Day 12: Cairo, IL to Cape Girardeau, MO 31 miles; total miles 639 Sunday, May 1, 2016

We planned a short ride into Cape Girardeau, a partial rest day. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and post 8 am start. Our luck with the tail wind continued. 

Cycling is normally safe, and a rider's safety increases significantly with experience. Most accidents happen within the first 10,000 miles, when various practices become habit. We were surprised and sorry to come across this memorial posted on a straight road with a wide shoulder. At some point, it's just bad luck, as this rider was experienced.

BLM Campground Bench Carving. Perhaps 10 miles down the road we stopped at this campground on the shore of the Mississippi River. 

Mississippi River below Cape Girardeau.

Prepared for the flood

Approaching Cape Girardeau, Illinois side of the River

Leaving Illinois

Arriving in Missouri

Cape Girardeau from the bridge

Cape Girardeau Semi-annual Arts, Crafts, and Antiques Fair #1.

 Cape Girardeau Semi-annual Arts, Crafts, and Antiques Fair #2.

Cape Girardeau Semi-annual Arts, Crafts, and Antiques Fair #3

Minglewood Brewery. Seemed to be time for a pizza and pint.

Interesting Minglewood Event

John; Ginger, Critter of the Day; and Judith Cureton, our Warm Showers Host

Judith Cureton's Historic Family Home. Janet related a fascinating story. Her Grandmother designed the home and her Grandfather, a pharmacist, did extensive custom work. The home features 12-foot ceilings, full basement, two stories, full-height attic, and a rooftop widow's walk or patio. 

Judith has been renovating the home one room at a time. She claimed to be working on her last room because: It's getting hard to lift the sheetrock. The home if filled with family antiques, photos, and Judith's art. Judith has a MFA and shared her Masters submittal, a series of woodcuts celebrating aspects of her 1976 Bicentennial Ride, one of the original riders. Judith is the first person John or I have met who participated intros historic ride. We can attest that having ridden on all continents (except the frozen one) that Judith can spin like the veteran cyclist that she is.

 Cape Girardeau Levee Panels

After treating Janet to dinner at The Bar, featured in the movie Gone Girl, Janet gave us a town tour.

The following photos relate Cape Girardeau history.

Day 11: Mayfield, KY, to Cairo, IL 50 miles; total miles 608 Saturday, April 30, 2016

We had heavy rain overnight, forecast to end at 10 am, so we planned a late start. The weather cooled considerably, dropping into the 50s, pretty cold if wet. However, we slept in and were able to start about 9 am with wet roads but no rain. Fenders were essential.

Bike tourists have to innovate. To minimize weight, we usually carry only two sets of riding clothes. We wash them each night and hope they dry by the next day to avoid packing damp clothing. Other than air drying, we sometimes resort to using the hair dryer, draping them over lamp shades, and zapping in the microwave. Cotton and wool are notoriously slow drying, so I thought why not try the microwave. 

Drying cotton socks in the microwave. Monitor and remove when they start to steam.

Cogent Kentucky restroom advice.

First and only flat tire. Typical after rain, fine bits of glass rise to the surface and embed tires.  At least it was not raining and we had a wide shoulder.

John offering sage advice.

Wickcliffe Indian Mounds

Another State. One day in Kentucky; one day in Illinois.

Cairo, IL, Mansion. Numerous mansions in west Cairo indicated prior prosperity. Unfortunately, as maintenance cost rise, businesses and residents depart, and many houses are in poor repair. Seems that President Grant stayed here for a few days after his presidency was over.

Someone famous slept here, too.

Limited Options. A nice woman stopped to ask where we were traveling, and then said that Shemwell's offered great BBQ, the only option other than Subway. Our hotel, the Quality Inn, was 3 miles out of Cairo and featured a desk clerk that was hating life. Her eating recommendation was the nearby Dollar General store, offering mostly fried items in cellophane bags. John persuaded me to bike 6 miles (no trailer) for take-out BBQ. Our Shemwell's dinner comprised 1/2 pound smoked turkey, 1/2 pound pork, a pint of baked beans, and ice cream from the Dollar General. They only offer ribs on Wednesday. 

Once a major shipping port, Cairo was trying to emulate Cape Girardeau and other river towns by commissioning murals on the levee wall, but not much to see. John accurately described Cairo's main street as a s**t hole. 

Storms with hail were forecast at 3 pm but did not materialize. We met two touring cyclists as we entered Cairo, going on to Cape Girardeau and staying with the same Warm Showers host that we had booked for Sunday evening. As it happened, we could have made it to Cape Girardeau as well, but we felt no need to push the mileage with the storm forecast.

Day 10: Paris, TN to Mayfield, KY 48 miles; total miles 558 Friday, April 29, 2016

Perhaps our best riding day of the trip, we started with temperatures around 65 F, overcast, a 10 mph tail wind, good road surface, few significant hills, and rain in the forecast. 

Paris Riders. Encountered about 5 miles out of Paris, they were traveling to join the Paris Parade. Our hotel advised us to leave town before the parade started, as the street would be closed. People were reserving their observation spots at 7:30 am.

 Critter of the Day. This imposing longhorn . . .

. . . thoroughly enjoyed a muzzle scratch. 

Beautiful Kentucky Roads.

Kentucky Antique Store. You can get anything you want . . .

Kentucky Gentlemen. Great story here. He was chief of maintenance at the nearby regional college, 14,000 students. After having to appear clean-shaven at work for 35 years, he quit shaving. When asked how his English wife, (former student, married more than 30 years ago),  liked his beard, he replied: She hates it.

Day 9: Lexington to Paris, TN 62 miles; total miles 510 Wednesday, April 28, 2016

The rain on Tuesday reduced the humidity, leaving some damp road surfaces this morning. Most of our miles were in the Natchez Trace State Park, not to be confused with the Natchez Trace National Parkway. The State Park was as good or better than the National Park, with minimal traffic and forest much closer to the roadway. Three miles out of Lexington, traffic disappeared. Shortly, we entered the State Park.

Winding, Quiet, Natchez State Park Road

John leads the way.

Memorial Critter of the Day. The three-song trilogy for his funeral: London Homesick Blues, Terry Allen; Mamma Tried, Merle Haggard; Dead Skunk, Loudon Wainwright III. Unfortunately, numerous armadillos met the same fate.

Critter of the Day. This turtle posed nicely on the center stripe. I move dhim to the far side of the road, perhaps a religious experience for the turtle. So inspired, he will probably become a southern Baptist preacher with a new congregation.

John's Knee Impresses Damsel. Upon stopping at the Natchez State Park Visitors Center, John impressed with his knee scars. I notice little details, said the damsel.

Encountered shortly after exiting the State Park.

For Sale????

Meat and 3, $5.50. OK, the hamburger steak was hand-formed, the green beens were cooked Southern style until tender, the white beans are traditional, and the hot apple compote was just like hot apple pie without the crust. We dined with the locals, including the 6 Amish men with their female driver at the next table.

Hallmark Channel Worthy.

We often arrive in a town just before or just after a major event, but we managed to join the Paris Catfish Fry, World's Largest, an Americana event we could not miss.

About 45 minutes to get in, $11 each, all you can eat.

Eating all they can.

Hummmmmmm . . . 

Dishing it out.

  Local school children create posters, displayed progressively from younger to older grades.

Typical 1st Serving

Happy Customer

The World's Largest Fish Fry was accompanied by a craft fair, carnival, and rodeo. Keep in mind that this is Paris, Tennessee, not Paris, France.

Free Speech. Perhaps offered by the same person advocating: I hate gov'ment, so don't touch my social security; (Guess I'll just leave the rest to you and Fox News.)