Journal entries are just that – the digital copy of my hand-written entries in my journal. If you aren’t interested in the daily details of our adventure, feel free to skip on to the next “regular” post.

Up and at ’em – last day of the ride. We start just a couple of mintues after 6 (the crew beside us left at 5!) with Scott joining us. The first town is part of the urban sprawl, so the 2.9 miles never have us leaving the city to reach University Heights. We stop for breakfast – picking up breakfast burritos. I ate mine quickly and was both still hungry and also intrigued by the breakfast dumplings that I spotted so I got one to try. Unique and very tasty!

  

The next 3.2 miles took us through more urban setting and we didn’t realize that we passed through Iowa City until we were well past it. Somewhere along the next 21 miles to West Liberty we left Scott behind on a hill, but he caught us when we paused in town.

It was humid when we woke, plus the terrain was either nice and flat or rolling hills, so we were speeding along. Breezed through Atalissa, 4.9 miles, and again left Scott in the 4.9 miles into Moscow, and headed into Wilton 3.8 further – the day’s meeting town. We were hungry but also too hot to want anything to eat. I got a Bucca Wich, since I’d been seeing them along the trip. Half a sub loaf with saucy filling stuffed inside it. Delicious! Ashley settled on a hot dog.

  

A mile or so down the road we stopped at Beekman’s for another shared ice cream (chocolate!) to help us cool down. Still delicious, as was just sitting in the shade for a spell.

On to and through Durant, 5.7 miles further. Then paused in Walcott 7.6 miles away. Lots of activities going on in the next-to-last town, including human foose ball.

  

14.5 miles on to Davenport and a loop around Credit Island and dipping our front tires in the Mississippi River. Stopped and got some photos, holding our bikes up in celebration. We made it! Horray! Hard, but fun, and we finished strong.

 
     

Another mile or so away was the luggage pick-up, so we headed over to grab our bags and catch the shuttle back to the RV. Dropped bags in RV, loaded bikes on trailer and went into the air conditioned student center with the atlas to plan the next leg of our journey. Hot, tired and hungry, the easiest option is to return to the Hilltop Event Center for the night, with electric hookups and a pool, and then plan from there.

Scott just got into town and we plan on meeting for lunch before going our separate ways. Many of the vehicles are gone already, but one remains right next to us. We try a few options to get out of our spot and I try pulling forward, angling away from the entrance. Almost make it and the RV’s big behind swings wide and scratches the van’s paint. Argh! We leave our contact info under the windshield, a nice man writes a letter witnessing that it was just a scratch, and we head on to meet Scott.

   
 

Lunch was ok, not quite what any of us had in mind, but the conversation was delightful. Wrapping up he tours our home and we all head on our ways.
I receive an angry voice mail from the van’s owner and repeatedly call and text to get in touch with him. We stop at Walmart for groceries and head back into Illinois for the night. A week until the Guiney family reunion and roughly 100 miles to travel. Not sure where we’ll spend our time.

Finally hear back from the van owner who is frustrated because it’s an all-original 1972 van that lives in storage for the whole year except the week of RAGBRAI. He’s back out of the country tomorrow. While I feel horrible there is also nothing more I can do. He has our insurance number and contact info.

We set up camp and try getting the fridge working. No luck. Maybe new fuses on the circuit panel will help – will have to pick some up tomorrow.

I head in to town on the motorcycle for a bag of ice to put in the cooler. Ashley grabs a shower and calls our insurance to get the ball rolling from our side.

Pulling into town, it looks odd. Empty lawns. I have apparently grown accustomed to crowds and spectators as I ride in. Haha!

After the heavy lunch we have popcorn for supper while watching a movie.