Today was a milestone day as Dad completed his seventh state on the journey and crossed the Mississippi River from Fulton, Illinois to Clinton, Iowa. He covered just over seventeen miles putting his total since departing Yorkville, IL at just over one hundred miles walked in seven days. That’s an average of a half-marathon plus a mile every day for the last week. He’s got some old man toughness for sure!
Onward to Iowa
He’s also pretty smart. When I made the Mississippi River Crossing, I chose the bridge on US Highway 30 and didn’t make the trek north to Fulton. With about a twenty inch shoulder and nothing separating me from oncoming traffic but a chipped white painted line, I didn’t really enjoy that crossing very much. At the time, I didn’t want to add the extra distance it would have cost to cross on the more northern route from Fulton to Clinton. It turns out, that extra distance added up to a grand total of one point three miles. This crossing….well, it was a mixed use pedestrian and bike lane that kept the traffic at bay with a Jersey barrier and a handrail.
On the west side of the bridge, he even managed to find a diner for lunch.
So basically he’s tough and smart, and still loves his diners.
I’m grateful that I was able to walk with him as he accomplished this milestone. It was also quite nice to be able to enjoy the scenery without worrying about being smashed by a car.
Barge Traffic on the Mississippi River - Clinton, IA
We’re taking a rest day tomorrow, and he tells me he has his own story to tell about this milestone, so I’ll leave the rest to him. Today was a very good day!
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