Tonight we have come to rest in Marion County Park in bucolic Knoxville, the county seat. The sun is about to set in a clear, blue sky, and we have lucked our way into a peaceful site next to woods humming with cicadas and overlooking a pond. Our neighboring campers are of the non-rowdy, no-noisy-generator variety, and our bellies are full of good Methodist Church chicken and noodles, mashed potatoes, green beans, and of course pie…cherry for me and blueberry for Arthur and Annie. Life is good.
Because the mid-day meeting spot was only 14 miles from here, I came straight through to Knoxville because I had an important duty to accomplish, the laundry.
Cycling only looks like a clean sport. There is sweating involved, as well as dribbled barbecue sauce and pie juice. Once I had staked out this fine camping spot. I packed up two large sacks of dirties, hopped the campground shuttle to the main gate, transferred to the yellow school bus shuttle to downtown, and walked the last five blocks to the coin op Laundromat (
I had forgotten that watching clothes tumble in a dryer is as relaxing as watching flames in a fireplace).
Through the miracle of texting, I learned that Arthur and Annie had successfully found Big Red after a hilly, but altogether fine run from Des Moines to Knoxville.
Following a trip through the showers of the local high school, the Merrow family was ready for a night on the town.
We jumped the school bus shuttle again for the trip back downtown, where the streets of the main square and surrounding blocks have been closed to traffic for a massive street festival of rock bands, bicycle equipment venders, and food booths. Today’s most unusual offering:
deep fried jello (
we did not partake, but if you like, this link leads to a recipe). We were ready to patronize the Methodist church supper and soon home to lights out by 9:30.
Today’s funniest team name: Aorta be Workin’. Their shirt boasts a logo of an anatomically correct human heart. I asked the wearer if he was a cardiologist. He said no, but another team member was.
With four days behind us, we’re getting the hang of this. Tomorrow it’s on to
Oscaloosa, where the town RAGBRAI motto is “Ride Hard, Dance Harder.
IMAGE CREDITS: 1- Big Red at Sunset - Sue Merrow; 2- Laundry machine cartoon - found on a Google search; 3- Deep Fried Jello from
Better Batter (NOTE:
Better Batter a a
gluten free baking site); 4- Oskaloosa, Iowa's RAGBRAI insignia, and the
Oscaloosa RAGBRAI Facebook page.
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