We all had awesome french toast at the Corner Cafe in Lowden IA. Well, Roger had to be different and had pancakes. The normal server and cook were late so some random person appeared to be serving us. It was an older gentleman who did a great job running the entire place on his own. Chuck finally was able to find a wifi network for his laptop, but only if Katie put her OJ in the right place on the table.

Our B&B didn't serve B today. We rolled out of the Lincoln hotel B&B after breakfast. They had a nice room for bike storage, but the trikes didn't fit (the bikes did). After a quick chain lube, we were rolling through some beautiful rolling terrain. We have yet to find a flat spot in Iowa.....the stereotype is very much incorrect. We also have noticed that the drivers are far more courteous on the roads than those in in Wisconsin.

I noticed a new way to skin a cat. Ewww......

Our average speed and time was great! For the first time in our trip, most of the hills were climbable without using your lowest gear. They were even climbable without sweat in the eyes and sweat soaking your entire outfit! On top of all of this fortune, we also had a tail wind. Amazing. We cruised at 15-16mph for miles!

It helped that the weather never got much over 90 today.

For the first time in the trip, I think I was holding the group back. Normally I can keep up front with the girls, but today I was struggling. We stopped after only 35 miles in Muscatine because the next hotel isn't for another 70+ miles, so hopefully my knees can recover by tomorrow.

We picked up some extra gear for riding in the heat and are sending some stuff home soon. Katie is giving up on her air mattress...it is too sticky and hard to inflate. She would rather sleep on the cold ground. We all are slowly replacing cotton with other materials as they start to become rancid. No surprises here, we knew our typical Wisconsin clothing wasn't going to cut it. I expected to be fine through Iowa though.

We did have a mile or so on a major highway, with lots of traffic and bees (rumble strips). It was fine for the girls, but us trikers didn't fit and had to take the gravel. Rough ride.

The hotel here in Muscatine has a guest laundry room, which is fortunate because Rog and Chuck were in dire need. I washed my stuff last night in the shower.

The comfort inn gave us a 2nd room for free because it had broken AC so that we can store our bikes inside. Wahoo. My trike would prefer AC, but oh well. The General (my trike) needed repairs today. I replaced a mirror, and reattached my bike computer. The GTR is an impressive machine, but the accessories are not holding up. I am considering sending the fenders home.

Chuck picked up a Frog Togg today. It is a towel that is supposed to stay cool. He wore out the cooling hankerchief that Tom sent for him and needed a replacement. We will have to report how well it works. For now, it mostly exists on his head.

A decent dinner at applebees (no family places nearby), a dip in the pool (Laura needed coaxing), laundry, and bed. GG GN.

"Hi Sammy" - Uncle Rog

35 miles (289 miles total)
Google Earth File