Rachel’s Epic Bicycle Adventure

I’ve resumed posting at Rachel & Crush.

This is the last post of the Epic Adventure.

Other than some boring or whiny bits, I’ve published nearly every word in my notebook. I omitted the thank-yous that I started on Day 3 (outside Burlington Junction). Already I had noticed that a) I wasn’t actually making this trip by myself, and b) I was incredibly grateful to a number of people.

More and more added themselves to the list. I’ve been looking forward to making this post for a while. I hope I don’t forget anyone. If anyone notices themselves or someone else omitted please let me know! You are in no particular order, with one exception. I want to mention my husband first and last.

Iain served as coordinator and message taker in between moments of cell phone battery & signal. He was honest about how he felt about my trip. He wasn’t happy about it. Not because he doubted my ability to do it, but because it scared him the way Nell riding a roller coaster scares him. (For me, it’s seeing Nell or my intrepid nephew close to the edge of Shooting Star Bluff.) But he wanted me to do it anyway, for the same reason he wants Nell to ride roller coasters if that’s what she wants.

He was also honest about specific aspects of the trip, like staying in city parks or publicizing my route before or during the trip. That’s why I didn’t do either of those things.

Most importantly he was the person I called (or wished I could call in areas of no signal) when I was sad, scared, and depressed, which was often. He never tried to cheer me up or tell me “You can do it”. He was the shoulder to cry on and a sympathetic ear.

Grand adventures will be told to your children and grandchildren years later. Nell is the audience for my stories and I think of her when I am setting the example of a brave and independent woman defying whatever unwritten rule in Slater, Missouri dictates I shouldn’t do this. It is for her I admit my insecurities and worries, the hard parts and the depression, so that she knows this isn’t easy, this isn’t something only certain people can do, but that anyone can do it if they can fight their personal demons.

Jim Shull has been amazingly helpful for years and is one of the few reasons I’m still in science. More specifically for this trip, he provided me the excuse I needed to make the trip by inviting me to give a talk and meet his lab.

Planning: a number of people helped me with the planning. Brent had good input on parts of the route. His route advice was the only thing worth interrupting my nightly call home–twice. Fred & Brent went on a critical training ride with me where I learned the importance of a dry sweater and putting on rain gear sooner than later. I met a fellow in Iowa, Don, who alerted me to the roads that parallel I-29. Team Estrogen (bike forums) helped with some important decisions, like picking out a new sleeping bag, and whether to take my little propane stove.

Riding companions: Fred saw me off at the beginning, and rode in with me at the end. Brent was the next familiar face I saw two days later, and the last familiar face I saw two days before I got home. Brent, Fred, Jon and Dad all hauled some of my stuff when they rode with me. Jon & Dad put in miles they aren’t used to, and so did Julie & Tammie, who met me near Omaha. They helped me navigate Council Bluffs and find my hotel!

Motor vehicle assist: Kristen and her co-worker Dave rescued me from that awful campground. I couldn’t stomach getting back into St. Joe in the state I was in, exhausted, hungry, too stressed to eat, but having to navigate Bus Loop 71 and I-29 and unfamiliar streets in St. Joe at rush hour.

Jon drove all the way from Coin to St. Joe, stayed with me in the hotel that night, and drove us out of St. Joe to make my next day the hardest 60 miles I’ve ever biked, instead of an impossible 90 or more. With the bridges out, it might have been well over 100 miles.

Jim Shull gave me a ride out of Omaha, turning a 90+ mile day into 69 miles. Mom gave me a ride to a grocery store in Atchison. Brent drove me around Excelsior Springs and Kearney twice, to get food. Iain gave me & Fred a ride to Boonville, getting me to lunch sooner than later, and took the rest of my stuff in the car for me.

Company on the way: Every familiar face I saw was comforting, even if they didn’t ride with me. I wish I’d been better company visiting Kristen. She has now probably seen me at my worst! I was as glad as could be when I saw Iain at lunchtime on Hwy 87 the last day.

People I met: Some of them I planned to meet, like Tammy and Julie and Jim Shull and his lab. I met many more people but I don’t remember most of their names if I ever learned them.

Inspiration: Most of the inspiration came from Amahia’s journals. (Another person I’ve never met.) I have to admit that I did not always appreciate Fred & Brent’s encouragement. I was downright resentful of their optimism during the harder moments of the trip. The most encouragement came from talking about my trip. Everyone who provided an ear is most appreciated! That includes Fred & Brent, many strangers, and everyone else I’ve already mentioned.

Everyone reading this blog was pretty important. A lot of hours on the road were spent writing my journal in my head. I’ve enjoyed posting it immensely, and I am sad this is the last post. Just as Jim Shull talked about a bike trip he took decades ago, I will be talking about this one decades hence.

Mechanical support: The people at Walt’s bike shop were wonderful. Mark, Josh, Bob, Sarah, and others whose names I don’t remember. Mark in particular spent a lot of time helping me get my bike ready, advising me what to bring, and showing me how to check and care for my bike.

And of course, I’ll mention Iain once more. After the trip when I couldn’t ride my bike, he walked with me a lot, so that my knee would get stronger.

Today’s journal entry is a link to a whole lotta Maps. I really like the map tool at Crazy Guy on a Bike. The end result is interactive, so I don’t have to fuss about the size of the map. You can zoom in and out and drag the map across your screen as you like, to see the entire day or zoom in on a single road. Some of my screen shot map images ended up at different scales than others, so that I could zoom in on a certain road or zoom out to show a long stretch on one or two highways.

1 jug water, 1 gallon (8 pounds). I filled it at each campsite and often ran out of water anyway. After a couple days of this I learned to a) fill it FULL and b) get at least my bottle refilled at restaurants. Lived in the basket.

Water bottle, in my water bottle holder.

tent, 2-person dome. It was so old, it had some issues, but the nice thing about it being so old is I threw it away on my last day and was able to reduce my weight! Strapped to the basket.

Sleeping bag, brand new rated to freezing. There weren’t so many options that weren’t rated to BELOW freezing, but I didn’t want that. It wasn’t going to get that cold the first week of May. Well, it did snow in North Dakota the last week of May. Strapped to the basket.

Wore:
Shorts. I wish they’d been that quick-dry material because wearing the same pair of shorts 24 hours a day led to an uncomfortable rash the last 2 days.
Bike jersey. I’m very tan where the bike jersey wasn’t.
Bike gloves. I’ve got the biker’s tan on the back of my hands.
Dogtag

Sweater. My fleece was very necessary. I kept it accessible and wore it often. I slept in it too. Kept in a plastic bag in the basket.

Shirt to sleep in. I chose the 2008 BikeMo shirt for this. Plastic bag inside the tent bag.

Rain gear, kept in my pednet backpack in my basket:
Rain pants. $200 magical gore-tex.
Rain jacket. $200 magical gore-tex.
Overshoes. Again, magical gore-tex.
Mitten shells. Not gore-tex, but they worked.
Full-fingered gloves. The Terry Phantom gloves were a disappointment for winter, but were good for this trip.
Plastic catbox liner. It fits perfectly over my basket and keeps everything dry.

Socks & underwear. A clean pair of each every day! Stored in a plastic bag inside the tent bag.

A clean outfit for Omaha (shirt, bra & pants) that stayed in the bottom of my pannier the entire time, in a plastic bag. A little tablet of laundry detergent was in there too.

Kept in the pannier in a toiletry case:
Little bottles of shampoo, conditioner, soap
a tiny deoderant
toothbrush & toothpaste
scrubbie thing
Zinc oxide (diaper rash ointment)

In a ziplock bag in the top of the pednet backpack:
Camera & SD card, with 2 extra batteries.
Wallet, with driver’s license, credit card and cash, not much else.

In an extra big ziplock bag tucked in the side of the basket, and accessed VERY often:
Notebook & pen
Atlas and other maps
Checkbook (for campsites mostly)

Phone, in a ziplock baggie in my pocket.

In a lunchbox in the basket:
Cable lock
Handkerchief
Sunscreen/bug repellent (Bug & Sun)
Ibuprofen
Phone charger & light charger, in ziplock bag.
Spare bulb
Clothespins (unnecessary)
Rope was here at first, then I used it to tie the pan & spare tire on, as the bungie cord kept coming loose.
5 CO2 cartridges, and the pump device
2 spare tubes
Multi tool
Chain oil

Also in my pannier:
propane stove
Towel (wrapped the sharp bit of the propane stove in the towel, put the whole thing in a plastic bag)
U-lock which I had not meant to bring! Darn things probably weighs on entire pound.

Tied to the basket:
Spare tire
tin pan

Another lunch box in my wire basket held:
spoon
1/4 cup measure
Rice
Tuna
Oatmeal packet in ziplock bag
Gatorade powder
granola or energy bars, whatever other food I happened to have, depending on where it would fit.
I usually bought bananas, V8, a coke and a kit-kat.

In a ziplock bag in the pannier: toilet paper and pads. I learned that this needs to be kept toward the TOP of the pannier, more accessible!

My bike has a generator light and I brought my downlow glow. I agonized over whether to bring the downlow glow. I really didn’t think I’d need it (I didn’t). But if I had a chance to show it off I’d really wish I had it. (I didn’t.) I have reelights on my bike, so I’m always riding with front white and rear red blinkies no matter what the daylight situation is. When it is darker I switch on my generator light. I rode with it just once or twice. Since I never wanted to set up or break down camp in the dark, I was always at my destination well before sundown. But I couldn’t be sure what would happen.

If I were to do it again I’d pack exactly the same list (minus the U-lock and clothespins). I would only add two things: a pair of shorts to sleep in that wasn’t the pair I was riding in, and flip flops for the shower. I debated about taking a pair but decided the soles of my feet were sufficient protection. But they wouldn’t have taken up much space and weigh hardly anything, and I’d have been a little more comfortable.

I’d still bring the downlow glow to show off if I got a chance. That would be worth the weight. The only reason not to is I was nervous about it getting damaged. It’s already been repaired once.

Van Meter State Park
Van Meter is pretty well out in the middle of nowhere. On the first night, Saturday, the park attendants were in residence, and told me to come knock on their RV door if I needed anything at any time. (I didn’t.) The last night was a Monday, and there was just the ranger who lives in the park. The campground was deserted, just me and one other camper who showed up later and I didn’t talk to. Once I got over my nervousness it was very peaceful.

The bathroom & shower was nice, for a campground, at least fairly clean. I thought it was funny there is a latrine toilet very close to the bathroom. I suppose that’s for if you can’t hold it for another 20 feet.

It was clean, the campsites were green and with trees. The raccoons were brave. The mosquitoes were present but not aggressive.

Watkins Mill State Park
I had the impression that Watkins Mill was bigger than Van Meter. They lock it up at night. To get out you are supposed to use your code. I just rode my bike around the arm.

Both nights I was in Watkins Mill, there was a park attendant in residence. It was Sunday night both times. It seemed more crowded, which is logical because it is a lot closer to civilization than Van Meter. There were more trees and mud, and less grass. The bathrooms were bigger. There were about 6 individual showers with their own locked doors, that was kind of nice. Both the bathroom and showers were decent for a campground, and clean.

Both Van Meter and Watkins Mill have stuff to see and do, but I was only there to sleep. One thing that surprised me, unlike Bennett Springs, neither campground had a store.

Coin City Park
Of course this doesn’t compare to a state park campground but for a city park I was impressed. There was a shelter with picnic tables, and a couple grills. A grassy area to pitch tents, and a stone building that contained the bathroom & a tiny shower. The water heater had almost enough hot water for a shower. (Don’t use conditioner.)

Indian Cave State Park
Based on this representative I am favorably impressed with Nebraska State Parks. Unlike Missouri ones, the campsite is separate from the parking lot. That means no gravel drive for each campsite. Just a firepit. I suppose the car campers dislike that because it means a longer walk from their cars, but I liked it because it felt more neighborly.

There were fewer trees, since it was Nebraska, but it wasn’t completely open.

I’d really like to come back and see the runes in the cave.

There were a lot of campers that Friday night but it didn’t feel crowded. The bathroom & showers were about the same as at the other campsites.

Lewis & Clark State Park
This was the worst of the state parks I camped in, and it wasn’t terrible. I’m guessing there was a plumbing issue as the showers & flush toilets were not working. There was a playground and picnic area closer to the lake with flush toilets, and when I really needed one I walked down there.

In fact I walked through the prairie restoration area without realizing it. I thought it was neat that there is a prairie restoration area.

It’s across the river from Atchison, and I have never been favorably impressed with Atchison. L&C reinforced that impression. The campers were a little noisy, not horribly so but a bit annoying. Every 30 minutes a train went through. I’m a good sleeper so none of that kept me awake, but anyone else would probably be bothered by it.

May 13
Hungry and tired all day. I think my knee is an IT band issue, “sudden increase in training” is one of the causes. I’m supposed to stay off the bike, walk, and use ibuprofen. Ok, I can do that. When I’m hungry I get sad. SO sad. This sucks! I hope it goes back to normal soon. Until then I eat whatever I want, whenever I want. I’m not keen on Missouri though.

Tornadoes across northern Missouri!

May 15
I feel a little more normal today. Not quite so ravenous, and not feeling like I’m falling asleep all the time. I will stay off the bike until Monday, to strengthen the knee.

More storms in the area! It’s the magical goretex.

[I stayed off my bike entirely for a full two weeks. I walked a lot, but at first the walks were short because they made my knee hurt. Once I could ride again, I kept the rides short. Mostly I just ride to work or the grocery store, 3 miles one way. I've gradually increased the distance on a few weekend rides. After 6 weeks, I'm up to 20 miles.

It took over a week until my eating & sleeping returned to normal.]

75 miles, 6:40 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
744 miles, 11 days

We ate lunch in Boonville.

I've seen this place a million times! Trailside Cafe in Rocheport.

Mark at Walts. Thanks to him and other bike mechanics, I had zero mechanical failures in 744 miles.

Sarah at Walts got to hear all about the trip before and after.

Outside of Glasgow
A STIFF strong south wind. Ouch.

These hills are about as steep as the ones in north Missouri, maybe a little less, but they are longer. Those hills, momentum carries you close to the peak, then a flurry of 4 mph pedaling and the next set of 5 peaks is visible, and they go on forever. These only go on for the next 20 miles. Just short of forever. They seem steeper, that 4 mph gets to be very difficult. But they seem less steep on the downhill–I don’t reach 35 mph, and the momentum doesn’t carry me as far up the next hill.

I was considering whether it’s better to have company at the beginning or end of the day. I am better company at the beginning. But the company at the end is probably more helpful in keeping my spirits up. On the other hand it’s awfully hard to watch someone drive away from the campsite leaving you alone.

I’m so glad to be going home! Iain says he’ll meet us in Franklin and take us to Boonville for lunch, so I don’t have to cross the stupid river on my bike. I should be meeting up with Fred soon.

Rocheport
This is it. I’m nearly home. How many times have I ridden to Rocheport and back? I’ve done it! I’ve gone to Omaha and back. I can do ANYTHING.

Outside of Glasgow I called Iain again and asked him to find us on Hwy 87 and take us to lunch, instead of meeting us in Franklin. Otherwise it’d be a long wait. I was making slow time against the wind and those hills. I met up with Fred right after that call and we rode until Iain found us. It was still 7 miles to Boonville, so that cut 7 miles off today’s trip. Iain drove us to Franklin after lunch so that I wouldn’t have to cross the bridge.

On that long stretch between Franklin and Rocheport I’ve been chattering non-stop telling Fred all about my trip. Normally he’s more talkative than I am but I didn’t let him get a word in edgewise.

The trail seems to be all better now from getting flooded right before I left. We’re not sure about the part in town so we’ll leave the trail in Huntsdale.

My left knee is hurting frequently today. It doesn’t feel like the same kind of pain as when my seat needs adjusted (like the first 2 days of the trip). It only hurts when I’m pedaling. When I stop, it stops hurting. It hurts again after a mile or two.

HOME
The last few miles seemed to take forever. When we finally reached downtown I raced to Walt’s. Fred had biked the same number of miles as me, but I gave it all I had knowing I would not turn the pedals again for a week (to give my knee time to heel). And so he was actually hard pressed to keep up with me!

Iain met us again in Huntsdale, but he locked his keys in the car. He had Leah deliver a spare key, and made it to Walt’s just after we did.

I was elated to get home. I showered and then just as he handed me a plate of food I got awfully depressed. WTF.

[This is the end of the notebook. However, it's not the end of the blog just yet. Stay tuned for a few more days. I will post a complete route, campground reports, and my packing list. My acknowledgments may go on for miles. Also, just as the trip started well before May 2, it didn't really end on May 12. So I have a little more to say about recovering from it, particularly my knee.]

Newly planted field just outside of Van Meter.

Bridge construction at Glasgow

Bridge construction at Glasgow

Me on the ferry

The ferry at Glasgow

The bridge as seen from the other side of the river.

Van Meter State Park
I am impatient this morning to be on my way.

The weather for my trip has been phenomenal. Two hours of rain on the Wabash, and a bad wind one day, but otherwise every night has been dry, I’ve had several fortunate tailwinds, and almost every day has been dry too! The other rains and storms were when I was in a hotel, a restaurant or a car. It’s that magical Goretex rain gear. I did not have a rainy ride for several months after I bought it. I always seemed to have great luck when I rode, missing the rainstorm by minutes every time. It works by keeping the rain off the area I’m in!

I had other instances of good luck too. Like when Jon helped me out of St. Joe, the fact that there was a newly opened grocery store near the hotel in Omaha, that the ferry in Glasgow had just started running again after high waters, that Mom was there to give me a ride to a grocery store in Atchison which was NOT close to anything I biked through.

Extensive planning and good luck may not entirely compensate for lack of experience but they sure help!

Glasgow
I threw away the tent this morning. I had brought the old tent, the one Iain and I bought for our honeymoon 15 years ago, the one I camped in 8.5 months pregnant 14 years ago. One tent pole had a split join that I’d put a cable tie on to hold it together. Another was missing the cap on one end and the knot on the elastic string inside got hung up in the sleeve. So I threaded the split one first with the good end, then the knot second with its good end, and last the only good pole, which was then the first one to go up, with the others in reverse order.

Then I put the 5 tent stakes in, because the 6th loop was missing.

Then I put the cover on top and secured it in 5 places because one of its loops was missing. I used a bunjie cord to secure the last hook a tent stake, which gave it a lopsided look but kept the moisture out and did not flap in the breeze.

Last night one of the tent poles poked a hole in the fabric of a sleeve.

This morning when I broke camp I looked at the old tent and decided I didn’t want to carry it home!

Hwy 240 had more traffic on it today than it did last Saturday, a lot of heavy trucks. Not so many semis but there are rock quarries in the area and farm trucks and other equipment, I don’t know if it was farm or quarry equipment.

It got windy in the flat stretch between Glasgow and Slater. I’m not making such great time on the bike but I’m anxious to get home so I’m not wanting to stop often or long.

My knee is acting up. I’ve taken a couple ibuprofen now.

I should see Fred somewhere on Hwy 87!

87 miles, 7:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.

Watkins Mill to Norborne

Norborne to Van Meter

Once I set up my tent, showered and called Iain, my mood improved a lot. The 5-minute rice is a lot easier to cook than the brown rice. Although I ate supper in Waverly at 4:00, I’m eating more now, minute rice plus leftover catfish.

I only paid for the non-electric campsite so I went across to an empty electric site to plug my phone in. When I turned around htere was a raccoon checking out my bike! All my food is in my tent so it won’t bother me. [I think it smelled the catfish, and sniffed around my tent all night. But every time I poked my head out to see what was sniffing around my tent, it fled.]

The mosquitoes are fierce. There weren’t any last week when I was here.

Because it’s not the weekend, there’s just the ranger who lives at the park, no campground attendant. There is one other camper on the far side. I was getting a little nervous again because it is so lonely. The woman who cooked my catfish had told me Van Meter was a dangerous place. I doubted that but I was reassured when she said she’s never had any trouble here, in the few years she’s been here, and that if she hears traffic in the middle of the night she gets up and drives around, because sometimes on weekends kids like to come through here.

It has been epic all right. I wasn’t prepared for the emotional highs and lows. I was naive about how many miles in how many hours I could bike on this trip. This 87 mile day was my only option, unless I got someone to drive me partway. But there isn’t anything between van Meter and Watkins Mill I could have stayed at to add in an extra day. Unless I wanted to pay for a hotel in Carrollton.

Are the emotional highs worth the lows? If you ask me during a high, yes. If you ask during a low, no. If you ask during a moderate time (are there any like that?), I don’t know.

It has been intense. Emotionally and physically. I really feel like I CAN do anything. Pee on the side of the road, camp by myself, get across American with only a bike, an old tent and a new sleeping bag.

The diaper rash ointment was a really good idea to bring along. All I will say on that topic is, OW. And that the same sweaty shorts day & night, not a good idea.

Right before the gravel road, on Hwy N, they are resurfacing. My legs are tarred now. And my wheels. And the bag that holds my sleeping bag. And my tin pan. (I washed the pan. I tried to wash my legs.)

The fitness room in the City Limits Eatery & More.

Small park in Malta Bend

Parked train cars on either side of a gravel raod.

Between Carrollton and Waverly
Noisy highway but broad shoulders. I’m making good time today. Averaging 11 mph, that’s typical of the days that I’ve had a tailwind. I don’t have a tailwind but I haven’t had much hills, and I don’t have a headwind either. This part of Missouri is like the section of Iowa that I-29 goes through, with hills bordering a flat plain. I wonder if these are loess hills too.

The loudness of a vehicle does not predict its size. There are some pretty loud semis. But there are also steal semis. Motorcycles without mufflers, and pickups pulling trailers, are very loud.

Waverly
Hwy 65 shoulders are generally pretty good. It was a more pleasant highway last Sunday morning than this Monday afternoon. There was a stretch with half-shoulders that wasn’t as nice, with the heavy truck traffic. Oddly, the south-bound side has that section longer than the north-bound side.

This morning I felt sad that the trip is almost over. This afternoon I felt elated that I am almost home. At the moment I am very unhappy because it is evening and that’s what happens. It’s a glucose thing. I still have over 15 miles left, including a ~2 mile stretch of gravel.

Only sheer stubbornness will get me through now. It would be so easy for Iain to come get me.

My cell phone doesn’t work at all here, not even roaming.

The catfish is good. Waverly is not immediately off the highway as I had thought, and there wasn’t a McDonald’s, I had thought I’d seen the big M when I was going through here last week. The only restaurant was clear on the opposite side of Waverly. I probably added 5 or 6 miles, which bothers me because today is already 81 miles, and I’m very tired. I’m a little too tired to eat. I’ve done really well about not letting myself get hungry. But I think that’s not enough, there’s something metabolic that has to change to keep up with the extra exercise, and it hasn’t gotten there yet for me.

Malta Bend
I stopped at a little park when I came through here Sunday morning, not a soul in sight. Someone’s been here since then because there is new graffiti on the picnic table under the shelter. My mood is very low.

Gravel Road
Almost there. My left knee has been hurting intermittently today. I took an ibuprofen, and when it starts to hurt I take a break. It’s hurting now but I am nearly there.

I am really depressed. I hope my happy glow comes back tomorrow.