Time Zone : Central (GMT -6)
Todays Distance: 86 miles
Cycling time: 7 hrs 41 mins
Average Speed: 11.2 mph
Today’s cumulative ascent: 3713 ft
Todays Distance: 86 miles
Cycling time: 7 hrs 41 mins
Average Speed: 11.2 mph
Today’s cumulative ascent: 3713 ft
Average Heart rate: 98 bpm
Distance so far: 2407 miles
Distance so far: 2407 miles
Ascent so far: 81,737 ft.
Centuries so far: 6
Punctures so far: 4
Centuries so far: 6
Punctures so far: 4
Today’s Profile:
Today’s Route:
Dedication: Today is for Aristar, Barishan, Sumarlang, Banrilang and all the children in Providence who have had an influence on me since 1999. Our last day in Missouri and crossing the mighty Mississippi and the first of cycling in the rain.
Eventually it had to happen. We have had so many escapes and near misses no one really blamed the elements. Even as we loaded after breakfast the rain was falling heavily and showing no sign of letting up. But the show must go on and everyone dressed accordingly for what might be a long uncomfortable day. I wore bootees over the cycling shoes and they helped a lot. At least the rain wasn’t running down my socks into the shoe. Normally at home I wouldn’t go out in such conditions even though I ofted would be caught out in heavy rain. No room for choices this morning.
However as we moved through Kirksville even though I was getting wet there was heat in the air (almost 70 degrees) and that eased the discomfort. Not near as bad as cold winter rain. No point in worrying about whether I was keeping dry or not. (See Heard Today). The sky was heavy all around and earlier the TV Weather Channel had been giving reports of heavy rains overnight.
Twenty minutes after departing the rain eased off and it got a bit cooler. Roads were still wet and brakes wouldn’t be as dependable as usual. No point in putting them to the test unnecessarily.
I decided to cycle with the more sedate element (3 of us) with no place for heroics in these conditions. I knew it would take longer but no point in arriving at the motel dead on time. So gradually the rain gear came off although the day never reached high temperatures…. stayed more or less in the 70’s all day.
The route today wasn’t extraordinary. Not as much grain but plenty of soya and corn. Meadowland was extensive and a fair amount of stock in fields and in yards. In some cases, I was glad there was a strong fence between them and the camera (and cameraman). Again the first half of the day was over rolling hills..up then down then up again etc. Just keep the head down, pedal on and don’t assume this is the last one.
Hay in round bales mostly was common with many wrapped and lined up in the farm yards. Apparently the rain came suddenly yesterday evening with tractor and all abandoned in the field like the Marie Celeste. No hay making today and none tomorrow either…. Independence Day
We kept off busy Highway 6 and passed through some very small towns or cities according to the limit sign complete with the population. 
Williamstown could have been busier where we made a brief stop. All shops seemed empty except the Post Office and that wasn’t open. Gas station didn’t have customers for years and only a lonely drinks machine on the forecourt.
Adair was a pretty little place with a scenic church …. sounds familiar. We had our first SAG in Baring and the local bank building, Baring’s Bank was in ruins …. sounds familiar also. All human life is here.
After 82 miles we dropped down to the Mississippi and came face to face with the millions of sand bags built up as a levee. Levels are dropping back by now but all the signs are still there … silt on the road.
The corn down here on the low ground is thriving on the moisture in the ground and it is more advanced than anything else we’ve seen. Earlier in the day we came on fields that were under water near the Fabius River which we criss-crossed many times.
Usually this cycle crosses the Mississippi on a ferry. The river can be a mile wide in places. But the ferries are not running and will not be for another three months. The bridges … two in Quincy have no shoulder and are very busy with all the trucks. Cycling across would be reckless so the SAG wagons shuttled us across in groups from Taylor. It did mean a wait for the wagon to return but it afforded the opportunity to relax … it was now 4 pm.
Front wheels were whipped off the bikes, loaded up on top and then the short run over the Centennial Bridge (south) into Quincy. 
It is a massive river and running fast. You could just imagine the devastation when the levees gave way. The down-side of the shuttle across was that we passed the ‘Welcome to Illinois’ sign. Pity to have missed that photo opportunity. Wheels back on to the bikes in a flash and just about 5 more miles to go.
Now we were definitely on the eastern side of the US.Would it be different? How would it be different? Within 10 minutes I noticed that traffic was more cut-throat and less cautious than before. At lights cars cut across in front if there was the slightest gap; one pick-up truck driver pulled out sharply in front of me causing me to swerve sharply (and shout) to avoid a collision; another car as it passed was heard to shout ‘get off the road’ at us. It really put us on guard rather quickly. We’ll definitely start cautiously tomorrow.
Our group, now swollen to four, arrived at the motel at 4.20 pm and it was nice to have a hot shower before Route Rap. Dinner was at a Chinese Buffet and it was lovely. I’m not into Chinese food but I ate what I liked and I liked what I ate. I couldn’t name what I had but it was delicious. Wouldn’t mind if we go Chinese again.Enjoyed the day. The countryside didn’t present anything exotic but still plenty to be noted. Would have loved to actually cycle over the Mississippi but that is secondary to safety. And all keyed up for tomorrow. Still as eager for the bike each morning as at the early stages. I had expected a drudge-factor to enter the scene at some point but no sign of it yet. Hope I don’t have to eat my words.
Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.
Heard Today: As consolation when setting out in the rain ‘ Remember, you can only get soaked once’
We left Chillicothe before 7 am and took CR ‘V’. the morning was quite dark and we knew that storms were brewing somewhere. Skies were overcast and quite a few riders had their rear red blinkers on. Heavy drops were falling but not enough to warrant rain-gear. One would have got as wet by sweating up in the gear as we were in the raindrops. A sure reminder of home, from what I hear.
Not much work would be done in the meadows of Misssouri today and the machinery stood idle. A short period in the early afternoon turned sunny and began to throw a few shadows. This inclement weather assured me that indeed I was close to Tipperary. It seemed that the day couldn’t make up its mind what to do and that suited us fine. We could hear thunder far off to our right. This type of storm activity had been forecast since the weekend.
Another puncture today. The fourth in 32 days….can’t complain. The roads again were uneven especially where there was evidence of flooding recently. Cracks ran across the road and I reckon that I got a pinch-flat as I hit one of them hard. No sign of any thorn or steel in the tyre. Didn’t take long to replace the tube and luckily the SAG wagon came along so I could use the foot-pump. In fact it was Gerard, the resident mechanic, who gave it all the finishing touches. Roads were rough but not as bad as the road from the Rosy Cross down to Donaskeigh.
This morning I set off with Gary and Deb and Forest as I wanted to make up some time to visit Tipperary. We kept up a smart pace exceeding 16 mph even though we were on rolling hills again. The touch of rain didn’t slow down the pace and by noon I was at the 74 mile mark and ready to depart from the scheduled route. No one else was on for this bit of a detour…. I didn’t expect there would be.
Tipperary involved a 5.5 mile side trip on K road. I had checked it out on maps.google last night and knew what to expect. The K road went through lovely wooded countryside….oak, hickory and sycamore, and more grassland than soya beans or corn.
All that remains of Tipperary now is a junction with two houses, the Fischers and the Ledfords. It is also called Midland and Ida. Midland because the Midland Mining Company owned a lot of the coal mines in the locality and they put up the houses for the miners. Midland is the name on the signpost but the older residents still refer to it as Tipperary. Originally (till 1930’s) there were 31 houses here and all of the same design.
Square, four rooms and a pyramid roof. The two remaining are original with a back section added on and renovated. The other houses were moved to other mining locations. I saw the map of the plots as they were before the place almost disappeared.
Coal mining was big in this locality and miners were brought in from various parts of Europe and added colour to the culture of the area. Each miner had a disc with his number on it and nailed it to his wagon of coal as he sent it up. On that basis he was paid. I got one of those and another is being sent on. I saw one other of the miner’s houses in some disrepair and the old school in nearby Salisbury.
I called enquiring to Fischers but they have just moved in. Across to Ledford’s but not a lot of information there but she directed me to a house 1.5 miles back the road.
As I neared this house an oncoming car flagged me down as a cyclist and offered his back porch as a place to rest and enjoy the view (magnificent) while he was off to town on an errand. Very kind of him. I thanked him but said that I was looking for the people with all the knowledge of Tipperary. ‘That’s my Ma and Pa. You’re from Tipperary, Ireland!’ He swung the car around and brought me in. Unfortunately his parents weren’t in just then. Probably be back soon.
He was Rick Stanford and his parents Margie and Ellis. Ellis has just had bypass surgery at 85 and wasn’t up to chatting but he had maps and document dealing with the mining days of Tipperary. Rick (married for 41 years) gave me a quick synopsis and then had to get to the bank, but I was to relax on the back porch for about 30 mins.
He was back pronto and the chat continued…. I trying to get info on Tipp Missouri and he seeking the same on Tipp Ireland. He is a member of the local History Society and lived in a miners house in Tipperary for 14 years. Only sold it lately to the Fischer’s. The story behind the name is that as two miners (presumably Irish) were making their long way from the mine back up to the houses on a wet dreary winter evening, one said to the other ‘Well, tonight its’ going to be a long way to Tipperary’
Rick’s parents returned and I met Margie. Ellis was suffering distressing pain and just wasn’t up to talking. She (82) had yarns about the old days there and was thrilled to meet someone from the real Tipperary. Tipperary was popular in the bootlegging days as Cripple John always had a store of liquor for those willing to travel for it. I explained that the meaning of Tipperary (Tiobraid Arann) was the Wells of the Ara people and the proliferation of wells in the environs of the town. He told me there was a well outside the back door of Fischer’s where Cripple John lived and that he kept the liquor hidden in that from the Revenuers and also to keep it cool. Maybe there is a connection.
I finally arrived at the motel in Kirksville on my own at 4.15. Kirksville is where osteopathic medicine was pioneered and is still a leading centre. The other cyclist were so keen to know how I got on. I told them that I had spoken personally to every resident of Tipperary, Missouri but would answer no further numerical questions.
As usual the low morning sun was in our eyes for the first few miles. I needed a quick job done on the rear hub before setting out. A quick tightening and the play in the back wheel was rectified. Assuming that I was the last to leave I pedalled off attempting to catch up with the usual group. Only later in the morning did I find out that they were behind the luggage trailer fixing a flat for another cyclist. (I didn’t remember what I’d heard about assume.) 
Soon the group gradually broke into the usual sub-groups and we were back on the rolling flint hills. In Nevada I got a new understanding of the words vast and infinity. Here in Missouri I’m getting a deeper insight into everlasting. These rollers are everlasting – they come at you like the waves on the seashore. One after another after another etc. we had 50 miles of them. It was an advantage to ride alone in that I could descend at my own pace and use the momentum to climb the next one. None of them were too long, but everlasting.
As the last section of the cycle finished off, so did this section begin. Dogs. I couldn’t but think of the Baha Men song ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’. At about the 16 mile mark two brutes came out from the right and proceeded to have an early lunch. Again, I decided not to go for the camera but burst into a sprint and left them in my wake. My sprinting is improving as a result. 3 miles further on two more appeared and repeated the process. Eventually these gave up the chase possibly because of the sprint or that they understood Irish or didn’t like the shaking of fists or just because of my persuasive personality. Saved again. Dogs appeared again at the 40 mile mark but only gave token chase. I think word had spread on www doggie.com to leave the lad with the Providence shirt alone; you haven’t a chance.
We are coming near to the Mississipi and today we saw the first of the flooding just before we came to Chillicothe near to the Thompson River. Floods were on both sides of the road and fields were still under a considerable amount of water. I thought that the surfaces of the roads near the end of the cycle were rough possibly also as a spin-off of the flooding. The ferries that usually take trucks etc over the river are out of commission for the next 3 months. Our bikes will be transported across as the bridges are unsafe for cycling due to the increased vehicular traffic.
Our second SAG was in Jamesport where there is a large Amish community an Anabaptist denomination found mostly in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana. They use horses for farming and transportation, dress in a traditional manner and forbid electricity or telephones in the home even zippers are shunned. The aesthetic value is one of plainness with absolutely no ostentation. A large number of carts were up and down the street while we were at the SAG.
Just as I came out of a confectionary shop in Jamesport after treating myself I met two men an as is usual they enquired where were off to, where we started and where we all came from. I told him ‘from Tipperary, you probably heard of the song’. He ( the one in the yellow top) told me there was a Tipperary up near his place about 74 miles away. Nice to hear but pity it was so far, especially for a bike. He said it was just a few houses now, used to be a mining town. I found out later that it is just 5 miles off our route tomorrow, so I intend doing the bit extra to pay a visit and conduct a twinning ceremony with Tipperary, Missouri. More about this tomorrow, hopefully.
Destination after 90 miles appeared in the town of Chillicothe (pop 9000). Chillicothe prides itself as the Home of Sliced Bread and a large mural on the Main St proclaims that pride. Sliced bread was first offered for sale here in 1928. The town capitalises on its claim by offering themed t-shirts, aprons, posters and even candles that give off the fragrance of freshly baked bread.
For the last two segments of todays cycle I joined up with Gary (Il) and Forest (MD) and we kept up a respectable pace for the period. We arrived at the Best Western Motel at 2.30 when the temperature was reading 88 degrees.
