Day 70, August 8: Waverly to Parsons. Distance 58 miles. Sunny w/ temp in 60s - 80s

After yesterdays late afternoon showers a cold front came through and our morning start was with temperature in the 60s. We stopped in Waverly for breakfast and arrived in Parsons by noon. We took a direct route via SR 13 and SR 412 and had smooth roads with few hills all the way. Once on SR 412 we had a good climb then down hill all the way to the Tennessee River. A final climb brought us to Parsons. We toured the town and found a local restaurant that was called Granny's Kitchen. We were treated to free homemade pie for dessert. Our motel did not have internet access but I was able to use the library's wireless network instead. Another beautiful day for a ride in Tennessee.

Day 70, August 8: Waverly to Parsons. Distance 58 miles. Sunny w/ temp in 60s - 80s

Day 69, August 7. Dover to Waverly: Distance 42 miles. Cloudy with highs in the 80s.

Today was another ride through the Tennessee country side. We started a little after 6:00 AM and had breakfast about 2 miles up the road from the motel. Grits were on the menu here too so I guess we have finally arrived in the south. Our ride was on back country roads through some rolling Tennessee hills to Waverly. The cloudy skies kept the temperature down and the early start got most folks in to Waverly before noon. A short and moderately challenging ride with total assent of about 2,842 ft and greatest climbing grade of about 14%.

Day 69, August 7. Dover to Waverly: Distance 42 miles. Cloudy with highs in the 80s.

Day 68, August 6: Grand Rivers, KY to Dover, TN. Distance 46.5 miles. Sunny w/ hi in the 90s

We had an early morning breakfast (with grits) about a mile from the motel and then left Grand Rivers on SR 453 south. Soon we crossed the canal that interconnects Lake Kentucky with Lake Barkley and entered the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. Here we enjoyed a partially shaded ride with smooth road and modest hills all the way to Tennessee. We arrived at Dover to find a special cookie package waiting us.

Day 68, August 6: Grand Rivers, KY to Dover, TN. Distance 46.5 miles. Sunny w/ hi in the 90s

Day 67, August 5: Grand Rivers Rest Day

A hot sunny day in Grand Rivers, Kentucky. An early morning ride to check out the town and take a few pictures of the bridge, Barkley Dam and the Army Corps of Engineers Visitor Center. Lare morning spent with bicycle maintenance with purchase of a new chain in order. Dinner was pasta and some of Jim W's secret sauce. Nice day off the bike; tomorrow we ride between the lakes.

Day 67, Grand Rivers Rest Day

Day 66, August 4: Elizabethtown, IL to Grand Rivers KY. Distance 65 miles. Sunny and high in the 90s

Another 5:00 AM alarm to get wheels up by 5:30 AM. Our ride begins by cycling about 10 miles to catch a ferry across the Ohio taking us to Kentucky. In Kentucky we are greeted by canopied roads with low traffic and modest rolling hills. We expected to find services in Carrsville about 30 miles from the start but found only a small town with a Coke machine. Our breakfast was delayed for 50 miles when we found the Levee Restaurant open in Smithland. Our arrival time in Smithland was about 9:45 AM and breakfast was finally served. We arrived in Grand Rivers before noon and found our rooms waiting for us. Later in the afternoon, Ron and I stopped at a health clinic in town to weigh ourselves and were told that the heat index in town was 110. Thank goodness we arrived early. By the way, when I started the ride in Oregon I was 217 lbs, today I was 204 lbs. In the evening we had dinner at Patti’s 1800s Restaurant. Today was another splendid day for cycling.

Day 66, August 4: Elizabethtown, IL to Grand Rivers KY. Distance 65 miles. Sunny and high in the 90s

Day 65, August 3. Carbondale to Elizabethtown. Distance 71 miles. Sunny day high in the 80s.

Our earliest start so far with wheels up at 5:30 AM. Headlights were only needed for a short time as the first 15 minutes of Carbondale city lights illuminated our way. Our route was straight up SR 13 all the way to Harrisburg and then south on SR 34 to SR 146 to Elizabethtown. For a time I thought I was in Pennsylvania as we passed signs for Pittsburg and Somerset. The ride was flat with some modest rolling hills on SR 34 and SR 146. The morning temperature was in the 70s for most of our ride as we arrived in Elizabethtown a little after 11:00 AM. Our hotel accommodations were delightful.

Day 65, August 3. Carbondale to Elizabethtown. Distance 71 miles. Sunny day high in the 80s.

Day 64, August 2: Chester to Carbondale. 47 miles, Sunny, hot and humid.

We started out early to beat the heat and were glad to have a short and relatively flat ride for the day. We followed State Route 3 out of Chester for about 30 miles to Grimsby then a rural road to Sand Ridge following Town Creek Road into Murphysboro. This section of the route paralleled the Mississippi River for the first 11 miles. In Murphysboro we stopped for a late breakfast and took State Road 3 to Carbondale. In Carbondale we visited 3 bicycle shops that appear to all be doing well. All three within a city block of each other. Finding three thriving bicycle shops in a town of 20,681 was an unexpected surprise. It was a pleasant and relaxing ride with low traffic on SR 3 and wide shoulders on SR 13.

Day 64, August 2: Chester to Carbondale. Distance 47 miles, Sunny, hot and humid.

Week 9, July 26 to August 1: Marthasville, MO to Chester, IL

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Total Mileage to date: 3,328.5 miles