Today was a BIG day –
Big elevation gain – 3,927 feet – for some reason we thought it was going to be more downhill – WRONGO!
Big temps and humidity – 94 degrees, 80% humidity.
Big, scary coal trucks passing us in Illinois
Big Guts – we had to cross over the Mississippi River on an old, disintegrating bridge with zero shoulder. So, Mark and I rode side by side taking up the whole lane and slowing down traffic. It was, by far, the safest way to cross.
We had zero idea southern Illinois was such a coal area. Tons of coal trucks barrel down the narrow Illinois 3 roadway, no shoulder and lots of coal gravel and rocks on the side. The coal comes in by barge on the Mississippi, trucks load up and head into Missouri and southern Illinois. We currently live in a natural gas state so we kind of figured coal was on its way out. No way!
Remind me to tell you my Big Middy River story- yes i have a story about it! Sounds hot and sticky. Love the Rube Goldberg mailbox
Hot, hazy and humid!. Welcome to Illinois.
Take care and keep on biking you two 🙂
That bridge looks really scary, good job doing it side by side!! Loving the pics & the mailboxes are great fun, will make an excellent photo book. Keep on trucking & watch out for those coal lorries.
Lots of love XXXJ❤️