Sunday Night, October 10, and Monday, October 11
It was 9:40 P.M. when I left Centerville heading into the darkness on Highway 2. The long night was rather uneventful and I arrived in Bloomfield at 5:45 A.M. looking for a motel in which I could sleep away my day, but again - another change of events. Without boring you with the details, the only two motels were full of construction workers and there simply was no place for me to stay. I was so tired that I lay down behind the building and slept for an hour until the mosquitoes and the morning sun woke me up and with little choice I continued east. I was very fortunate that they had recently repaved this section of road and a small bike lane now existed for the first time since entering Iowa. This bike lane, though short-lived, made a major difference in my travels. Around 5:30 I staggered into the Amish Community of Cantril, Iowa - a 45+ mile distance from Centerville and fortunately found a nice campground at the edge of town. There were some young construction workers in the neighboring site who were interested in what I was doing and wanted to “party.” They built a campfire and invited me to join them but I simply couldn't for my knees were ready to buckle and I needed only to crawl into my tent - which I promptly did. I was sorry to disappoint them but I couldn’t help it. I will let this mileage distance stand as my personal best for I never wish to do it again.
Several notes on the day:
- A Michigan sugar beet farmer in Iowa for a business meeting bought me breakfast.
- A construction worker I met at a store in Pulaski gave me $20 and wished me well.
- Some highway workers, after asking what I was doing, handed me a bright orange vest to replace my faded yellow one telling me to be safe.
- Southeast Iowa is” Amish County” big time. I saw several driving their horse-and-buggies and was even passed by one. Its a wonder that they can daily share the road with the many trucks and cars and not get hit.
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