I rode on zero-traffic country roads, up and down hills – at one point I got up to 30 mph going downhill which allowed me to get to the top of the next hill!

Billie made the right decision, she would not have liked this. About 5 miles later …

The movie set! It was crowded, a big line of cars waiting to get in. I rode up the side, gave my donation in between cars, and rode in. To the right, the Baseballism Store. Tours of the home are available plus a group of 7 people can share 3 bedrooms and a full bathroom overnight for $500+/night.

Bats and balls were available on the field for families to enjoy.

The concession stand, behind that is a cornfield with a path through it somewhere. Beyond that is a MLB-quality stadium that seats 8000 people. On August 12, the Yankees and White Sox will play here. Tickets are available but only to residents of Iowa.

Time to head back down the country roads I’d already ridden. One of them – Black Hills Rd – provided me with a first-ever experience. On the way TO the Field of Dreams, it was slightly uphill for a long stretch before some steeper ups-and-downs. At one point I heard a loud “CAW” as a bird flew over my head. On the way back, the same stretch turned a bit more violent. I was repeatedly “divebombed” by one or more birds many times. I could hear the wing flap above my helmet or something touching the helmet briefly and the same screeching “CAW” – I was a trespasser and unwelcome. Thank goodness, it was a bit downhill on the way back, I pedaled faster – 18 mph – all the way to the corner, turned left, and they finally left me alone. Another good reason to wear a bike helmet!

Bicycle World in Dubuque was open and was able to quickly determine I needed a new rear tire. The wobble was quite pronounced when I wasn’t sitting on the saddle. And Parish, the owner of Bicycle World, had a tire perfect for my bike and fixed it immediately. Great service, greatly appreciated by people who are traveling!

In the course of casual conversation, Parish told us about a nice drive to Balltown high on the bluffs above the Mississippi River. And when we got to Balltown, we should eat at Bright Box and told us a bit about this 6-generation family-owned restaurant. We were both hungry after our ride, so we headed there next. We went first to this scenic overlook:

The Mississippi is barely visible in the distance.

When I entered “Bright Box in Balltown IA” into Google maps, it knew exactly what I meant: Breitbach’s.

This is our kind of restaurant. Very good food.

The campground in Colona had no sewer connection so we practiced the art of RV water conservation, which also meant using the bathroom/shower house every time it was even remotely possible. We were here for SIX days of possible bike rides. Because of so many rain showers, we were only able to ride TWO of those days. Which meant many more trips to the bathroom/shower house per day and mostly when it was raining. It was a short walk but we drove it many times. So many times that Versie – that’s the name of the Nissan Versa that we drive when the RV is parked – LEARNED the route herself. I wish you could see this little video of Versie navigating all the way by herself:

I backed her out of this space, then she took off on her own.

Final destination:

Just when a valuable skill was learned, it was time to move on. It was a relatively short drive to Kieler Wisconsin and we couldn’t arrive before 2 pm. It’s always exciting to move on to a new destination and Rustic Barn Campground turned out to be quite special from the moment we arrived.

After setting up, finishing errands, and having dinner, we took our chairs to sit in front of this tiny chapel.

The sunset wasn’t as good as we’d hoped, but the views were great.

Both Billie and I think we’re pretty good cooks. But, honestly, Billie outdoes herself considering her kitchen is in an RV.

I’ve always thought “grits” sounded like an awful food and never chose it from a menu. You also don’t find it on California menus. When we were in Chattanooga on a food tour, a small tasting was served at one of the stops … very good. Billie’s been casually searching for a good recipe online ever since, then lining up the best place to buy the ingredients, then finding the right day to go through all the steps. Monday was the perfect day. OMG – this is the best thing Billie has ever made:

In order to keep track of what meals are available, I made a list and taped it to a cabinet:

We had (excellent) pork chops on Sunday, swordfish with fresh corn and tomatoes on Tuesday:

A few other great dinners from recent weeks. Scallops with broccoli:

Salmon filet with Tom’s Salsa:

Viviano’s sausage ravioli and pancetta sauce with balsamic braised Brussels sprouts:

I’m lucky, right? Such good food. Every night!

We’re staying at Colona’s Scott Family Campground, near Moline IL, across the river from Davenport IA. The Scott family donated their land as a campground to the city of Colona, but if the property is ever used for something other than a campground, it reverts to the Scott family.

When we arrived on Friday, we had the choice of sewer hookup or shade. We’ve spent too many recent weeks in unshaded hot/humid campgrounds so we chose shade. No sewer hookup … this will requite some adaptation. There is a shower house/bathroom which we need to use as much as possible.

Billie can talk to anyone. This guy started his barbecue at his campsite across the road while Billie and I were outside enjoying the early evening. I came in to refill our wine glasses … meanwhile they struck up a conversation. Eventually he meandered over, the conversation expanded …

Pretty soon, he sat down at the table, they went back and forth, each telling bits of their life stories. He knows a lot about this RV park and the goings on. A good guy to know for the week we’ll be here. Thanks Billie, you have a skill for conversation that can come in quite handy sometimes.

No riding Saturday – it rained all day. That was ok – a day to rest, relax, shop, cook, catch up, and even take a nap.