Discovering America by Bicycle | PART 17: THE CORN ’n’ BEANS TOUR
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- čas přidán 5. 09. 2024
- Meeting up with locals Mike and Dave, we explore the excellent biking system of Madison County, following the levee trails of the Mississippi before turning east through shady, beautiful trails all the way to Marine where we are once again on our own. The trees give way to open, rural countryside and we pedal through the most quintessentially American landscapes to Pocahontas. From there we head south to get us on a more direct path to Cincinnati and the start of the Ohio to Erie Trail. Although the heat continues to be oppressive, we love riding through this rolling farmland. In Carlyle, we take a rest day to wait out the aftermath of Hurricane Ida.
It's always so nice to hear other people's positive opinions of your own backyard. I'm glad you enjoyed Illinois and got to capture a cardinal on video! I never tire of seeing them. What's so common and everyday in our lives isn't so common to others. There's something to appreciate everywhere. Enjoying your channel!
Thank you! I absolutely loved this stretch, the farmlands of Illinois were magnificent!
Isn't American beautiful with all the variations of landscapes, weather and the people you meet. It's like people are drawn to you and your adventure. How wonderful! I'm glad you enjoyed the farmland.
I really love this country. With all its problems these days, it's just an exception place in so many ways, including the people.
@@TheBicycleTourists I've thought about it a few times that while we've really had so many difficulties in our country the last 2 years, I'm sure it was nice to enjoy the adventure.
To me, as I am pushing seventy, bicycles are still the most efficient, reliable form of transportation that man has yet invented. I'm too crippled up to ride anymore, even a 3-wheeler, but in my younger years I can remember riding in college from Houston to Kansas City on a vacation, going through the Ozarks. I loved long distance riding, though I liked a more leisurely pace than you all--I did that trip to KC on a 5-speed Schwinn! Great videos, glad your channel showed up as recommended.
I wish I'd discovered long-distance cycling when I was younger. I think I would've gone more places. It's harder now, for sure. but still amazing. Riding through the Ozarks, when? In the 1970s? It must've been awesome. Back when there still were places in America where you could get lost. Not so true any more. Thanks for watching!
Your new friends Mike and Dave were some very cool guys.
A lot of fun. We got to have lunch with Dave and his wife when they were in Denver recently.
Yes Mike and Dave were extremely cool, and I'm not just saying that because I was one of them. And Roland for the Record, that was Mike (and his wife Cathy) you had lunch with in Denver. Just to be clear in case my wife reads this......lol. She would be like, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN DENVER WITH ANOTHER WOMAN."
Wow those skies ❤
I know, absolutely incredible, right? When you travel somewhere else you don't only get new landscapes but new skyscapes as well. We don't have skies anything like that in Colorado!
You have great narration and camera shots, and music. I have really enjoyed your adventure.
Thanks! So glad you’re enjoying!
This was one of my favorites to watch! Love the corn & beans, the beautiful barns, wide open skies and majestic clouds. Your contented smiles say it all! : )
Every part of the country seems to be a favorite for me. I expected this to drag, but I was pleasantly surprised!
Nice,nice,nice footage and documental views !!!
Thanks!
So nice to see lots of smiles on both of your faces. That's what touring should be all about.
Yup. Our happy place is always moving.
Beautiful scenery! Throughly enjoyed seeing the farms, barns, and countryside. Much more relaxed cycling. Ahhhh. Love that you also share some of the people you meet along the way.
Thanks Linda! This was an exceptional part of our trip. Sheer bliss. Love riding through the farmlands, never gets old for us!
What beautiful country. No way to better see it then on a bike. Take care, Al
So true. I've been all over, but until I saw it this way I didn't appreciate it nearly as much.
Beautiful ride. Fun seeing the fella with the STP (Seattle to Portland) Jersey on. Rode that twice then volunteered for several others
I bet that's a great ride.
Beautiful country there! Thanks for sharing ;
It's gratifying to hear people agree with how beautiful this country is. I thought it was just me. They don't get a lot of tourists down in these parts, but I loved every minute.
Envious.
I know. I wish I was there right now.
Okay Roland, i have watched them all and love each one! And my partner is part way with you, though riding a bit slower. I appreciate your notes on meeting people and aches and pains and rain and Montana drivers and all - but.... Do you guys ever argue? ;-)) You seem to be in sync - as we are - but again ... do you decide by consensus? Do you have any bad experiences? We are all learning from you and ride with you so I for one want the good bad and ugly. This is not a complaint, just a question. In our rides, btw, I am the one that needs to be dragged along. My partner usually can outride me.
I'm the navigator. Julianna doesn't really want to get involved there. So I create the itinerary as we go, because I'm just all over that. We don't really argue, but we disagree. We don't usually have the camera out at those moments. But we seem to be on a mutual high when we're doing these trips. So very little disagreement even. Ugly times? The discouragement in Montana. Losing my brother when we were on the road. Julianna almost getting whacked by a truck in Washington. Other stuff is coming up. But we rarely get ugly with each other. The road seems to keep us focused on problem solving.
@@TheBicycleTourists Thanks for that Roland and Julianna - sounds about like us. I navigate and Amy keeps us on track. Worst, so far, was me saying, "I am done", on a tough mountain trail and Amy asking, remember a previous heart attack and triple bypass, " do I call the helicopter now?" She parked her bike and pushed mine and a mile later we crested the pass and coasted downhill. And, her falling - tipped over really, and sprained her wrist. Taped it up, a few tears, and on we went. So please, keep the ugly in! It makes it real for us. Cheers and good riding.
Embrace the ugly! It's all a part of the mix. I'm with you. Thanks and cheers!
Aphganistan exit? Hurricane Ida? This all happened last year!
This was last year, correct.
Any chance you have maps of your ride across Illinois and Indiana? Prepping to ride KATY trail next year
Here's our route from KC to Maine:
www.komoot.com/tour/959054672
I am very interested in your route I started out last week to ride to Ohio and made it across the Katy trail ok but decided to use Google maps in St Charles but Google in bicycle mode but Google took me off of the Katy and down dead end roads and closed roads and got me lost and the heat was just to much for me so I gave up and went home but I am going to start again next year and sofar I have enjoyed your route can you share your route with me please thanks
That heat can be brutal. Would love to help. We had spotty tracking with our apps so a continuous route at this point doesn't exist. However, I can tell you (and you'll be able to follow this as the episodes come out) that from St. Charles we went all the way to Machens, then to West Alton and crossed the MIssissippi at Alton (US 67), south on the River to Wood River, followed local trails to Marine, IL and then farm roads to Pocahontas, IL. From there, south to US 50 (but we rarely followed the highway, we rode farm roads that parallelled it. We used Komoot which got us on some great routes. Sometimes Google messes up, sometimes Komoot messes up. It's a constant struggle. At some point I'll draw the route up on Komoot for followers but will need the time to do it, which may not be for a while! Good luck! It's awesome riding through this part of the country!
@@TheBicycleTourists Thank you very much
@@TheBicycleTourists what is your Komoot name would like to follow along
I think you can find us at Roland & Julianna: Bicycle Tourists. But be warned. You won't find any consistency, I use it sometimes, sometimes no. And also: these videos are from our trip last summer.