David Freeze

By David Freeze

Just after the sun topped the horizon this morning, I was on the bike and pedaling south. I had sort of a plan, ready to revise if needed. My initial goal was to make West Memphis, Arkansas and set myself up for a run through Memphis, Tennessee on Monday morning.
  I rode four miles on I-55 and then pedaled the rest of the day on other roads. US 61 South was back and initially had a great shoulder and beautiful farm scenery. The weather lady on a Memphis station said winds would be significant out of the south, making the first real headwind of my whole adventure. All the farmland was flat and that probably aided the wind gain some intensity.
   The first segment was on a portion of 61 named the Americana Music Highway, largely because the highway was notable in the careers of BB King and others from the Memphis area. Traffic was light as I passed through a series of very small towns named Bardette, Luxura, Osceola, Driver, Wilson, Bassett, Joiner, Frenchman’s Bayou, Terrell,
Clarkedale, Jericho and Sunset. That run ended on State Road 77 at Marion, a productive and busy town.
  I could see the river levees at times and stopped in Osceola to ask if there was anywhere to see the river. I was told there was not and the roads would lead away from the river ahead.
    My focus was on making West Memphis, but all along if everything went right, I wanted more. I started analyzing last night how to cross the Mississippi on a bike legally. Jeff from the New Madrid Museum said that he heard something has been done to make it possible. In 2016, the Harahan Bridge, formerly used for railroad traffic, was repurposed to get pedestrians including cyclists across the river safely. I used a mixture of city streets and a very nice bike path to access the bridge while interstate traffic from I-55 and I-40 buzzed all around. Just as I reached the bridge, a train started over the upper level of the Harahan Bridge, proving it is still very much in use.
   By riding over the bridge, I am now in Memphis, Tennessee, not too far from Graceland and the Peabody Hotel ducks which I visited while here to run the Memphis Marathon years ago.
   Coming off the Harahan Bridge, I had to ask two locals for help understanding how I could get around the trains and back headed south, unbelievably once again on US 61 South. I found it with a little luck and started looking for a motel, not interested in the upscale ones downtown, I checked Siri for options. One called the Relax Inn was close by but wouldn’t give a rate over the phone. Another was at least $25 too much. I stopped and got a room at another one, then got a refund after I saw the inside. And getting that refund wasn’t easy, but I did get it.
   Finally I am settled in the Regency Inn, the first motel run by a woman and also the first I could understand. I got my dinner from the nearest convenience store that included pizza, ice cream and watermelon chunks way cheaper than the grocery store prices.
    Today’s ride was 80 miles, but I am positioned to head south in the morning and will be quickly entering Mississippi. I’m happy with the progress so far but will have to pull out several maps to plan tomorrow. After Mississippi, only Louisiana remains but there are still lots of miles to cover and plenty to see. Hope you will plan on joining me right back here again tomorrow!

By David Freeze

 My mind had several scenarios rolling last night that kept sleep from being the best. I was excited for what the day might bring in New Madrid, Missouri. The desk clerk at the Super Eight in Sikeston told me not to miss the town or the museum. I was still unsure about whether to take 61 South or use I-55, which is obviously way quicker because of the quality and width of the surface in the breakdown lane. Determined to make it a good day, I used I-55 except for the route from the interstate to downtown New Madrid.

    A quick 22 mile ride got me to the waterfront and just ahead of the 9am museum opening. The Mississippi was especially beautiful in the early morning sun from an observation area that makes viewing the river even better. Instead of a wall, New Madrid has a levee, dirt built up to a high flood level and then stabilized by grass and in this case a walking/ driving road.

  New Madrid is a beautiful little town of over 3,000. In 1811, one of the world’s most powerful earthquakes to this day occurred with all sorts of wild claims of what happened during that day and the next. New Madrid sits on a fault line that spawned earthquakes for the next year and from 5-25 per year since. One claim was that the Mississippi River flowed backwards during this time, which scientists think that parts of it suffered upheaval and actually did change the course of the flow for a day or two.

   Just as interesting to me was a Civil War battle that took 20,000 Union forces to overtake New Madrid and her two forts. One of those was on Island #10, which has since been washed away by the ever changing Mississippi. Those events helped the Union forces eventually control the river.

   I took about an hour for a tour of the New Madrid Historical Museum. Administrator Jeff Grunwald was the perfect host. My bike was a popular conversation piece while I was in town.

    I left New Madrid for a 50 mile ride that included US 61 and then more of I-55. I passed Portageville, the soybean capital of the world, but not much else on another perfect weather day. A tailwind and low humidity with mid 80s for a high.

     Some fun was yet to come as I had called and left my name last night for a room at the Super Eight Motel in Blytheville, after the success of the previous two nights. I found the motel near my exit off I-55 and rolled to the door. Nothing looked good, the door was locked and plenty of unusual characters were hanging around. I called the Quality Inn, Days Inn and America’s Best Value Inn and got the perfect room for a great price from Dana at ABVI. And for the first time on the trip, I will have a real breakfast included. Complete with eggs! I really enjoyed talking with Dana about the trials of finding a good motel on the fly and her interest in cycling.

   Another interesting tidbit from the day included my anticipation of crossing into Arkansas and whether I could continue on the interstate. With just 5 miles, left to Blytheville, I crossed the state line and kept pedaling, possibly a little faster. I stopped at the Arkansas welcome center and talked to the attendant who told me, “Yes, I’ve never been told you couldn’t.”

    Blytheville is one of those interstate exits that has everything. Dana told me there was a Waffle House, but I found one actually named Waffle Inn and not open tonight for some reason. I settled for the Impossible vegetarian burger and ice cream from Burger King. Then I rode to the nearest convenience store and struck up a conversation with Jaimee Williams about the bike ride. I loved her upbeat attitude and appreciation for what I had done on this trip and the others previously. It was great to talk with Jeff, Dana and Jaimee today, all positive and fun and the very best thing about going on these bike adventures. Good people cross my path continually.

    About all I have planned for tomorrow is that I will likely head toward West Memphis, which is still in Arkansas and see if I can cross the river and ride down the Mississippi side for a while. It’s still up in the air but the Arkansas side only visits the river one more time until that side crosses into Louisiana.

  After 79 miles today, I am less than 500 miles to New Orleans. Highlights still ahead include crossing the river near Memphis and visits to Vicksburg, Natchez, Baton Rouge and the finish in New Orleans. I count this as a very good day and hope you enjoyed reading about it! See you back here tomorrow!

By David Freeze

Today dawned with several possibilities. Ride Interstate 55 and hopefully make big time toward Cape Girardeau, or follow US 61 to see if it can find the river. Right now, both of them are designated The Great River Road but 61 would get close while I-55 would not. Here’s what happened.

   I left the town of Arnold after a wonderful night at the Quality Inn and headed for the real thing, US 61 without hesitation. After Arnold, I had almost no shoulder and not a lot of traffic usually. However endless hills, rollers one after another never stopped. So I was forced into traffic constantly and drivers waited behind me while I climbed. Then, US 61 added rumble strips, forcing me into the driver’s lane from there on out. Terrible riding!

   I passed through Bernhardt, Pevely and Festus. Only Festus had much to offer and it had everything. Then another tiny town in Bloomsdale. Up ahead, my map showed that we would get near the water at St. Genevieve and St. Mary’s.

   Stopping in St. Genevieve, I asked about the river. The welcome center lady told me that I would have to ride north on another road and I still wouldn’t see much. I didn’t. She also told me to forget St. Mary’s too because although the river used to run right past the town, it no longer did and had moved farther east. She told me to ride out on Kaskaskia Bridge and look at the dry river bed which I did. Those photos are my best of a poor day of river searching.

    At that point, I still had another 14 or so miles to get to Perryville and a room at Super Eight. Endless uphill riding in the traffic caused me to give in. I got the the opportunity to jump once again on I-55 and pedal the last six miles to Perryville. No problems and nobody seemed to care that I was finally out of the traffic lane and making good time at the end of 68 hard miles. Never a flat stretch all day.

   US 61 or I-55 both remain as options for tomorrow. It’s about 36 miles to Cape Girardeau, one of the focal points of my ride from the beginning. It has a magnificent bridge across the Mississippi, which I might take if time allows, fulfilling my need to at least touch Illinois.

    Home of Rush Limbaugh and a Roswell type alien crash, the city is loaded with other history. It is said to have a magnificent waterfront, which I will look forward to. I will take whatever time I need to explore it. Past that, I’m not sure. US 61 and I-55 both continue directly south and leave the river. Nothing on the Illinois side is close either.

   I will have some kind of plan by morning or will make it as I go. I busted two things today, a lock down straps on one of the bike bags that carries my gear and pedal cage. I can’t repair the bag here but can tie it shut. The pedal cage snapped, the one where my right foot goes. If the bike shop in Cape Girardeau has a set, I will get them. Otherwise I will make do.

   I’m enjoying the Field of Dreams game as I write this. I am looking for plenty more lasting memories as we approach the second half of the adventure. Better pictures are one goal for tomorrow and some more reasonable riding. Perryville is awesome and for the second night in a row, the things I need are close by.

   More good weather is forecast, not a hint of rain since Wednesday of last week. See you back here tomorrow as the adventure continues! Thanks, as always, for a being a part of the journey.

By David Freeze

 Today was going to be a big question mark from the start. I love to study maps, real maps where you can see everything around as possibilities. Last night, I decided to follow US 79 as far it would go into the St. Louis area. Then I picked out a route, not knowing for sure where the bike could go. I had the Missouri map I am using to follow the less detailed Great River Road and the St. Louis area city map. It seems like at least a dozen suburbs make up the city.

   This morning I left out of Elsberry as the town was waking up. Another cool morning helped on the endless hills. Much of the time, I had no shoulder or a very poor one. A sign said US 79 would be repaved this fall. I had to ride in traffic and this was quite spooky at times.

   I passed through Foley and didn’t know when I did. But they did have a stop sign for no reason and a Dollar General. Then on to Winfield, a little bigger with a couple convenience stores. And finally Old Monroe which had little to offer except a better road. Good thing because the traffic was heavy as we neared the greater St. Louis area.

   I stopped at St. Peter’s and talked to Jerry at McDonald’s about this ride and the others while he was concerned about eating so much fast food and brought his lunch for the day. I followed my planned path and jumped on 364, not sure whether it’s more than a county road but it serves as an expressway across much of the city area. Simply put, I raced along on a good shoulder paying special attention to all the exit and entry ramps. The roar of the traffic was tremendous at times and almost overwhelming.

  By following 364, I was able to intersect with US 67, which led to a junction with US 61 which I will follow again for a couple days on the Great River Road. Briefly we also intersected with the Lewis and Clark route. Away from 364, the city is tremendously hilly.

    While all of this describes my day through mid-afternoon, it gets much better. I had made no plans for a room for the evening and made a call to a motel perfectly situated on my planned route. They were full, which left the only option as the higher priced chains. After the runaround at two of those places, I called the desk at the Quality Inn in Arnold, the second best situated motel. Tina gave me a great deal on a first class room and all I had to do was get there.

    Not sure if I could ride on the interstate highway in Missouri, Tina gave me a route that would avoid it. I got Siri involved and again she failed me by sending me on a longer route. I threw caution to the wind and pedaled right on to the I-55 ramp and on the highway. Up to 6 lanes of traffic was flying and so was I, in the breakdown lane. With my history of being stopped by officers over the years, I expected the same thing again.

   With just 4.5 miles to ride to get to the Quality Inn, I thought someone will have to hurry to stop me. I came flying down a hill and a police car was sitting on the side of the road with the door open. Turns out he wasn’t waiting for me but had what looked like sobriety problems with a driver. The officer never looked at me.

   My ride ended at a fantastic motel, surrounded by almost every chain store I ever enter. I stopped at Walgreens and got a fantastic meal at Waffle House. I may go to Target later. Bottom line, I did spot two smaller rivers today but not the Mississippi. There will be at least two more full days in Missouri, with Cape Girardeau the next main target. That is probably the next real sighting of the river.

   The day was perfect, about 80 degrees and a slight tailwind. I honestly felt exhilarated by the whole day! Join me tomorrow for a further journey south on US 61. I hope I get situated in time for tomorrow’s Field of Dreams game, and that you join me again tomorrow right back here!

By David Freeze

  I am watching the minor league game from the Field of Dreams, loving the coverage and excited about Thursday’s major league game. A co-worker asked me the other day what had been the best thing about this adventure so far. It was easy to answer that I got to run the bases on the Field of Dreams and have a video to prove it.

   Last night, I decided to sleep on which way to go today. Options were going to Illinois, returning to US 61 or following the Great River Road on US 79. I expected all three to be hilly because that is what this area does. I chose US 79 in hopes of seeing more of the river than the other two would provide. Leaving Hannibal at 6:30am, I had the trip’s first cool and foggy morning and enjoyed it as the climbing began just past the famous Lover’s Leap. For 15 miles, I climbed half mile long steep hills, rocketed down the other side and climbed another one. US 79 was in the process of paving for at least 25 miles, an improvement definitely needed. Twice I passed scenic outlook signs, something I didn’t follow because more sideways climbing was required.

  The slow pace only had me at about 35 miles by noon. I arrived in Louisiana, Missouri, and took some photos of the river there. Then back to US 79 for a ride to Clarksville, Annada (with a population of 29) and on into Ellsberry, where I’m spending the night, after just 59 hilly miles. A long flat stretch started in Clarksville and I’ve been seeing trains ever since. My motel is across the road from the tracks. Tracks nearby mean flatter riding!

   I had two reasons for stopping here. There has been little to no cell phone coverage for AT&T and Verizon most of the day and I took a chance on the last room of the only motel in Ellsberry. I got the photos out to the Post editors and hope to get this story submitted on the less than stellar WiFi. The second reason was to set the distance for a doable ride through St. Louis.
   I had an ongoing conversation with the motel manager hoping she could free up a room. That part worked, but the details of me making a trip to Dollar General for cleaning supplies will be told in the book. All is well now and I’m hoping it stays quiet. By the way, Ellsberry is really small at about 2,000 inhabitants, but it has a huge DG complete with produce and lots more. I got my food and water for tonight and tomorrow there too.

  When planning this trip, I was going around St. Louis. With the Great River Road map in place, I am going there tomorrow and hope to spend the night on the southern side after battling their traffic. I will follow US 79 to the city and then find my way through using a city map which I will study shortly.

   I did get to see the river numerous times today but probably won’t see it at all tomorrow. The challenge will be finding a safe way through St. Louis, then we’ll resume getting as close to the river as possible.

   See you back here tomorrow!

By David Freeze

Since about four years ago, when I passed through Iowa briefly on the way to visiting all 50 states, I have wanted to visit the Field of Dreams near Dyersville, Iowa. It wasn’t easy but I made that visit today. I left Dubuque about 8 a.m. after dropping the rental car off at the airport. I had the bike onboard and the things I thought I might need. As soon as I went out of the room this morning, lightning struck close by and rain started.

I went to the airport anyway and found a number to call at the Budget desk. I was told to drop the keys in a box and just leave the car. Immediately I started pedaling toward Dyersville. Clouds were threatening but the rain didn’t start in earnest until nearly 11 a.m., with plenty of lightning. At the time I was riding on the Heritage Trail, a packed crushed limestone old railroad bed that isn’t nearly as hilly as the surrounding area. I hope the hills lessen some as I head south because those today had some doozies mixed in.

A solid downpour had just lessened a little as I rode into the Field of Dreams property. I was soaked, but so were lots of other visitors. Plenty of workers in the process of setting up the Major League field that will be used for a game between the Cubs and Reds got very wet too. There were hundreds of workers, lots of trailers to bring in goods for the game, and another field pretty much ready to be used. The famous field shown in the movie is not the one the game will be played on. I naively thought it was but the MLB field is about 500 feet away through the corn. The stands there will seat about 8,000 fans next week. Last year’s game between the Yankees and the White Sox was the most watched game ever.

I was told touring the site is free, but found that visitors are asked for a $20 or $40 donation. That covers everything except a tour of the house, which is scheduled ahead of time. I didn’t get to see the inside of the house but got to stand in the batter’s box, run the bases (there’s a video made by a new acquaintance) and a few photos of a ghost player (made by another new acquaintance) who looks like me coming out of the corn. Just the same as the old White Sox players did.

The field is left open for anyone to throw, hit and run and plenty were doing just that in the light rain. Mrs. Rahe, yesterday’s Welcome Center lady, is part of a neighboring family that plants the corn and organizes regular ghost player games.

I rode about 64 miles today, enough to make me eat a huge meal as I write this. Tomorrow, I will head south and try to follow at least part of the Great River Road. Today was all about baseball and tomorrow will be about the river. “People who know baseball aren’t better than everyone else, but everyone else would be better if they knew baseball.”

Keep riding along. Today was good despite the weather and the hills. I am excited about tomorrow and hope you are too!