Eddyville, Illinois to Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Breakfast in Eddyville with the mayor (who was also the undertaker!) and some 83 year old woman who was being teased by the others about having a boyfriend. “He’s just a companion,” she kept saying. Very cute. Time to pedal to Goreville, IL and mail! 30 miles away.
Locals at breakfast were telling me I had a lot of hills on the way to Goreville. One fellow in particular smiled a smile with now front teeth and told me Southern Illinois has the second highest point in the state! I was about to ride down Tunnel Hill Road and with a slight hangover from last night, I wasn’t exactly looking forward to any head pounding, heart pumping climbs.
Well, they couldn’t have been more wrong! The hills were a piece of cake and the ride to the post office was quite the opposite of my last run to the post office in Berea. The sky was completely cloudless and blue as could be. Light wind and no humidity. Delightful! Waiting at the post office in Goreville, was 3 packages and about 6 or 7 letters! I plopped myself down on a bank lawn across the street, took off my shoes and socks, and opened all the packages and read all the great letters!
I got a lot of things to eat including homemade chocolate chip cookies from Dave and Jenny, my cousin and his wife out in Moab, Utah. I think I ate half of them while reading the mail! Thanks to everyone who wrote!! The words are better than food, but all is appreciated.!
I boxed up a few things I didn’t need and sent them home. Then went to Late Bloomer’s Cafe for lunch. Tootie gave me a free piece of cherry pie to take on my journey. Thanks Tootie!!
I decide to leave the TAT for a while and drift more quickly south and west. Cape Girardeau looks like a good place to cross the Mississippi River. I pick my way through some back roads crisscrossing I-57 down to Anna, IL. I remember driving north on I-57 to Chicago back in the 70’s. At Anna, IL I found a library for a quick email and “Where’s Jasper?” update. Then onward. But not before enjoying Tootie’s cherry pie.
The ride was basically flat down IL 146 which is also the Trail of Tears Highway. Being part Cherokee, I think my eyes welled up a bit or was it the dust from the passing semi-s.
About a mile east of Ware, IL (Where?) Ware - I saw a freight train headed south and I could see freight cars to the north which seemed endless. As I drew closer to the train crossing, I figured I would be stopped there for a while, but my timing ended up being perfect and the gates went up just as I got there. Turned left onto Rte. 3 South, which is also known as the Lincoln Heritage Trail and the Great River Road because it runs south along the Mississippi.
While I stopped to write this, a fellow asked me if I wanted a soda or some water. I told him I was OK. the generosity and kindness never ceases.
Historical Moment: Jonesboro, adjacent to Anna, is where the Lincoln-Douglas Debate took place.
Crossed a very narrow bridge over the Mississippi. A semi driver slowed down the traffic and allowed me to have the lane to myself. It was very scary because there was no room for error and the sides seemed very low. They were building a brand new bridge alongside the one I crossed. Back at the library in Anna, IL, I was warned that the bridge was very narrow and that passing truckers often “click” mirrors.
Into Cape Girardeau and found a nice bar for dinner and a drink or two.
77.72 miles 6 hrs. 4 min. 1272.4 total miles
Ate at Pagoda Gardens. Nice bar with quasi-Chinese type food. Had some spicy calamari which was really good. Talked to a coup of SEMO (Southeast Missouri College) girls. One had just had her tongue pierced and the other had just gotten a tattoo hours earlier and they were out trying to drink away the pain. They told me Rush Limbaugh was the school’s most famous graduate.
Camped in a field next to a mall. Peaceful night and NO DAMN DOGS!! :)