The Tennessee Two Step, Bucksnort, Tennessee

Day 24 - Piney campsite, Land Between Lakes to Bucksnort, Tennessee  76.8 miles

With the thoughts of the hills in our heads, we set off wondering what the day would hold.  As we pedalled along we noticed the vegetation changing.  It was becoming more lush.  The trees created a tunnel over the road providing us with   cool shade - a great help as we fought our way up the hills.  

Unfortunately, we missed a key turn and were once again lost in a little town called Tennessee Ridge.  It cost us about 20 miles.  Now 20 miles in a car is a minor inconvenience.  A 20 mile mistake on a bike in the Tennessee hills is devastating.  We had no one to blame but ourselves, so we did the only thing we could do.  We bravely pretended that we had always wanted to visit Tennessee Ridge!  We hung out at a gas station for a while, asked locals for directions, regrouped and got back on our way.  We must confess, we were thinking of the Costa Rican and I am sure that if someone with a pickup truck had offered us a ride to Waverly we would have been in the back of that truck before you could say "Bob's your Uncle!"

We arrived in Waverly much later than planned and stopped for lunch at Samuels on the Square - "where southern hospitality and chivalry indomitably subsist."  The food and service was fantastic...and the restaurant itself was a piece of history.  The floor was the original marble floor....over 100 years old.

Samuels on the Square - Waverly, Tennessee

Refreshed and refueled we cycled out of Waverly looking for potential campsites. The terrain was not as steep, so we were able to get a better rhythm going.  We heard the distant rumbling of thunder and watched fascinated as a wall of torrential rain moved up the road towards us.  You could literally see the sheet of rain approaching.  We hurried to get our rain coats on, but as fast as it had moved in, the rain was gone.  It was like having a quick, intense cold shower - quite refreshing!

Only 4 miles to Loretta Lynn's Ranch

 As our legs tired out, we found ourselves too far from the next campsite and decided to call it a day and retire for the night at the Traveller's Inn.  Hard to believe but we are only 50 miles from Nashville.  With a little luck and some good map reading we should be on the Natchez Trace tomorrow.

Wild flowers line the route

Giggle of the day:

Rob has proclaimed that the Tennesse Two Step is NOT a dance, but what the locals call it when "old farts" like us have to hop off their bikes and two step up the hills.

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You Sure Look Like You Could Use a Drink of Water - Land Between Lakes, Tennessee

Day 23 - Hillman Ferry, Land Between the Lakes (LBL) to Piney LBL, Tennessee  54.8 miles

We had quite a restless sleep as during the night our campsite was raided by a gang of masked bandits.  Yes - we were victims of a racoon invasion.  We had hung our food before going to bed, yet the little rascals valiantly attempted to get at it all night long.  We were quite nervous as the next 2 or 3 days takes us into a forested area, and we will have little opportunity to buy supplies.  I was concerned when I heard loud snorting beside the tent, but Rob reassured me it was probably just wild hogs and not to worry!  We survived the attack unscathed....just a little sleepy.

Crossing the Tennessee State Line

Morning has become our favourite time to ride, and we find ourselves getting up earlier and earlier to avoid traffic and heat and to really enjoy the sights and sounds of the forest coming to life.  This morning's trip through Land Between Lakes was fantastic.....as the sun rose we cycled in silence listening to the bird's morning chorus and taking in the scent of honeysuckle in the air.

One of our guidebooks describes the Tennessee terrain as a series of exhausting roller coaster hills....enough said.  This morning as we were seeking refuge in the shade during one particularly long hill climb, we noticed a jeep in the distance pull a U turn.  The driver came back, pulled up beside us and said, "You sure look like you could use a drink of water."  He was a man of few words and simply handed us 2 ice cold bottles of fresh spring water and was gone before we had barely said thank you.  AWESOME!

Cold, water delivery - another random act of kindness!

We met Matt and Jennifer at the South end LBL visitor centre.  They were from Nashville and out "letter-boxing."   Their mission was to check on their letter-box site, that has been undiscovered for over 5 years.  Rumour has it one should look on the Devil's Fork trail.  They explained letter-boxing is like geocaching - but low tech and more fun.  We chatted for a while and then Matt asked for our picture.  He was intrigued with our trip and wanted to show his buddies in Nashville a photo of the 2 Canadian cyclists.....

For the past few days we have been hearing tales of an infamous Costa Rican cyclist following the same path we are on but moving south to north.  We laugh as many of the folks we run in to have met him, but we have yet to catch a glimpse.  We were hoping cross paths and get some insights on the route ahead.  Today at the LBL visitor centre, we learned that he found the Tennessee hills too much and hitched a ride from Waverly to LBL in order to avoid them.  Now, we are really feeling nervous!

We neared the end of Land Between Lakes early afternoon and had a tough decision to make.  There was a beautiful campsite beside the lake, cold drinks, swimming beach or a 40 mile trek to the next campsite.  It was hot, 90 plus degrees, humid, the wind had picked up and we were looking at a series of ridges and valleys for the next 40 miles, with no services.  Yes - the same section of terrain that humbled our Costa Rican friend.  Needless to say, it was not a long discussion!  

Piney campground - tent site with a fabulous view of the lake

We look forward to good eats and a good sleep tonight as prepare for tomorrow's assault on the Tennessee Hills.

Giggle of the day:

As if snapping turtles, barking dogs, bounding deer,  wild turkeys, snakes, turkey vultures, raiding racoons, ticks, lizards and poison ivy wasn't enough.....

Bison - Elk and Bison Prairie - Land Between Lakes

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Happy Birthday Rob Land Between the Lakes, Kentucky

Day 22 - Cave in Rock, Illinois to Hillman Ferry campsite, Land Between the Lakes, Kentucky  63.5 miles

Happy Birthday Rob!  We woke up this morning and both felt a little gloomy being so far from the Weiss Gang on Rob's special day.  We found ourselves thinking back to last year's birthday celebration - the 5 of us on a weekend kayak trip to Indian Arm, huddled around the campfire sharing soggy cupcakes during a torrential rainstorm.  What a difference a year makes!

Land Between Lakes

It seems that when we are down and need a boost the most, the "cycle touring gods" send something our way to renew our spirits and give our tired old legs a few extra miles.  Sometimes it is a panoramic view, a kind word, a friendly wave, ice or a skookum campsite.  Today we were given Loni Luis!

We arrived at the "ferry terminal" promptly at 6am ready to cross the Ohio River into Kentucky.  As we were boarding, an older gentleman on a forklift hollered for the ferry to wait....so we did.  Turns out the older gentlemen, Loni, owned and operated the ferry and six others.  In fact, the boat we were on was  named after his granddaughter, Loni Jo.  Mr. Lewis was also the inventor of the ferry's swivel hitch - a slick device that enables the tugboat to be permanently attached to the barge and simply swivel back and forth at each crossing.  Loni shared stories of the area's history, the Trail of Tears, the floods and then took great delight in teasing us about yesterday's hilly ride along Rock Tower Road.  According to Loni, a certain influential citizen, who shall not be named, wanted the road to his land paved and discovered that funding was available for the creation of bike routes......need we say more? 

Loni Jo Ferry crossing the Ohio River

We left the Trans America Trail and are now following the Adventure Cycling Association Great Rivers Trail.  We plan to travel just southwest of Nashville to join the Natchez Trace and start angling our way back to the Mississippi River Trail.  

We were excited to set foot on Kentucky soil and enjoyed the morning passing corn and soya fields, cattle and horses.  We bumped into 3 gentlemen out for their morning walk, and learned they were solving all the world's problems.  I expect they will!

It was an exciting ride....instead of negotiating our way through traffic, we found ourselves dodging wildlife....wild turkeys, turtles and snakes!  Rob even had a close call as a deer came bounding out the ditch beside him - Rob had to slam on the brakes to avoid a collision.

We ended our day in the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation area, 17,000 acres of outdoor recreation opportunities.... truly a perfect place to celebrate Rob's birthday.  (Ian, Adam and Emma were the only thing missing)  We were shocked by the immense size of the campground....we can't tell you exactly how many sites, but let's just say the park has golf cart rules, because folks bring golf carts to travel around the campsite.  We are feeling quite small and insignificant in campsite 31 as we are surrounded by Motorhomes.....that have air conditioners....satellite TV...and no word of a lie, we just watched a gentleman carefully wash his motorbike, drop down a ramp off the back of his motorhome and drive the motorcycle in.  YES - his motorhome has a built in garage.  Connecting to nature and being in the great outdoors seems to have taken on a new meaning!  We chuckled over the contrast between our site and the others as we enjoyed a fabulous gourmet birthday dinner.....chunky soup and jello pudding.  (chocolate of course!)

Hillmen Ferry campsite - Land Between the Lakes

Giggle of the day:

The birthday boy was spoiled rotten:

CLEAN DRY SOCKS!!!  (yes the campsite had laundry facilities)

Hillmen Ferry campsite laundry facilities - Land Between the Lakes

Hand fishing - just for you Captain Adam!

A swim at the lake

 Thanks to all for the birthday wishes and your comments on the blog....it is always great to hear from you.

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Treasure Hunting - Cave in Rock, Illinois

Day 21 - Goreville, Illinois to Cave in the Rock State Park, Cave in the Rock, Illinois  66.5 miles

The route just seems to be getting better and better!  This morning we transitioned to horse country....fabulous equestrian farms across the country side.  The horses always seem curious when we pass and come to the fences to greet us.

We did a short side trip to Tunnel Hill State Trail and seriously debated changing our route again.  This trail looked amazing...yet, another rails to trails initiative - 45 miles of converted railway line, and you know what that means...NO HILLS!  We explored the trail for a few miles and found ourselves in a 534 foot tunnel.  (originally the tunnel had been 800 feet in length, but was shortened after a cave in.)  We cycled into the tunnel.  What an unsettling feeling....as you approached the half way point, it was almost pitch black.  We were forced to get off our bikes and walk because we could not see our feet.

Entering the railway tunnel - Tunnel Hill State Trail

We reluctantly left Tunnel Hill and made our way to Millstone Bluff, the site of an undisturbed prehistoric Mississipian village.  Artifacts dating back to 900 AD have been discovered here.  Our musings about artifacts were quickly brought to an end as Rob was faced with another flat tire.  (I blame the mashing)

Another flat - near Millstone Bluff

We continued to battle wind, hills and heat during the afternoon.  During our lunch break we visited a gas station and filled our camel packs with ice....welcome relief!  Thanks to team Weiss for the camel packs - they are awesome!  Our route took us through parts of the Shawnee National Forest and the Trail of Tears State Forest.  The history of Trail of Tears is quite sobering, as we learned that in 1838 the Cherokee people were forced from their homes and marched over 1,000 miles.  At least 4000 Cherokee died that winter.

Bicyclists Rest Stop - Trans America Trail

After passing an amazing rest stop outside of Elizabethtown, we finished our day looking for treasure at Cave in the Rock.  From 1790 - 1830 river pirates hid their stash in the caves.  Rumour has it that all of the treasure has not been found.........

Treasure hunting - Cave in Rock, Illinois

As we go to bed we will say goodbye to Illinois.  They say Illinois is one of the longest states at over 500 miles - WE AGREE.  We have had a terrific time in this great state....thanks to all who offered help and to those who gave us friendly honks and waves.

Giggle of the day:

Is Jane following the right road?

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Hop On Hop Off Tour of South Eastern Illinois

Day 20 - Chester, Illinois to Ferne Clyffe State Park, Goreville, Illinois 76.8 miles

Today we said goodbye to the Mississippi River as we left Chester to start our journey east on the Trans America Trail.  As much as we have been enjoying the Prairies we were really excited to see that today's route would take us into rolling countryside and forest.  It was wonderful to be back in the trees. The country roads were lined by oak and maples...quite a stunning ride.

Of course, there is always a price and today we paid.  The ride was hilly for almost the whole day.  I have to say that I admire Rob's incredible patience.  To my way of thinking the hills have become a metaphor for the obstacles that sometimes come your way.  At work, when faced with a challenge Rob always attacks it with tenacity and bulldog determination.  The same holds true for the hills.  He puts his head down, gets to work and just powers up.  (still mashing of course!)  I, on the other hand, take a quick look at the looming hill, gear down immediately and start begging for mercy.  Rob is always waiting patiently at the top for me.  He instinctively knows when to say good job...and when to avoid eye contact and pretend to review the maps.  I suppose we have been married long enough that you might call this a learned skill.  However, today the hills even humbled Rob.....by mid afternoon we had both lost our legs and had to hop off the bikes about half way up the hills and walk.  We hopped on and hopped off for the afternoon and into the early evening.

All roads lead to Shiloh

We took a quick side trip through the Southern Illinois Campus in Carbondale and as usual were amazed by the size and grandeur of US colleges.   We were treated to fabulous lake views of Grassy Lake....a busy boating, camping and fishing hole.

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

We  arrived in Goreville exactly 22 minutes after the grocery store closed, so were forced to visit the gas station to pick up our dinner.....and it tasted great!  The campsite host met us on our arrival and gave us spot up on the ridge close to the showers.  Maybe out of the kindness of his heart, maybe because we smelled THAT BAD!

Giggle of the day:

We rounded the bend during one of our free fall descents to see traffic gridlocked!  Well, there were 2 cars stopped on the road, and they were the first vehicles we had seen in hours so it seemed like gridlock.  We pulled up slowly unsure of the reason for the traffic snarl up and were startled to see a HUGE snapping turtle sitting in the middle of the road.  The drivers were trying to coax him to move, but the turtle stood his ground!  The men warned Rob to stay back as the turtle could move very quickly, covering off five feet in no time and snap your arm off.  WHO KNEW?

Turtle stops traffic in Illinois

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Popeye the Sailor Man - Chester, Illinois

Day 19 - Festus, Missouri to Chester, Illinois 61.4 miles

The morning ride took us to Ste. Genevieve in search of the Moduc ferry.  The MRT route was really well marked - we were thrilled to see trail signs on a regular basis, because they really have been few and far between until this point.  Unfortunately, the road was not the best for cycling as the shoulder was very narrow, with a drop on one side and rumble strips on the other.  It was quite a white knuckle trip as we twisted and turned, climbed and dropped our way into town.

MRT and Great River Road signage

Ste. Genevieve is the oldest European settlement west of the Mississippi and you can see a strong French Canadian influence everywhere.  We took our time walking the town and soaking it all in.  The town has done a wonderful job preserving and sharing it's colourful history.  We enjoyed lunch at an outdoor cafe and met a great couple who were on a motorcycle weekend trip.  They gave us some terrific camping and route tips.

Historic Sainte Genevieve - Mississippi River Trail

We were a bit shocked to learn that the flood gates protecting Ste. Genevieve had only been opened a week ago, the highway had been flooded out and the ferry had been closed.  We feel like we have been putting luck to the test, so today we made the decision to leave the MRT route for a while and head inland along the Trans American trail out of Chester.  We are wanting to connect to the Natchez Trace Parkway and eventually catch up to the MRT in Natchez.  It will add a few extra miles to our trip - how hard could that be?

Flood Gate protecting Ste. Genevieve - Mississippi River Trail

Our lunch break was extended as we had a long wait for the Moduc ferry.  This wonderful little ferry takes you across the Mississippi from Missouri to Illinois.  The loading protocol is a little different than British Columbia Ferries.  You have to signal the boat, by pulling up the ramp and flashing your headlights....a unique challenge for cyclists!  We waved and tried to signal to no avail and resigned ourselves that we would need to just sit it out and wait for a car.  We sat on a log and watched the river go by, when a couple who were down by the river enjoying a picnic lunch noticed us, and drove their car over to signal the boat for us.  Greatly appreciated.....our rescuer had been born and raised 70 years in Ste. Genevieve.

Loading dock - Moduc Ferry - Mississippi River Trail

A couple of motorcyclists joined us on the ferry.  They were proud, Vietnam combat vets out for a weekend ride.  The motorcyclists always look a little intimidating with their big, powerful Harleys, leather jackets etc, beside us on our bikes, but it never fails that the bikers are the first to chat and to offer help.  As one fellow told us....it is the brotherhood of 2 wheels.  I guess we have been accepted as the "nerdy cousins."

Enjoying the Moduc Ferry - the "french connection" between  Missouri and Illinois

We finally arrived for the evening in Chester, home of Popeye ......not quite as far as we had planned to travel for the day, but another day rich in experiences and once again touched by the kindness of strangers.

Brutus and Rob - Chester, Illinois

Giggle of the day:

We felt back at home when we put our wheels on Illinois soil.  The farmers were busy in the fields, cars gave us lots of room and random strangers would ask if we needed water....that friendly Illinois vibe.  As we pedalled our way through the countryside, we experienced simultaneous allergy attacks.  Our eyes swelled up....almost to the point of being closed shut and we started sneezing..  Quite the experience - we looked like creatures from a horror movie by the time we ended our ride.

Which way?

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Meet Me in St. Louis

Day 18 Granite City, Illinois to Festus, Missouri 53.8 miles

Our legs have been working pretty hard for the last few days so we decided to take a little time off the bike and explore downtown St. Louis.  We crossed the Chain of Rocks bridge on Route 66 as we left Granite City and had our first glimpse of the famous St. Louis arch.  Opa said we would make to St. Louis and with a little luck....he was going to be right!  We were thrilled to be on another designated bike path, the Riverfront Trail, all the way in to the heart of the city.  We passed a long stretch of industrial area - not the prettiest ride, but really interesting to see the barges being loaded.

Route 66 - Chain of Rocks Bridge

We were cut off yet again, by another floodgate that was closed, and as we were criss-crossing our way to the arch we met Michael, who took the time to pull his car over, hop out and chat.  He offered us great route advice and wished us well.

Busch Stadium - St. Louis

Base of the Arch - St. Louis

We arrived at the arch - the Gateway to the West.  It is massive, looming over the city and the river attracting thousands and thousands of visitors.  We had fun taking millions of pictures from all angles....and then we met Biksh,  a mountain bike enthusiast from Nepal who invited us to cycle with him in the Himalayans....maybe, next year?

The Gateway Arch - St. Louis

The grounds around the Arch are gorgeous....parks staff clearly work hours and hours to keep them in immaculate condition.  We decided to have a picnic under the arch, watched the visitors and the riverboats.  I stayed with the bikes, and Rob ventured into the City for food and drink.  He returned with a Starbucks bag full of goodies....of course he paid city prices for a banana and muffin!  Our day's food budget spent on a coffee break!

Coffee break in St. Louis - Mississippi River Trail

We followed Broadway Street out of town, a beautiful tree lined street with old red brick bungalows on the sides.  People were sitting out on their front porches watching the spring afternoon go by and we were treated to shouts of, "stay safe", "good luck", "God bless" and "I'm goin' get me a bike!"

We have been struggling the last few days to find campsites, maybe because we are close to a big city.  On the bright side, we have taken refuge at the Drury Inn in Festus, Missouri.  AHHHHHH....hot shower, soft bed, pillows, swimming pool, dinner and breaky included and 3 free happy hour drinks.  To think we were disappointed to not see a campsite!

Giggle of the day:

How does that coffee pot fit on the bike?

The farther south we travel, the more it seems people are stopping us to ask for directions!

They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway

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