If we did not leave early, we would not leave at all, so Dave and Lynn promptly kicked us out (love you guys)!  We were on the west side of Pensacola, so on quiet roads we headed back to the city to cross the 3 mile Pensacola Bay Bridge.Homes lined the other side of the road with views of the bay.  The busy bridge was under construction, but with a dedicated bike lane, crossing was not a problem.  Once we lost the traffic going to the beach, there were few cars on the road; ample bike lane, but we opted for the shady bike path.  As we settled into a quieter ride, we were very disappointed to not have a view of the water on either side.  Our road split the very wide Gulf Islands peninsula and offered nothing to see; obviously a utilitarian thoroughfare.  There was nothing on the road other than huge churches; more than we’d seen on any single day.  We knew we better stop for breakfast before the church crowd hit the streets, but there was so little on the road.  After 32 miles, we found a perfect (and only) stop spot, good air-conditioning, excellent (and plentiful) food and a nice long rest.  Fully loaded, we headed back out to the highway and heat; it was shortly after ten and already 90°.  Thank goodness the humidity was very low, because the sun was scorching.

This is the second time in ten years, we have seen a giraffe on tour.

After several more miles of not seeing the water, we turned into a neighborhood for a glimpse of water.  We met Paul, though from this area, he’s a Hokie and super nice guy.  After the boys stopped talking about the upcoming football season, we headed on our way.  It was a good sidetrack.

The wind was swirling, occasionally catching our back, occasionally slowing us down.  A quick shady rest overlooking the traffic heading over the bridge to Navarre Beach and a great statue dedicated to those that have served.

Shortly after noon, we had to take an air-conditioned rest.  The hot (91º in the shade, 110 ° in the sun), dry air was sucking it out of us.  Afternoon clouds were collecting and we were fortunate to get some occasional shade.  In our last few miles, we lost our bike lane and traffic was heavy.  Occasionally, we managed a glimpse of huge homes tucked behind tall trees, enjoying long views of the Santa Rosa Sound; pictures were impossible.

We were happy to find a hotel and sanctuary from the heat.  After 59 miles and eating deliciously healthy for the last two days, we stuffed on pasta.

It is going to rain!

Weatherman says so, radar shows all green, sky is dark and the humidity is 100%.  But when we pedaled away at 7:15, it was cool and dry; we tried to make the best of it.  Our road this morning had an unnoticeable uphill grade, plenty of cornfields, churches but old cars seemed to be the theme.The country roads and small towns we biked through were quiet on this sleepy Saturday morning.  An hour into our ride, it began to sprinkle, but not heavy enough to put the raincoats on.

Stopped at the bustling police department of State Center and their very nice dedication to our troops.  Leaving the center of the state, the predicted wind in our face began to show itself.  But it was the rolling hills that also began, that were really giving us a workout.  Luckily, our food/rest stop was just down the road.  Daily, our motels’ “breakfast” of dried toast and coffee has fallen short of sustaining us, so today we made up for it.  Breakfast was good, but it did nothing to give life to our already tired legs as we slowly pedaled over the Iowa River and continuous rolling hills into the wind for two more hours;  We had wanted to stay at the very nice Meskwaki Resort and Hotel, but it was their 101st annual Pow Wow, so no room at the inn.  Five more miles we found our motel and a chance to rest.

No, this is not our motel, but liked the big flamingo!

In the over five hours in the saddle, today, we probably had only two total hours of light rain, plus the gift of overcast, keeping our temperatures in the 70’s all day….not bad for 57 miles.  Staying on the edge of town, dinner choices were fast food, take-out or sit down Chinese,that does not sell adult beverages (?); we made up for it in volume.

Rain began as our head hit the pillow last night and continued through breakfast.  We donned our raincoats and headed out.  Knowing we’d get rained on all day, figured we take the only two photos of the day while it was not raining. Within a mile of climbing, we were dripping from the inside and quickly stashed the coats.  Right from the gate the wind and hills shared the assault on our legs.  We “almost” enjoyed the first hour on the quiet highway, but then the traffic picked up; we balanced ourselves on the narrow shoulder as we struggled up the non-stop hills against the strong winds.  The hills rounded off slightly and the protecting trees beside the road disappeared, now it was the wind’s opportunity to issue it’s one/two punch.  The scenery included healthy fields,lush green hills, pretty barns and ponds, but few opportunities to take a picture without stopping.  Stopping for a break or refreshment on this long straight stretch meant pulling to the gravel shoulder and grabbing a snack bar; no restaurant/cafe/gas station to be found.

As determined as the wind and hills seemed to be to knock us down, we were more determined to get to our hotel (and dinner), but it took everything out of us to do so.  Thankfully, it never rained on us; more for the sake of safety on the busy road, than anything else.

We found a bar & grill within walking distance tonight and were very pleasantly surprised at how good dinner was…..spaghetti with meat sauce and fettacini alfredo with chicken.  We have often said it’s the last ten miles that are the toughest, but think today, it was the last 52 miles (of a 52 mile day) that were the toughest.

Steamy morning, though the “experts” called it foggy.  Interesting for the last several mornings, the temperature has been 70°, but it always feels different (sometimes hot, sometimes cold), today was hot.  Started off on the highway with the rest of morning commuters; though traffic was heavy, we were just happy not to have the wind in our face.  But it wasn’t far down the road that cars and trucks roaring by us at 70 mph started to shake us, especially when we lost our narrow shoulder entirely.  Managed to find a turn off through a couple small towns and by the time our course headed back to the highway, the traffic had thinned and the road became more rural.  A couple of hours in, the sun shone on us for the first time in days and we saw the temperature gauge climb over 80°.  A small breeze had begun giving us a nice assist as we pedaled down the almost flat countryside.  By 11:30 we needed to replenish our liquids, so pedaled into a small town for a bite to eat, too.  We never expected either meal to be this big, but they sure were delicious.  The sky had been busy during our leisurely lunch, building quite a resume of darkening clouds.  But our cool tailwind and warm sun seemed to defy any chance of rain.    We sailed along enjoying the rich blue sky filled with white fluffy clouds to the south and the quickly growing storm to the north.  Pedaling over the Wapsipinicon River,  we could hear a slight rumble of thunder. A swirling wind came in, dropping the temperature twenty degrees and within minutes a torrential downpour hit us sideways.  We were only a half a mile from cover, but were soaked to the bone.  Within another 10 minutes, rain and rumble were gone and we were on the road again, watching the storm pass.  Only eleven miles more before we reached our stop for the night; fifteen minutes later, it poured again.

Riddle:  What has at least 5 pizza take out/delivery and one mexican restaurant?

Answer: Every small town in Iowa.

We opted for across the street and after 65 miles, a cherry on top!

Gorgeous, crystal clear (no humidity), cloudless and cool (65°) morning as we pedaled into the quaint and clean downtown of DeWitt for a real breakfast.

 A Happy Birthday shout out to Austin from the Iowa State swim team we met a breakfast!

Eager to be off the busy highway, we traded rolling trucks for rolling hills of the peaceful and beautiful countryside.  The slight north breeze and little traffic made sightseeing more enjoyable.  Soybean and cornfields abound and still we wonder how it all gets consumed.

Crossing the wide Mississippi River on a narrow bridge with no shoulderwas daunting, but once again, drivers proved polite and respectful of our space.  Once in the land of Lincoln, we rejoined the highway and tractor trailer traffic that coursed through the small towns.  After 35 miles, we took a saddle and drink break in one of the towns and tried to find a route we did not have to share with the trucks.    Once back on the bike, it was not far when we found a country road that looked perfect.  Though it was not the most direct route or always paved, we were able to relax and enjoy the cool afternoon and the fluffy clouds that filled the sky.  Rejoined the highway to cross the Rock River and head into town.  Breakfast had been filling, but we needed a bite to eat to hold us until dinner; DQ was the first thing we came to…:-). A couple more miles down the road we checked in to a hotel with an in-house restaurant; looking forward to it!

Dinner did not disappoint either, steak and eggs (beefsteak a caballo en espanol) especially after 55 miles.

A slight northeast breeze presented us a cool morning, even with our late 8:00 a.m. start.  With lots of planning last night, we found a route that would keep us off the busy highway and on quiet country roads, not always paved.  Chicory, cornfields, well kept yards, flat roads and a short ride; it was a good morning.  It was only ten o’clock when we reached our halfway point, but stopped for a break and to see the town of Amboy.

When was the last time you saw a mail carrier on foot? and a smiling one, at that!

 Pete from the UK and now living in Amboy, pulled up beside us and engaged us in conversation.  He insisted we talk to the paper about our biking adventure.  We had a nice chat with Ashlea at The Amboy News, then headed on our way.  The cloudless morning was now showing white fluffy clouds contrasted against the pretty blue sky.  Wind farms dotted the horizon, yet this one appeared close to the road; always amazed at how huge the blades (in the foreground) are on these things.  Reached the edge of the town we were staying by noon, so headed to main street for lunch.  A couple miles further, we checked in for the night.

Having only biked 42 miles today, we certainly didn’t earn this kind of delicious dinner, but we enjoyed it nonetheless.  Cindy does a Great job and no one leaves hungry!

Crispy, cool 65° sunny morning, a day any activity outside feels good.  The quiet of the country surrounded us as we watched a crop duster preform amazing aerobatics over the fields.  The usual clear sky was softly brushed with clouds; large trees adding their interesting silhouettes.  We had quite the variety of barns on our mostly flat road, occasionally dipping down to meet a river or creek and climbing back up.  At 9:30, not even close to our halfway mark, we stopped for a snack at the only place between start and finish today; we really must stop this indulgence……tomorrow.

Leaving the cafe, a soft southwest wind joined our easterly trek and added to the enjoyment of the morning.  Once again, Jerry had a rider..…something about his bike shorts!!

By noon, the clouds had encased the sun, continuing our cool temperatures.  About fifteen miles from town, the traffic started to pick up.  Shortly thereafter, the fields turned to densely packed homes We biked along with the traffic for ten miles to find a place to stay in the suburbs of Chicago (we are only 30 miles from the city).

Pre-season football begins tonight, so we celebrated football and our 58 miles, with the only thing to start the season with,and it was really, really good!