“And here for the first time in my life I saw my beloved Mississippi River, dry in the summer haze, low water, with its big rank smell that smells like the raw body of America itself because it washes it up.” —Jack Kerouac
- Date: Monday, July 18, 2022
- Weather: Beautiful in every way!
- Starting Point: Wilton, IA
- Departure Time: 0656 CST
- Miles: 52
- Moving Time: 2:45
- Total time: 3:03
- Overnight Location: Geneseo RV Park, Geneseo, IL
We awoke to the cacophony of ravenous roosters, peckish peafowl, gluttonous goats, starving sheep, hankering hogs, desirous ducks, and two drowsy dogs. There’s no snooze on that alarm, so with some help from the crew, I was deposited past the chunky gravel and B roads and sent on my way.
I made fast work of the 20-mile stretch for the Iowa border, but I was in no hurry to leave. Iowa was fascinating and beautiful, the people were friendly and engaging, and the riding was fabulous.
Ah, that’s the Mississippi River, the mighty Mississip – the old miss, the old man, Dee-ee-eep river, my home is over Jordan! I crossed the border in Davenport, Iowa, to little fanfare, self-celebration, or at the least a photo op, as intended.
Much to the contrary! Against my better judgment, I followed the advice of the construction crew, motioning me onto the lanes of the Centennial Bridge and away from the closed bike lane, as intended. It was hairy!
I’ll have to dip my front wheel in the Old Man another day. I can see a RAGBRAI in my future. Hopefully, it will be behind the triple train of the Randonneuring Roods, Cory, Beth, and Oliver!
Every time I ride East out of a country town, through a city, and into another, it gets less and less country, but the quaint charm remains. It’s inevitable to change as much as I hope it doesn’t. The time is going by too fast for me.
It’s not the Mighty Mississip, but it will have to do. Illinois has been beautiful so far.
About the DIRT Dad Fundo Pledge for Day Forty—James Murphy
Here is what James had to say—”I’m not really the type of person that likes to talk about myself. But my wife (whom you know) loves cycling, and I love her. I follow DIRT on zwift. I think, especially right now, any group that recognizes dads is a very valuable thing. I really like that y’all have fund to help members when hard times hit, because eventually they hit us all. I am happy to help in my small way. Please stay safe, and enjoy the ride!”
Amount Raised to Date—$8,571
Thank you, James! Give Joy a hug and kiss for me!
Now off to Utica, IL!
To support Chris in his effort to raise awareness of The DIRT Dad Fund, the non-profit he created to assist members of the worldwide cycling community, check out this link to learn more.
Find out where you can pledge a donation and subscribe to The ZOMs newsletter to follow along on the journey.
Semi-retired after more than 20 years as the owner and director of a private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice, Chris now enjoys the freedom to dedicate himself to his passions—virtual cycling and writing.
Driven to give back to the sport that has enriched his life with countless experiences and relationships, he founded a non-profit organization, TheDIRTDadFund. In the summer of 2022, he rode 3,900 miles from San Francisco to his “Gain Cave” on Long Island, New York, raising support for his charity.
His passion for cycling shines through in his writing, which has been featured in prominent publications like Cycling Weekly, Cycling News, road.cc, Zwift Insider, Endurance.biz, and Bicycling. In 2024, he was on-site in Abu Dhabi, covering the first live, in-person UCI Cycling Esports World Championship.
His contributions to cycling esports have not gone unnoticed, with his work cited in multiple research papers exploring this evolving discipline. He sits alongside esteemed esports scientists as a member of the Virtual Sports Research Network and contributes to groundbreaking research exploring the new frontier of virtual physical sport. Chris co-hosts The Virtual Velo Podcast, too.
