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Day 13, Pilgrim Spokes – Western Ohio

Finding Dave Again

We ride 123 miles across central Ohio, experiencing what might be the most spectacular sunrise of the entire journey as the fog and mist lift over western Ohio. A wonderful breakfast at Waffle House with a group of Amish caps a perfect morning, then I get us a little lost heading through Dayton, but we end up in the right place to ride for many miles along a wonderful paved bike trail. In London we meet Bicycle Bob (or Bicycle Bill?), who seems to be an unlikely town elder. Our day ends with a large dose of very rude drivers around Columbus, and a sleepless night thanks to a softball team full of party passion on our floor at the hotel.

A cross-country bicycle adventure is the canvas for this tale of discovery along the winding backroads of America’s heartland. The second book in the “Cycling Reflections” series, Pilgrim Spokes tells the story of the eastern half of the trans-American trek, continuing the saga begun in Neil’s award-winning previous book—Pilgrim Wheels—which reconnoiters the western half of the journey.

More than just a journal of a bike ride across the country, Hanson’s delightful and beautifully written story takes the reader on an engaging pilgrimage of observation and reflection. Often hilarious, sometimes poignant, and always inspiring, it’s a must-read adventure that will stir your soul.

Day 12, Pilgrim Spokes – Eastern Indiana

Across The Eastern Half Of Indiana

A drizzly day accompanies me along the roads and secondary highways of eastern Indiana. I cross the suburbs south if Indy, then make my way along a cultural seam that makes it clear that I’ve found the Mason-Dixon line.

Lunch in Knightstown, IN is quite an affair at the Knightstown Diner, and Kevin (the proprietor) introduces me to a cafe packed with Red Hat Ladies listening to some ragtime being pounded out at the piano in the corner.

Highlights of the days reflections include thoughts on flags, nationalism, Pastor Ed, Quakers and deer. The day ends with me finding Dave again, in Richmond, IN. From here to the east coast, Dave and I will be riding together again.

A cross-country bicycle adventure is the canvas for this tale of discovery along the winding backroads of America’s heartland. The second book in the “Cycling Reflections” series, Pilgrim Spokes tells the story of the eastern half of the trans-American trek, continuing the saga begun in Neil’s award-winning previous book—Pilgrim Wheels—which reconnoiters the western half of the journey.

More than just a journal of a bike ride across the country, Hanson’s delightful and beautifully written story takes the reader on an engaging pilgrimage of observation and reflection. Often hilarious, sometimes poignant, and always inspiring, it’s a must-read adventure that will stir your soul.

Three Top Images From The Day

Flags along the Mason Dixon
Deer along the old road
Indiana Backroad

Day 11, Pilgrim Spokes – Western Indiana

Crossing Covered Bridges, Meeting Ann in Greencastle, Confronting Shuddering Gremlins, and Dinner with Cathy

One of my favorite days of riding in my trek across America are described in several chapters of Pilgrim Spokes. The early part of my day lets me explore several old iterations of the National Road, leading up to an hour or so spent exploring a couple old covered bridges that I go several miles out of my way to see.

Had I not opted to detour off my route for many miles to explore the old bridges, (of which there are many in Indiana), I wouldn’t have ended up in Greencastle where I met Ann, and wouldn’t have discovered shuddering gremlins. It was this conversation that set me up for the important (if painful) discussion the evening dinner had in store for me in Indianapolis with my old friend Cathy.

And of course, it helped me find a slightly more charitable light to shine on the unfortunate series of events at the motel…

A cross-country bicycle adventure is the canvas for this tale of discovery along the winding backroads of America’s heartland. The second book in the “Cycling Reflections” series, Pilgrim Spokes tells the story of the eastern half of the trans-American trek, continuing the saga begun in Neil’s award-winning previous book—Pilgrim Wheels—which reconnoiters the western half of the journey.

More than just a journal of a bike ride across the country, Hanson’s delightful and beautifully written story takes the reader on an engaging pilgrimage of observation and reflection. Often hilarious, sometimes poignant, and always inspiring, it’s a must-read adventure that will stir your soul.

Three Top Images From The Day

The Hauke Bridge - One of many covered bridges in Indiana, and one of the two I explored on this day.
The inside of the Oakalla bridge in Indiana.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The indomitable, unstoppable, in·de·fat·i·ga·ble Ted.

Another year, another MS150 ride, another instance of amazement at my friend Ted

Ted’s my riding buddy. Fifteen or twenty years ago, he got me back into bike riding in a serious way. We started riding the MS150 together, and it’s become an annual tradition for us.

Ted’s been training hard this year, getting into pretty great shape. He decided we’d do the century option on Day 1 of the MS150 here in Colorado last Saturday, and I had no doubt he’d do it well and fast. It was me I worried about. My longest ride of the year so far had been 65 miles, and I’d done very little climbing. So of course, as I expected, once we started getting into the hills on Saturday, Ted took off and I didn’t see him for a while – not until the hills were over somewhere around 85 miles into the day, and I caught up to him as he napped under a tree, waiting for me at a rest stop.

Sunday wasn’t much easier, as Ted felt compelled to chase down every young lion who passed him, catching them just for the fun of it, then waiting for me to catch up. Although there was no century option on Sunday, (thank god for that), Ted pushed our pace all morning, and they weren’t even finished setting up lunch when we hit that stop. We finished the ride by 10:30 in the morning. Needless to say, there were very few people there by that time…

So not that big a story really, until you realize that Ted is 74 years old. Of course, here in Colorado, us old guys ride a lot, and some of us are reasonably good riders. I generally don’t think of myself as a slouch on a bike – I’m 62 and recently cycled across the country for example – but there was no way I could keep up with Ted over the weekend.

Ted, at 74, was chasing down the ones he calls the young lions… And catching them.

Not bad for an old guy, right?

But wait, there’s more, says the man with a tiny little fishing rig in his hand…

Did I mention this – Ted has Leukemia. Was diagnosed close to 20 years ago, and has gone through several rounds of chemo in that time.

So here’s to the old guys – the ones who are indefatigable.

in·de·fat·i·ga·ble
ˌindəˈfadəɡəb(ə)l/
adjective
adjective: indefatigable
  1. (of a person or their efforts) persisting tirelessly.
    “an indefatigable defender of human rights”

A cross-country bicycle adventure is the canvas for this tale of discovery along the winding backroads of America’s heartland. The second book in the “Cycling Reflections” series, Pilgrim Spokes tells the story of the eastern half of the trans-American trek, continuing the saga begun in Neil’s award-winning previous book—Pilgrim Wheels—which reconnoiters the western half of the journey.

More than just a journal of a bike ride across the country, Hanson’s delightful and beautifully written story takes the reader on an engaging pilgrimage of observation and reflection. Often hilarious, sometimes poignant, and always inspiring, it’s a must-read adventure that will stir your soul.

Day 10, Pilgrim Spokes – Across Central Illinois

Greenville, IL to Terre Haute, IN along the Old National Road by bicycle

 

I begin my tenth day of riding in Pilgrim Spokes in Greenville, IL. It’s a chilly 39 degrees (F) as I begin my ride, and I’m on the Old National Road (US-40) within the first hour of riding. I’ll generally follow this old historic highway most of the way to the east coast.

  • I explore my first covered bridge (The Jackson Truss Covered Bridge) of the trip on this day, in Greenup along the Old Cumberland Road.
  • I enjoy a windy lunch in Effingham.
  • I get to see the largest wind chimes in the world in Casey.
  • I get to meet Mary, who’s riding her bike from Annapolis to Colorado.
  • I get to meet three other wonderful young people riding from Indiana to Colorado. In Pilgrim Spokes, I think I might refer to them as hippies, and I use that term with positive and affectionate intent, in memory of my own (possibly slightly hippyish) youth.
  • I continue to enjoy miles and miles and miles of Midwest farmland. Oh, and flat… Kansas has nothin’ on this stretch of Illinois for flat!

A cross-country bicycle adventure is the canvas for this tale of discovery along the winding backroads of America’s heartland. The second book in the “Cycling Reflections” series, Pilgrim Spokes tells the story of the eastern half of the trans-American trek, continuing the saga begun in Neil’s award-winning previous book—Pilgrim Wheels—which reconnoiters the western half of the journey.

More than just a journal of a bike ride across the country, Hanson’s delightful and beautifully written story takes the reader on an engaging pilgrimage of observation and reflection. Often hilarious, sometimes poignant, and always inspiring, it’s a must-read adventure that will stir your soul.

Three Top Images From The Day

Wonderful flat Midwestern farmland abounds across Illinois
The old Jackson Truss Covered Bridge in Greenup, Illinois.
The world's largest wind chimes in Casey, IL.

Day 9, Pilgrim Spokes – Southwestern Illinois

A Little Drizzle, a Little Misery, Some Perspective

My night in the Butler’s Quarters at the Beall Mansion was delightful, and my next day begins with a drizzly ride down the Great River Trail along the Mississippi as I leave Alton and begin my journey through Illinois. Eventually I find my way along several miles of the Madison County Transit Nickel Plate Trail through Edwardsville.

The morning drizzle is light, but continues to get heavier all the way to Alhambra, where I transition from the trail over to the highway for the final miles of the day. It’s a miserable ride though the cold rain, making my room at the B&B in Greenville even more inviting.

This chapter in Pilgrim Spokes allowed me to do a little storytelling of a winter night in the mountains of Arkansas from years ago, when Bubba and me got our 18-wheeler stuck high on a mountain and survived freezing rain and a long walk out. I also explore that whole “the darkness defines the light” thing, or maybe something more like “it’s only through misery that we can truly appreciate joy.”

Best summed up, I suppose, in this quote that I include in the book:

The lust for comfort murders the passions of the soul.  ~Khalil Gibran

A cross-country bicycle adventure is the canvas for this tale of discovery along the winding backroads of America’s heartland. The second book in the “Cycling Reflections” series, Pilgrim Spokes tells the story of the eastern half of the trans-American trek, continuing the saga begun in Neil’s award-winning previous book—Pilgrim Wheels—which reconnoiters the western half of the journey.

More than just a journal of a bike ride across the country, Hanson’s delightful and beautifully written story takes the reader on an engaging pilgrimage of observation and reflection. Often hilarious, sometimes poignant, and always inspiring, it’s a must-read adventure that will stir your soul.

Three Top Images From The Day

Leaving the Alton Bridge behind, riding along the Great River Trail
Long straight miles along the Madison County Transit Nickel Plate Trail
Another beautiful midwestern farmstead along the trail, this one in the drizzle of a rainy day.

Day 8, Pilgrim Spokes – Across The Mighty Mississippi

The Final Section of The Katy Trail, and Back Onto Roads

Breakfast with George (at the Concord Hill Bed and Breakfast) was one of the most fun chapters to write in Pilgrim Spokes, and starts my final day on the Katy Trail out wonderfully.  I leave the leisurely pace I’ve enjoyed over the past couple days with my good friends behind, kicking into the last 50 miles or so with a strong pace that takes me to Alton after crossing the mighty Mississippi River on a beautiful modern bridge.

The town of Augusta calls me heavily, a bar and grill hanging invitingly out toward the trail, but I resist. However, the Ted Drewes I pass is beyond my ability to fly past, and I stop to enjoy what folks in St Louis are convinced is the best frozen custard on earth.

Further up the road I meet some new folks and enjoy a break in the old river town of St Charles, which many folks mistakenly think is the eastern end of the Katy Trail. In reality, the trail extends another 12 miles or so beyond St Charles, and after a little lunch I continue the deserted section of trail, not seeing another human being until after I exit the trail and get onto the roads along the flood plain.

After crossing a beautiful modern bridge across the mighty Mississippi, I find my way to the Beall Mansion Bed and Breakfast Inn, where Jim welcomes me and shows me up to the Butler’s Quarters. This is another transition point for me, leaving friends behind and kicking my pace up, out alone on the highway again.

Pedal, Breathe, Smile, and Enjoy…

A cross-country bicycle adventure is the canvas for this tale of discovery along the winding backroads of America’s heartland. The second book in the “Cycling Reflections” series, Pilgrim Spokes tells the story of the eastern half of the trans-American trek, continuing the saga begun in Neil’s award-winning previous book—Pilgrim Wheels—which reconnoiters the western half of the journey.

More than just a journal of a bike ride across the country, Hanson’s delightful and beautifully written story takes the reader on an engaging pilgrimage of observation and reflection. Often hilarious, sometimes poignant, and always inspiring, it’s a must-read adventure that will stir your soul.

Three Top Images From The Day

I just can't get enough of how pretty the trail is when it glides along beside the river.
A cut corn field east of St Charles along the Katy Trail
The bridge across the mighty Mississippi at Alton

Day 7, Pilgrim Spokes – The Katy Trail in Missouri’s Heartland

From Rhineland to Marthasville, this is the heart of the Katy Trail

Another glorious day of riding along the Katy Trail, with a little bit of everything the trail has to offer. The day begins with breakfast at The Doll House Bed and Breakfast and ends with a wonderful experience with some neighborhood musicians at the Concord Hill Bed and Breakfast.

This little section of the trail seems to bloom with an undercurrent of music. Not only are we treated to great music at George and Maggie’s Concord Hill B&B, but we’re lucky enough to bump into Doug in Bluffton, who’s outside working in his yard as we pass. Doug runs the Rendleman Home B&B there in Bluffton. Which seems like a fun little place where music happens most every evening. As it turns out, as of the writing of this post, it appears that Doug’s B&B is no longer in business.

Highlights include:

  • A beautiful Missouri sunrise on the back porch.
  • The trail crosses many RR bridges, again working back and forth between the Missouri River and forest edged cultivated fields.
  • A secret hideaway down in the cellar at George and Maggie’s place.
  • A chance (and briefly intimate) encounter and with a beautiful old Martin D-35.
  • Regret fueled by self-consciousness.
  • Sweet music drifting into the windows from the jammin’ going on below.

A cross-country bicycle adventure is the canvas for this tale of discovery along the winding backroads of America’s heartland. The second book in the “Cycling Reflections” series, Pilgrim Spokes tells the story of the eastern half of the trans-American trek, continuing the saga begun in Neil’s award-winning previous book—Pilgrim Wheels—which reconnoiters the western half of the journey.

More than just a journal of a bike ride across the country, Hanson’s delightful and beautifully written story takes the reader on an engaging pilgrimage of observation and reflection. Often hilarious, sometimes poignant, and always inspiring, it’s a must-read adventure that will stir your soul.

Three Top Images From The Day

Beautiful cuts through the limestone are common
One of many old farmsteads along the trail
One more of many tunnels and bridges along the Katy Trail

Day 6, Pilgrim Spokes – The Katy Trail

The Katy Trail from Hartsburg to Rhineland

My first full day on the Katy Trail takes me from Hartsburg to Rhineland, where we stay at The Doll House B&B. We pedal along a gorgeous tree lined trail through tiny little burgs. The trail falls out along the river plain occasionally, then tucks back into woods that open now and then to farm fields on one side or the other. Beautiful dives through occasional cut banks, and fun crossings of creeks on old bridges just add to the wonder of another great day of leisurely riding.

The Katy Trail is truly a national treasure, and I enjoy the many conversations I have with folks along the trail almost as much as I enjoy the riding itself. This is the first of a couple days I spend riding at a relaxed and conversational pace with good friends who I’ve known most of my life.

A cross-country bicycle adventure is the canvas for this tale of discovery along the winding backroads of America’s heartland. The second book in the “Cycling Reflections” series, Pilgrim Spokes tells the story of the eastern half of the trans-American trek, continuing the saga begun in Neil’s award-winning previous book—Pilgrim Wheels—which reconnoiters the western half of the journey.

More than just a journal of a bike ride across the country, Hanson’s delightful and beautifully written story takes the reader on an engaging pilgrimage of observation and reflection. Often hilarious, sometimes poignant, and always inspiring, it’s a must-read adventure that will stir your soul.

Three Top Images From The Day

One of many old bridges along the Katy Trail
The Katy Trail often moves treats the rider to wonderful glides beside the Missouri River
While meandering often through tunnels through the deciduous tree canopy, there are many miles where the trail opens to farmland on one side or the other.