September 18, 2011 Wednesday – Mt Pleasant IA to Muscatine IA (60 miles): 
 

“On the Road Again”! The Atlantic Ocean or Bust!

Cal left our home in Mt Pleasant at 9:15 am in weather which changed from mist to rain to mist.  We have been without rain the latter part of this summer in Mt Pleasant, so we could not complain about this much needed moisture. Our yard still has cracks from the dryness, so a gentle rain is very welcomed.  However riding bike was not the most comfortable activity today but Cal was a trooper riding 60 miles to Muscatine, Iowa. By the time he arrived he did not have any dry clothing on his body!

Leaving Mt Pleasant for the Atlantic Ocean

Muscatine is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River.  Tomorrow we will cross over the river into Illinois. Tonight we are being hosted by Rotary friends in the Muscatine club. After a great dinner meal, several other Rotarians stopped by to say Hello.  One of the gals had a radio segment, so she recorded a conversation between Cal and herself regarding Volunteerism and how Cal’s bike ride is raising money for Rotary projects. 

I did not leave Mt Pleasant until 2:15 this afternoon – I had several odds and ends to pull together before being gone for a month or more. 

As I began driving I reflected on how Iowa has changed since we arrive home on July 7.  In early July the crops were lush and green, now they are shades of gold and tan. Harvest is beginning - I saw a few (very few) corn fields being harvested. I stopped for a few photos of fields – compare the colors to earlier photos.  Another season has just passed!

Field of Soybeans almost ready for harvest

Fields of corn - harvest has begun 

Roadside color

Mississippi River at Muscatine - Barge waiting to go through the locks

One of the projects we completed this week in preparation for being gone was stealing bee juice! Cal extracted 23 gallons of honey from his 6 bee hives.- those little guys were busy during the early part of the summer, but when it became so dry that flowers were not blooming, the honey flow almost stopped. 

Hopefully tomorrow will be lovely day as we continue east