Keokuk, IA to Hannibal, MO
Via Illinois

Sunday, September 21, 2003
Distance Cycled: 58 miles
Total elevation gain: 135 feet
Our Total Flat Tires on trip to date: 1

This morning was not as cold as the last two mornings. We again left the motel before 8:00 AM; rode 2 blocks and started across the Mississippi River.

We rode on a bike path that had a lot of garbage on it so as soon as we could we went back onto the highway. In less than a mile, we came to an intersection that we thought was the turn to go south. However, the road was so poor that it looked as though it was an entrance to a private residence. We continued to go east for another 100 yards until we saw a sign in the other lane that indicated that we should have turned at the last intersection. We turned around and went back to the intersection and turned south. In a very short distance we came to a major gravel pit operation whose trucks had messed up the road back to the intersection. As soon as we passed the gravel pit we were on a very nice highway. The road ran along the edge of the Mississippi River flood plain. At times we crossed the Mississippi River Levee.

We went through Quincy, IL and our route took us past an art show that was in a park along side the Mississippi River. For two or three miles there were cars parked on both sides of the street. We were looking for a café but we did not see one since the route was through an industrial area. We were almost out of town before we turned into a residential area. We came to a corner and saw a grocery store. Just as we reached this corner we noticed that the sky all around us had suddenly gotten very dark. We decided immediately to stop Mary Kay and Gary went into the store and purchased deli sandwiches, which we ate on the sidewalk outside the grocery store. As soon as we finished eating, we headed for Hannibal, which was only 19 miles away. We went about 2 miles and we were again in bright sunshine which remained with us the rest of the way to Hannibal. We arrived about 2:30 PM, checked into the motel and said goodbye to Gary who was picked up by his older brother. He will visit with relatives for a couple of days and then head home. We will miss having him for a bicycling partner.

About 4:00 PM those dark clouds came over Hannibal and shortly it began to rain really hard. Becky rejoined us at 5:00 PM. She returned from her trip back home and will join us for the rest of the route. At 5:45 PM we crossed the street in the rain and ate supper. At 8:00 PM it is still raining hard.