5/1 This morning we found a list of signatures from the very first TransAm ride in 1976 in the United Methodist Church where we stayed last night. I also found some words of instruction and inspiration from John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church.
5/1 Today we plan to ride from Marion, KY, to Cave-in-Rock, IL. Our last day in Kentucky! It is only about 10 miles, but it was the only place we could find to sleep! Unfortunately the only way is via ferry, and the road signs told us the ferry was closed due to high winds.
5/1 We pedaled on, hoping the winds would die down so we could get to the cabin we had reserved on the other side of the river. We found an Amish community with a sawmill and a store and spent time getting goodies (fudge, peanut brittle) to eat while we waited for the ferry.
5/1 When we got to the ferry loading area, we found nothing but a small shelter and Sani-can. So we sat down to wait. A little later a woman who had passed us earlier came down to keep us company. Her name is Marilyn. She gave us mineral water and we became old friends instantly.
5/1 Marilyn offered us a bed in her cabin if we couldn’t get across the river and she left to get it ready. The wind howled and we waited. We watched barges fight the wind on the river. After 5 hours, the ferry finally started moving in our direction!
5/1 And we got to stay in our beautiful cabin with a deck overlooking the Ohio at the Illinois Cave-in-Rock State Park. Just in time to snag some dinner from the restaurant, to Paul’s great relief.
5/2 This is a hard post. I have developed saddle sores that are not going away unless I stop riding. Paul’s knee is requiring Ibuprofen every day for pain and swelling. We have family issues and responsibilities. After much discussion with Stig, we decide it’s time to go home.
2023-05-05 5/2 We give ourselves a day to think about it and to explore the park. They even have a Lewis and Clark exhibit and a bicycle theme in the town.
5/3 By this morning it is decided. We’ll ride to Harrisburg and get a U-Haul, load the bikes and drive back for one more night in the cabin, then head to St. Louis, where Paul’s cousin, Jean, has agreed to let us stay until we can get the bikes sorted and a flight home.
2023-05-05
5/3 We had a glorious last day of riding. A bald eagle flew with us for a little while. A wild turkey ran in front of our bikes until it realized it had to fly to stay ahead. We biked some beautiful farm roads that turned into gravel for short distances now and then.
5/3 On the way back to Cave-in-Rock we explored the Garden of the Gods in Shawnee National Forest. This is an area of sandstone formations that just grows out of the forest. And we checked out Elizabethtown, IL, where we would have ridden next if we had kept going.
5/4 We hope to take up the ride again either this fall or next spring. Maybe shorter segments, maybe with better equipment or planning, maybe starting west and going east. Many people say we have ridden the toughest part of the TransAm, so it seems a shame to not finish it.
5/4 Thank you all for staying in touch with us through this blog and for your support and encouragement along the way. We’ll let you know when we’re ready to start again. It’s been a blast-a life changing experience-and we have learned so much. I hope you have, too.
2023-05-05 