JohnKScott

I am calling it close enough. Original route planned was 130 miles or 209 km. However, I had to abandon at 122 miles (196 km) due to severe weather (tornado warning) It was a mostly flat ride with some rolling and three decent climbs between 65 and 82 miles out. This was a self supported solo effort. Brought a long a minimum of stuff and stopped at convenience stores along the way for most of my food. The plan was just to take it at a nice slow pace and finish the ride. Longest/hardest ride before this was a fairly hilly century so I was confident I could finish this one. And I would have except for the weather. I still felt great when I called for my rescue ride. Felt like I could have done another 50 miles easy. Total saddle time for the 122 miles was 8 hours 3 minutes with 2,216 ft of climbing after smoothing (Garmin registered 3,250 ft). 1150 feet of that climbing was over 3 climbs and about 5 miles. Not a lot of climbing for the distance, but enough to make the ride a little more interesting.

Here’s an image of the route I actually completed. Started in La Crosse, WI, crossed the Mississippi River at Prairie du Chein, WI and then up the IA & MN side just past Brownsville, MN and back to Brownsville again.



My first stop was Genoa, WI for about 10 minutes after 16 miles just to stretch out a bit.



The Lock & Dam at Genoa…



A cool looking house south of Genoa…



Second stop was at Ferryville, WI at about 35 miles where I had some chocolate milk and mini Oreos and refilled my water & Cytomax. Stupid truck pulled in so you can’t see my bike.



After I left Ferryville, I could see I was headed into a little weather to the south.



Luckily it cleared a bit by the time I got there and I just got spit on a little bit and had about 7 or 8 miles of wet road to deal with.

Third stop was in Prairie du Chein, WI for lunch at about 58 miles. Had a hot dog, Mountain Dew and some Cheetos. These would come into play later. It was starting to get hot.



Crossed the Mississippi into Marquette, IA

Riverboat casino in Marquette…



A view from the bridge crossing into Marquette…



A cool cliff & foreshadowing of coming attraction…



continued...

JohnKScott

About 4 miles of easy spinning after this river crossing I hit a hill. Never ridden down in this area before so I didn’t know what to expect. I started going up at a pretty good pace as it didn’t seem like it would be that long. Turned a corner and…uh…more hill. At this point I started pacing myself a little better and was able to manage my heart rate well. However, by the time I got to the top my lunch was revisiting me a little with some chunky burps. I spun easy for a while and had a wonderful descent down into my next stop in Harper’s Ferry, IA at about mile 74. Took a 15 minute break and took on some water (both me and the bike) and availed myself of the air conditioning for a while.



Started out again and my tummy felt much better but I wasn’t having anything but water for the next 14 miles which was my next stop in Lansing, IA at about mile 88. Had a chocolate milk and a few of my left over mini Oreos from earlier in the day. Yum!

Just south of Lansing…



The stop…



Next leg was a short 11 mile ride to New Albin, IA at about mile 99. Stopped there for a short break and a Mountain Dew and took on some water. Still hot. After the ride the weather data said it was 86 with a heat index of 95. It felt every bit of it. Met some of the natives…



The second to last scheduled leg was about 14 miles to Brownsville, MN at about mile 113. The town I grew up in from about 10 years old until I went away to college.



The place where I planned to stop was closed…like for good. Scratch that stop off my cue sheet! The weather was starting to look pretty sketchy at this point and I had about 17 miles left to get home. I decided not to stop at all and push on. My legs were still feeling fresh and I felt great. My butt and feet were about the only things that were giving me any grief at all and those were manageable.

I got a bit over 4 miles out of Brownsville and the weather turned bad FAST. At first it just started raining and it felt pretty good actually. Then I started hearing thunder in the distance and I saw shelf clouds come over the bluffs and the wind changed directions on me. It was at my back and now I was headed mostly at me and a little sideways. I learned later the gusts were up to 70 mph. It was blowing me around pretty good. The rain started coming down in sheets and the lightning got really intense.

I was about half way between Brownsville and La Crescent, MN. Since the wind had done a 180 on me I decided to beat it back to Brownsville and take cover. I was holding a nice 20-22 mph pace headed back to Brownsville until the wind did another 180 on me about a mile and a half out. I battled it out and called for an emergency pick up in Brownsville. That’s where I learned that there was a tornado warning and my Mom (my ride) was stuck in the basement of the YMCA with my daughter in La Crosse, WI. They came and got me a bit later and I got cleaned up and we had a great pizza munch that night!

I enjoyed the heck out of this ride and really wish I could have finished it. I would have without a problem but Mother Nature had other ideas lol.

Now, to plan something bigger for next summer when I visit up in Wisconsin!

10 Wheels

Do it again next week.
Nice Pics, Thanks

JohnKScott

Heh...wish I could. I don't get too many chances to be out riding my bike all day. The cost of being a family man (not complaining). I did do a century two weeks prior though! Next century scheduled 9/20. Maybe I'll figure a way to slip one in before then

Thanks!

yeamac 

Thanks for the nice write up and picts.

About the food, I'm not a fan of Hot Dogs, and thanks to your write up I'm certainly never, EVER going to eat one on a long bike ride!

JohnKScott

I'm glad you enjoyed the forshadowing

I understand what you are saying. I needed something a bit more substantial at that point. I don't think it was the hot dog per se, just the volume of what I had eaten too soon before a strenuous stretch. Next time I eat lunch AFTER the big climb

drewcifer

thanks for sharing. looks like a beautiful ride!