New Hampton, IA to Fennimore, WI

Today we descended the steeps bluffs of eastern Iowa, down to the Mississippi River and crossed into our 8th state, Wisconsin, the state where both Julie and I were born and raised. Our day started out on a 10 mile stretch of the worst road for bikers that we have experienced. It was a road that had been widened by a foot or two a long time ago, and was not cracked on the seam. The cracks were at least a couple inches wide in spots and had holes several inches deep. There were also cracks across the road and it was very rough. The road was quite busy and we had to avoid all these things and the traffic. If one of us bikers would have dropped into one of these cracks, it would have been all over for the front wheel and who knows what would have happened to the biker. Thankfully, all made it through that section safely. Later, on US18, the road was great and we had a good but narrow shoulder right of a rumble strip. The problem was, the road crew had just put new gravel on the shoulder and it had not been swept off and occasionally, you had to quickly cut between the rumble strips into the traffic lane to avoid the loose gravel. This situation caught up with Don Brunsting as he slowed for the loose gravel, but two rear approaching cars were too close for him to cut over and he flipped his bike in the loose gravel and cracked a collar bone. Sadly, he is out of the tour with the injury. Thankfully, he was not hurt worse. Don is from my area in Michigan and I had ridden in training a couple times with him. I really feel for him, as he had planned to have his daughter ride with him from GR to New Jersey.

The Mississippi River bridge crossing was also dangerous, as they were working on the bridge and the width did not allow us any space. So, we just had to bike in the traffic lane and hold up the traffic. Once across, we had to climb up the bluffs on the Wisconsin side of the river. That was a steep climb. After that, the landscape turned into rolling farm land typical of WI……beautiful.

I can’t believe we have completed 3 century days in a row. I don’t think I will ever do that again. Tomorrow we have about 70+ miles to get to Madison. Julie and I are anxious to see family and friends that are meeting us there. We are camping at a Madison CR church for the weekend and they have lots of activities planned for the bikers to sign up for.

Love to all, P & J.