Day 8 Cape Girardeau, MO Rest Day

We rested a second day with the Caldwell’s. They are so wonderful to us – caring for our every wish and pain. This evening we enjoyed a great family home evening with them.

As we leave tomorrow morning, we will be leaving a home away from home.

From JakeTransAmerica

Day 7 Cape Girardeau, MO Rest Day

We are staying at the Caldwells, where Dr. Jim teaches business classes in the business department at Southeastern Missouri University.

Today we went to church and spent a wonderful day with the Caldwells.

Day 6 Marion, KY to Golconda, IL 40 miles

We rode off this morning with the 14 cyclists and then were joined by another small, independent group of four cyclists. After making some steep climbs we descended to the Ohio River, which we crossed on a ferry boat – about a 10 minute crossing.

On the other shore is Cave in Rock, Illinois. The cave, a natural large cave on the river edge was used in the 1800’s by robbers and pirates to surprise and rob river travelers.

From Cave in Rock we began some seriously steep climbs up steep rolling hills. One was so steep we had to push our bikes up – all of us except Jake and a recumbent rider.

The day became hotter and more humid. It was extremely hot by the time we reached Golconda, IL. A wonderful friend of ours, one of our missionaries, drove over from Cape Girardeau with his van, to put us, our bikes and gear inside and drive up to his home were we spent a much needed rest on Sunday, going to church with them, and on Monday, Memorial Day.

They spoiled us to death with good food, good conversation, go spirit, and great family. Our bodies really began to heal here. It was really needed.

From JakeTransAmerica

From JakeTransAmerica

From JakeTransAmerica

Day 5 Sebree, KY to Marion, KY 43 miles

The accumulated pain from this week is taking its toll. We are now in constant pain – our legs, especially our bruised bottoms (internally bruised and externally raw), and some sharp back shoulder pains.

The up and down climbs are increasing. Today we stopped in Marion, KY. As we were eating in a local café, some other cyclist came in and offered to us to come spend the night at the Baptist church they are reserved. We gladly accepted. They turned out to be a great group of people – 15 of them. They are on an official Adventure Cycling Association guided and partly supported tour from coast to coast.

There is Olaf from Hamburg, Germany, another man from England, another from Norway, several young men and two young women, and the rest older men, and one older couple.

Their leader had been chased by dogs the day earlier, had reached for his water bottle to spray the dogs and lost his balance and fallen. He broke his collar bone and three ribs.

In spite of all his pain, he will decided to continue to lead the group from his truck. We stayed in a large gymnasium at the church. They shared their food with us.

From JakeTransAmerica

From JakeTransAmerica

Day 4 Utica, KY to Sebree, KY 25 miles

We only rode until noon, when we stopped at the First Baptist Church in Sebree. Reverend Bob and his wife, Violet, are as kind of people as you would ever meet. They have been putting cyclist up in their church building for 24 years.

Their building has a youth activity center with big kitchen, showers, and washer and dryer, which they make available to cyclists. Violet fed us lunch in her kitchen. It was great.

We were in such pain, that a rest was good. It was providential that we stopped there at lunch. As soon as we were indoors, a violent thunderstorm began over our heads for the next three hours.

On the way to Sebree Jake and I stopped under shade for a rest. As we were beginning to leave, Jake’s shoes were clipped into the pedals and he lost his balance. We were stopped in a large gravel driveway. There was one small pothole in the whole driveway. It had water in it. Of all the places to fall, he fell right in the muddy pothole.

He was covered with muddy water from head to foot. It splashed all over his bike also. He cut up his elbow. But, he handled it very well and rode on.

From JakeTransAmerica

From JakeTransAmerica

From JakeTransAmerica

From JakeTransAmerica

Day 3 Rough River State Park (McDaniels, KY) to Utica, KY 55 miles

Each of these days is a real physical and mental struggle for each of us. The heat is taking its toll. But, more difficult has been dealing with the increasing pain of our bruised bottoms and my shoulder pain.

On the other hand, we have eaten at some very interesting diner’s with colorful local working people. The countryside we have passed through has more and more oil well pump jacks, corn crops, and chicken farms, which grow for Tyson Foods.

Tonight we stayed at a new volunteer fire station in Utica. They just gave us the building. After dark, another cyclist came in the door. He had ridden 100 miles today from Mammoth Cave area.

From JakeTransAmerica

Day 2 Hodgenville to Rough River State Park, KY 60 miles

We traveled through rural Kentucky today, crossed I-65 at Sonora, passed many farms and entered into hilly country as we came closer to Rough River recreation lake, where we spent the night.

The weather was hot.

We were very exhausted by the end of the day.

There were no other cyclists with us.

As soon as we came to our campsite, a lady came over from an adjoining campsite and asked us if we wouldn’t mind having dinner with them. She was a literal Godsend.

From JakeTransAmerica

From JakeTransAmerica

Day 1 Home (Bardstown, KY) to Hodgenville, KY 43 miles

With great expectations and quite a bit of trepidation, we pushed off this morning on our way to Utah – which seems like it’s in another country. The day is warm and humid. David Ahern, Jake’s kind friend, came out to the front of Fuji, where he works, to wave bon voyage and take our picture as we rolled past.

We were concerned about some of the big climbs today, but with a lot of muscle power, we worked our way up and over them. When we stopped in Howardstown for lunch, we met two older men from Holland, who were also having lunch. They are cycling the same direction as we are, from Virginia to Oregon on the Transamerica route.

In Hodgenville, we camped for the evening at the Larue County park pavilion. The two Dutchmen were there, as well as two women cyclists and another man. We had good discussions, but slept poorly due to the highway noise.

Jake's Entry:

We had a good fresh start from bardsown Kentucky to Hodgenville Kentucky and staying at a grass area where there were baseball fields. At first there were myself and my dad and two men from Holland. And few minutes later a elderly man and two women came and joined the group.

In the morning we had our breakfast and cleaned up and put everything together. By the time we started again it was already getting pretty warm. And the others already were on the road to go west like we were.

From JakeTransAmerica

From JakeTransAmerica

From JakeTransAmerica

From JakeTransAmerica

From JakeTransAmerica

From JakeTransAmerica