Day 6 - Rochester, MN to Fargo, ND

330 Miles

Left Rochester about 8:15 a.m. on US52N. Took SR19W at Cannon Falls to Northfield.

Arrived in Northfield about 9:30 to no visible evidence of the Great Northfield Raid of the James and Younger gang. This was a little surprising given how quickly every town in America can tourist-up the most remote rumor connected to history or crime. And here we are with both history and crime covered ,and no big signs, “Get your Northfield Raid souvenirs here today.” There is a local history museum downtown but it had no signs of life this early on a Sunday morning. I’m sure they have something on it, but…hey, what the heck…they were here, and now I was here. A connection of sorts.

You can readily see why they wanted to get at the bank here. It was supposedly a very prosperous farming town in the 1880s, and still is today. The town now has something like 17,000 residents and is obviously prosperous and upbeat. I liked the looks of the place.

Neat old Post Office in Northfield.

Nice little square in the old, downtown section. I suspect the bank was in this area.

River directly behind the little square above.

I took SR19W to I-35N and headed toward Minneapolis. Weather forecast is for rain today throughout my intended route. Sure enough, Murphy’s Law was in effect. The rain hit as I was going through, or better stated…around this large city. I took I494W around and, fortunately, it was Sunday morning traffic, i.e., not too thick. But thick enough to get your attention when visibility is reduced through rain-soaked goggles. West of town I-494 turned into I-94W. At this time the rain started coming down heavier and I decided I wanted a coffee break and a break from the rain. I pulled off the highway and into a McDonald’s. I figure if the coffee was hot enough to get an old lady a couple of million bucks in a lawsuit it would meet my purposes. It did. I took my book, and two large coffees and an hour-and-a-half later the rain stopped and I rode north toward Fargo, ND.

Spotted the spires from the highway and just had to stop and see this.

St. Mary's Catholic Church - Melrose, MN

The brick pattern is distorted I think because of the digital picture process. Like showing a stripped shirt on TV, the TV digital "painting" of the pixels has to line up exactly or you get a wavy pattern.

This picture accurately reflects the brick-work on the building.

Got to Fargo about 5:00p.m. and checked in to a Super8.

So…not much of a report, but I’ve got some fill-in complaint and information stuff.

Interesting Sports Event

While stopping for breakfast yesterday in Ashland, IL, I read in the local paper where the local quarterback, senior Wil Lunt almost broke the Illinois-state passing record in their game against Bloomington Central Catholic High. He was 34 for 52 attempts and 573 YARDS, only 16 yards short of the state record. I would expect we may hear that name in a couple of years. By the way, they LOST 42-37.

Soon-to-be Official Complaint to Sony

Last trip I left my big camera behind. The good news was it was at my friends Claye and Sylvia’s house, so I got it back. This time I left my small camera (Sony Cyber-Shot) charger behind in West Plains, Mo on the second night out. This is a nuisance because it’s the one I can use while riding, or on a moment’s notice. The big one just isn’t that flexible.

Problem: Sony, as is usually the case with them, uses a special connector and one can’t just use any charger, it has to be made for this camera. But can one find it conveniently? Of course not. I stopped in at Best Buy here in Fargo because I discovered on-line the other day that they carry a lot of Sony camera equipment. No connector. In fact, the guy told me I could probably only get one from Sony.

Now, that works doesn’t it? I have to order through Sony and wait until I get home because Sony in all their concern for their customer can’t see that if I lose it I’m probably NOT GOING TO BE AT HOME!! And I’ll probably WANT ONE WHERE I AM!! Not WHERE I’M GOING TO BE!! Hello!!! Any of you slant-eyed customer-lovers out there??

My choices are to either purchase a stand-alone battery-charger (~$60) so I can continue to use this camera on this trip, or wait until I get home and try to buy one from Sony. I looked briefly at their website and didn’t see where I could get one. I really like having the smaller camera “on the ready,” so we’ll see. I may be forced to spend the additional money. The good news about that approach is 1) Sony would probably charge me ~$30 for the charger, meaning I would only pay $30 for the convenience of having this camera NOW, and 2) Sony wouldn’t get another dime from me…a concept I really like to think about. We’ll see.

Weather’s looking pretty sloppy for this coming week as I turn for home. I may get through tomorrow without significant rainfall, but after that it’s looking really bad back toward the west…and heading this way. I’ll have to figure out how to make some lemonade with it.

Day 5 - Springfield, IL to Rochester, MN

467 Miles













On the road by 8:00 a.m. this morning.









Stopped by to visit Lincoln's Tomb.
Mary and four of their children are interred with him.








Started out on SR125W. Stopped in Ashland for a great breakfast. Very small town but I'd recommend The Crockpot Cafe for breakfast to anyone. Had farm-fresh eggs, biscuit w/gravy, fresh bacon, fried potatoes, toast and coffee. It was so big it required two plates for delivery. I didn't clean both. (There were a couple of potato pieces left.)

Continued west on SR125 to Virginia (Illinois), taking SR78N there. This nice little road winds through forested lanes to Bath, Il, a town surveyed by A.Lincoln in 1843. I continued on to Havana (Il), taking SR97N there to I-74 just outside Galesburg, Il. (Interestingly, after leaving Havana, Il I went through Cuba, Il about 20 miles up the road.)

I took I-74 to just outside Rock Island, IL, ("the Rock Island line is a mighty good line, the Rock Island line is the road to ride") looping around Davenport (IA) on I-80, taking US67N at Le Claire, IA and staying on it to Clinton, IA. Took US30E over the Mississippi River at Clinton joining to SR84N to Galena.


I was pleasantly surprised at quantity and size of the hills in this area.

These views are about two miles south of Galena.
















Galena, of course, was the town U.S. Grant was living in when the Civil War broke out. He'd been there about a year working in his father's leather business.




Grant's Home in Galena

Of course, a tour bus pulled in just before I got there and everyone lined up outside to to in.









Grant's view looking across a small valley to the town of Galena.















While I visisted and took pictures at Grant's house, Betsy-the-Kaw stood guard in the parking lot below.




Left Galena still on SR84/20N, taking SR20N when the two routes split just outside of town.
Took SR20N to East Dubuque, Il, taking US61N there to La Crosse.

My plan was to stay in La Crosse for tonight but there were no rooms available in town. They are celebrating Octoberfest and, unlike last night in Springfield, I didn't get lucky and get a room in spite of all the festivities.

One of the clerks at one hotel told me she thought I could get a room in Winona, MN about 30 miles from La Crosse. So, off I went on I-90W crossing, yet again, the Mississippi and then taking US61N immediately to Winona. Problem? Yep. It's getting dark-thirty and running along the Mississippi the wind is gusting to about 35 mph and it's getting colder than a mother-in-law's kiss. But I persevered and made it to Winona. (I was really looking forward to a stay in a town named after one of the Judds.)

My luck wasn't holding out though. Evidently it was Parent's night at the local college and every hotel room in Winona was booked.

So, now it's full dark and I don't have a room. Tried to get something to eat in Winona, but every restaurant in town was SRO, so I gassed up and headed out on SR43 joining to I-90 again about six miles out of Winona. There was nothing anywhere until I pulled into Rochester, MN about 8:15 p.m. ready to admit myself to the Mayo Clinic if I didn't find a hotel room soon. Fortunately, I did. God only knows what a night's stay at the Mayo hotel costs.

Tomorrow: North to see where the James and Younger boys got their heads handed to them in Northfield, MN.

Day 4 - Madisonville, KY to Springfield, Il

264 Miles



Got up to a GREAT morning. Fall has fell. Temperature was about 52 degrees and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The predominant trees up here are deciduous, meaning the leaves change color and fall...hence the name of the season, Fall? I don't know, but it fits. The leaf changes are just beginning and with the cold front that moved through here over the last couple of days I expect they'll really get going. Should see more color as I go north.

Took US41N to Evansville, IN where I found a dealer (second one I tried) with the correct sized tire for my bike. Overpriced Michelin, but what can you do? I was there by 9:30 a.m. and out a little after 11:00 a.m.

(Click on picture to enlarge)


Continued on US41N to I-64W. Stayed on the interstate only a few miles exiting on Illinois SR1N for about five miles at Grayville, Il.



Saw this old police car in Grayville. It said Mayberry P.D. on the side. ("Andy, we aren't in North Carolina any more.")










Took SR130N through Albion and Olney, changing to SR33N in Newton. This took me through Effingham to Beecher City where I took SR128N to SR16W.

To the left is the basic scenery from Madisonville, KY to Springfield, IL. What ain't a corn field is a soybean field. Towns are neat and pretty, some rolling hills with trees, but mostly things someone stuck in the ground.





In Pana I took SR29N to Springfield and Mr. Lincoln's house.


This is the same angle as the famous picture taken by Lincoln's neighbor duplicated in the print below.














And Kilroy was here.

(Couldn't get Betsy in to include her...picky government bureaucrats.)












Mr. Lincoln's neighborhood.












Lucky surprise! First I got a room...a little pricey, but I got one. I didn't know this was a big deal until I went downtown to see the Lincoln house. The entire downtown area was being blocked off, vendors were setting up everywhere, there were a couple of bandstands with bands warming up...smelled of party. And it was. This weekend is the Route 66 Mother Road Festival in Springfield. I talked with one of the original organizers and he tells me they expect something on the order of 1,000 vintage cars in town this weekend. Tonight was a parade into town, lots of music, foods, folks! Some neat cars in here. I had a couple of beers, took a few pictures and booked it to the hotel before I fell asleep.




Saw this and was reminded of Lincoln's story regarding his first Secretary of War, Simon Cameron of Pennsylvania. According to Lincoln when he asked Thaddeus Stevens about Cameron's honesty Stevens replied, "I do not believe he would steal a hot stove."

Judging from this perhaps trash bins are prime pickings.







Thought this was in San Antonio.

It does, however, represent several battles in which I've been involved.
















Some of the vehicles seen tonight.


T-Bird


Caddy
















I once had this car. 1963 Chevy convertible.
(Except mine was Cherry Red and prettier)













Best I saw tonight: 1958 Chevy Impala

Day 3 - West Plains, MO to Madisonville, KY

372 Miles


Got out late this morning. The blogger wouldn't accept all my pictures last night so I had to get up this morning and finish posting. Took about an hour, but, what the heck, ya gotta publish or perish, huh?

Pulled out on US160E from West Plains about 9:30 a.m. The ride to Poplar Bluff is a fun ride on this road. It's the usual two-lane, but winds quite a bit with 35-45 mph marked turns. On the bike, and traffic allowing that's 50-65 mph unless you're one of the crotch rocket riders. If you're a crotch-rocket rider it's somewhere between 60 mph and DNMC (Did Not Make Curve).

To add to your riding pleasure the hills and dells here cause some interesting road building procedures. There are quite a few areas where at speeds around 70 mph it's like a roller coaster. There'll be four hills each cresting higher than the last and the road drops out from under you at the top of each. Further, quite often the last crest is on a turn...a blind turn. You see the curve sign with the suggested speed (35-45 mph) but you crest the hill and the road drops out and turns. That's why I held the speeds to that I was sure would leave both wheels on the ground. You could pretty easily go airborne in these, but I decided that wasn't such a good idea. Very little traction in air.


Nice scenic little stop on the Eleven Point River in Riverton, MO. Had a bathroom. Didn't have a flush handle. Didn't stay long.









Took US60E out of Poplar Bluff. This road is much like that on US160 but less curvy and hilly, flattening out toward Sikeston. I took US61/62S to New Madrid.

New Madrid sits on a unique bend of the Mississippi.


The largest series of earthquates ever to hit the U.S. centered in this area in 1811/12. It actually changed the course of the river. The area was critical during the civil war as a jumping off place to drive Confederate Gen. P.T. Beauregard from his fortifications of Island No. 10 a short distance downstream. U.S. Grant, in his memoirs, mentions being in New Madrid several times.







Downtown New Madrid looking from the top of the dyke protecting the city from the waters of the Mississippi.












On the dock at New Madrid looking south down the Mississippi in the direction of Island Number 10.
(The island in the picture is not Island Number 10)








Looking north toward Cairo, Il.













It's cotton-picking time down south.
Cotton isn't King anymore, but there's a lot of it. And, good news if you are a cotton farmer, it's subsidized by the government.

Ironically, Ely Whitney's 1793 invention of the cotton gin revolutionized the southern cotton industry making slavery a fully viable economic system. If one is really looking at the person most responsible for the civil war, it would probably be Ely Whitney.



Jumped on I-55N back to I-57E at Sikeston. On I-57E for a few miles before taking US60E again. Destination: Cairo, Illinois.



US60E crosses the Mississippi and the Ohio rivers within two miles of each other. In the middle is Cairo, Illinios. Grant also stopped in Cairo several times during his travels down the Mississippi to take Ft. Henry, Ft. Donelson, and Vicksburg.










Customs House - Cairo, IL
Construction began 1865, completed in 1872.











BAC (Big-Assed Canon) at the Customs House.

This Rodman smooth-bore cannon saw action with both sides in the civil war at Fort Morgan, Mobile, Ala. It was used by the Confederates in 1861 and, after Fort Morgan was captured, by Union forces in 1864.








Cairo mansion built 1865













Across the street a neighbor, built 1867.












Betsy-the-Kaw classing up the neighborhood, 2007.











Pulled out of Cairo, back on US60E.

Mississippi River bridge US60E














Mississippi River bridge.
You can just make out the Ohio River bridge in the picture to the left.
(Click to enlarge)












Ohio River, US60E, just outside Cairo, Il.

Unfortunately, the bridge was under construction and only one lane was open so traffic was heavy and taking pictures before the bridge was impossible.







My plan was to take I-24 toward Madisonville, Ky, prepatory to getting a new front tire in Evansville, Indiana tomorrow morning. Jumped on I-24 okay, but "music by lane" got me and I forgot to take the turn off to the Wendell Ford Parkway out of Eddyville. "Music by Lane" you ask? Yeah, it's a theory the comedian Gallagher proposed. He thought it was okay to be listening to Lawrence Welk if you were on the access road, but you needed to speed it up whenever you enter the on ramp to the freeway. A little Rolling Stones, say, in the first traffic lane; but if you were in the far left lane you better be J.Giles'ing it.

I was pedaling along with the Moody Blues doing The Story in Your Eyes. Who can pay attention at a time like that? So, I missed the turn. Then came Joe Cocker's long version of Feeling Alright (from Mad Dogs and Englishmen), and I forgot to care. I determined that at speed of 75 mph Betsy's pipes were perfectly synchronized to the beat of the song. It was magical. One don't have time for turn-offs during magic. I actually felt the earth move...or, perhaps, it was my foot. I can't be sure. All I know is one pays for it later.

I finally realized my problem when I saw a sign that said: "Nashville - 77 Miles." You see, Nashville's in Tennessee and I wasn't (supposed) to be going there. The next exit was SR117N to Gracey, KY. I took it to Gracey, joining US68E there to Hopkinsville. Circled Hopkinsville and took the Perryville (??) parkway north to Madisonville.

Quick, how do you pronounce the capital of Kentucky? Is is Loueyville, or Luisville?

Actually, it's Frankfort.

Tomorrow, Indiana and a new front tire. Then? I think west toward Springfield, Ill and Abe's place.

Day 2 – Arkadelphia, AR to West Plains, MO

384 Miles


Sort of slept in...at least, for me. Woke up at 7:30 a.m. and took SR7N from Arkadelphia to Hot Springs about 8:15 a.m. Very overcast with mist and haze thick in the air. Roads were wet so I “armored” up and scooted.About ten miles out of Hot Springs I passed this local bar. Thought the Adult Day Care was an interesting twist. Plus one would suspect that people who drink in the day time drink quite a bit.













Seems it didn't work. This sign was also there.

Hot Springs is a neat place! Rolled in about 9:00 and absolutely loved the old buildings and homes. The downtown area is a plethora of shops. Do NOT bring your wife here unless your credit cards are maxed out. If you do, they soon will be. There must be two miles of shops selling everything on the planet and all located conveniently right downtown. Hot Springs was a real gambling and spa center from its beginning. In the thirties through the sixties and, probably, up to the advent of legal gambling along the Mississippi, this was an “open” town where the mob was concerned. No one family held sway, they all “shared,” much as they did in Las Vegas until Howard Hughes legitimized gambling as a business in the 1980s. Bet there's still some very high stakes gambling going on there.

Downtown Hot Springs. Turn right and you're at the entrance to Hot Springs National Park.

West Mountain (Hot Springs National Park) rises almost from the center of the shopping area and is a wonderful drive. Actually, it a wonderful ride, but you can’t get going very fast. (We absolutely love those signs that say "No Vehicles Over 30 Foot In Length.") The turns are sharp (aw…ain’t that terrible).

The road winds its way to the top using switch-back after switch-back until you
reach the top.

(Note-Just below the roadway to the left is the city street shown in the downtown city picture above.)

Nice little picnic area for the folks.

It ’s a beautiful view though overcast today. The ride down is a good as the one up.

I stay on SR7N out of Hot Springs heading up through the Ouachita and Ozark National Forests. The first twenty-five to thirty miles of road is a motorcyclist’s worst nightmare. Just outside of Fountain Lake I made that observation consciously, realizing that there was a driveway or crossroad about every hundred yards. This is the sort of situation that hurts motorcycle riders. Sure enough, ten minutes later in Fountain Lake I’m going along about forty mph and there’s a guy in an old station wagon on my right on a cross street. He’s looking to his right (not at me) trying to judge when the traffic going his way will let him out. For some reason I just knew he was going to be a problem, and, sure enough, he was. Whenever he saw an open spot to his right he turned and looked right through me at the opening behind me. This is what always happens, they just don’t see you. The stupid asses are looking for cars not obstacles. So out he comes.

Fortunately, my recognition of the potential caused me to slow somewhat so I grabbed the clutch and pressed my horn button with my left hand while choking the right front brake lever like an anaconda and standing on the rear foot brake pedal. This latter action caused the rear tire to lock up and screech like a banshee until I realized what was happening and reset it.

Between the screech of the tire and my 120db horn the guy realized I was there and managed to slam on his brakes before he totally blocked my way. I swerved toward the now empty center, applied some throttle and pulled around him while looking him in the eye and screaming “You dumb s.o.b!” at the top of my lungs. He heard that too. He gave me that “I’m sorry I just didn’t see you deer-in-the-headlights look” they usually give the ones they don’t kill.

After passing the side-road gauntlet the road (and ride) was great.

It’s about 140 miles of jaunt through the country on winding two-lane road. It’s pine forest interspersed with small towns every so often, and pull outs allowing views of the Ozark hills. I think they call them mountains here, but I’ve seen mountains…and these ain't them. But the
views are quite nice.

I passed quite a few stands of these shrubs along the highway. They look like what we used to call "Red Tips." That's as scientific as I get on plant names. In any event whatever they are, they were blooming and very pretty.

At least pretty if they weren't in your yard. If they're red tips they require constant cutting back or they grow out of sight.

The blooms look almost like grapes.

Took US65N out of Harrison to, yep, you guessed it: Branson, Missouri. I was entertaining the notion for a few minutes of knocking off the ride early today and, perhaps, seeing a show or something. This idea was almost immediately disabused by the traffic.

It was H-O-R-R-I-B-L-E! You couldn’t throw a rock without hitting some little ol’ lady with blue hair in a convertible, or some guy in a huge camper pulling a four-wheel drive SUV. What is it they say in the Bronx? Oh yeah, Fugetaboutit! No way. It took me about nineteen nanoseconds to deduce that Branson, Missouri is just like Disney World and Tijuana: it’s got everything you don’t need. Solution? Yep, I'm outta here!

Determining that an immediate right on SR76E would put me on a road which went out of town in the general direction I wanted to go, I took it. And I’m not unhappy about it at all. Well, except for the twenty-five minutes I had to follow bumper-to-bumper traffic, including a small house, believe it or not, to get out of town. Seems they had the same idea I did, and at the same time.

You can't see it in this picture, but just out of sight around the turn to the left is a house moving down the street at about twenty-five m.p.h.

Took SR76 to US160E and headed west.

There's a lot of this on US160E.

The road is being prepared for resurfacing so it has those nice slits cut into it that bike riders love so much. No problem though, just barrel ahead.

Lots of these bridges in Missouri.















Ninety or so miles later I pull into West Plains, MO.

Tomorrow: further east I think.