Sioux City need to be bike-friendly. We were lucky to complete this section early on a Sunday morning, as we might have been at too high a risk otherwise. We were fighting a heavy side wind that significantly impacted the panniers and trailer.
The first 12 miles were rough, with high traffic and a bad shoulder. We were both really feeling fatigued. We stopped to rest at a nice stream and a very wooded area just outside Hinton, Iowa. (It was much later that I realized my nice sunglasses were left there.)
Once we left Hinton, we were on a low-traffic road, yet we still used caution. One thing we were surprised by was the rolling hills in Iowa!
As we continued to struggle, we became increasingly frustrated when we encountered yet another detour. Although it was brief, it was not appreciated. Today was tough for me. Jordan also has pain in his inner left thigh, which concerns us. This is Jordan’s first leg pain of the whole trip, but he could be hiding the pain. Londell has been complaining to him for days, and he keeps pushing and encouraging Him.
Once we left Hinton, we were on a low-traffic road, yet we still used caution. One thing we were surprised by was the rolling hills in Iowa!
As we continued to struggle, we became increasingly frustrated when we encountered yet another detour. Although it was brief, it was not appreciated. Today was tough for me. Jordan also has pain in his inner left thigh, which concerns us. This is Jordan’s first leg pain of the whole trip, but he could be hiding the pain. Londell has been complaining to him for days, and he keeps pushing and encouraging Him.
One big thing is that Londell is getting so fatigued that his hand shakes when he lifts his water bottle to his mouth. He needs two hands to drink. The arms are so weak, and a side wind affects the bike's stability (so do panniers), so the arms were pushed to the limit today.
 |  |
In summary, we arrived in Cherokee, Iowa, late in the day. It was the shortest ride of the entire trip, but we were fortunate that the weather held. It appeared that a massive storm was approaching, so we found a Best Western and stopped for the night. There was a pool, and it was very refreshing.
The forecast for tomorrow is thunderstorms, but a favorable wind. Our opinion on that is “Why not?” Every weather obstacle has been thrown our way, and as I mentioned before, we are accustomed to all the challenges Mother Nature has presented us with. We are beginning to say, “Who cares?” and we continue on our journey.
That means we have approximately 230 miles to go. We plan to travel 70 miles tomorrow (but we should do 90 miles). Shelley will be joining us on the road. She is very generous for taking the holiday, well, half of it, to provide us with a mental boost. I also want to thank those who have commented on the blog, as their feedback is greatly appreciated. If you have not read any comments, Carolyn Lane made us laugh the most with one of her comments. She exclaimed about Jordan and me arguing, “Have a Snickers; you know yourself.”
Shelley will take the trailer and most of the supplies. We decided to stay in a hotel for the remainder of the trip. This will reduce the weight I have been carrying since Colorado. Well, close to 70 pounds for the first five days until Jordan acquired a rack and panniers. Do not get me wrong, I love the trailer, but with thin tires and low weight, it can cause the bike to move around excessively, making it unsafe for Jordan. I had only minor issues controlling the trailer as I have about 199 pounds more weight and 28 tires.
Since we had a few detours that added approximately 60 miles to the trip, we may hitch a short ride to Fairmont, Minnesota, if she blesses us with a visit late in the day. Jordan and I would not be cheating; we would have had a shorter ride if the roads were safe or not under construction.
Later, as we are pretty exhausted, I have decided to sleep in the bathroom. Here is my bed.
Summary of Day 9:
During Day 9, the total distance covered was 57.4 miles at an average speed of 11.3 miles per hour (excluding breaks). The total riding time was approximately 5 hours and 5 minutes.
The daily duration exceeded 6 hours, with a temperature range of 64°F (humid) to nearly 82°F.
According to Garmin Connect, the total ascent was 2,119 feet, with a descent of 1,860 feet. Additionally, we gained a net elevation of 543 feet, transitioning from an initial elevation of 845 feet to a final elevation of 1,388 feet.
Our 10-mile splits from MapMyRide (time includes breaks, and mph is based only on riding time) were:
0-10 in 0:51:13 - 12.8 mph
10-20 in 1:09:51 - 10.7 mph
20-30 in 1:15:23 - 10.1 mph
30-40 in 1:05:56 - 11.2 mph
40-50 in 0:54:54 - 12.4 mph
Last 7.3 in 0:46:00 - 10.7 mph
All you quiet dreamers, carry on!
Comments from my original blog - I merged the blogs.
