Bike-Log Week 1

10/3/83. Thunder in the morning and expected rain but there was none. Slight wind from the north! Rode down 59 into Missouri, then east on C, south on KK, east on 136 to Maryville. Then south on 71, east on U, south on N, east on M to 169. The hills were killing me. Super steep and one after another. 169 to 31 to 6 east of Maysville. Long, hard day. Asked someone if he know of a place to pitch a tent. He recommended his backyard.

10/4 and 10/5/83, written 8/20/18. I am very disappointed I didn't complete the final two days' entries. I'll try to conclude the experience. I really don't remember what I did 10/4 other than I was still in Missouri. On the final day of my trip, I crossed the Mississippi into Illinois, I believe in Alton. I know I went through Edwardsville and took highway 59 south to Belleville from there. I definitely remember not having many road choices as I got closer to my target and parts of 59 were horrible. The "shoulder" was merely a v-shaped curb and the traffic on the two lane road was heavy (it was the beginning of rush hour). I hunched over my handlebars with muscles tensed keeping my tires directly on the white line. I remember thinking how crazy it would be for me to bike 4000 miles and get killed within a couple miles of home. When I turned onto familiar Belleville streets, emotions started to bubble up. A few blocks from my parent's house I cried, being so happy the adventure was about over and so sad the adventure was about over. I pulled myself together and turned onto my parents' street. Dad was in the driveway. We shook hands, I put my bike in the garage with the other bikes, and walked in the kitchen door.