Day 19: Saturday, 05/26/18, Keokuk, IA to Galesburg, IL

Map of today's ride:

Distance of Today's Ride: 94.3 miles

Trip Total Distance: 1288.5 miles

Elevation Gain:  2090 feet

Riding Time:  5:40 hrs:mins

Today's ride was a fast 94.3 miles due to a consistent tailwind and/or side wind. Although there was a very loud thunderstorm around 4 am this morning, we woke to clearing skies which held throughout today's ride. The temperature was 90 degrees toward the end of the ride.

We crossed the bridge from Keokuk, Iowa to Illinois immediately as we left the hotel this morning, and rode 94 miles to Galesburg, IL. The terrain was similar to yesterday with farms and fields. In light of that, very few pictures were taken.

This is the Nauvoo Temple and second one constructed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  The church's first temple was completed in Kirtland, Ohio in 1836.  When the main body of the church was forced out of Nauvoo in the winter of 1846, the church attempted to sell the building, finally succeeding in 1848. The building was damaged by fire and a tornado before being demolished.  In 1937, the LDS church reacquired the lot on which the original temple stood.  In 2000, the church began to build a temple on the original site whose exterior is a replica of the first temple, but interior is laid out like the modern LDS temple.

This was a typical road we pedaled today with farms and fields. This part of Illinois looks very similar to many areas throughout the Midwest.

Since no gravel roads were mentioned at last night's RAP, we were surprised to find ourselves riding on gravel for two miles. (RAP is a meeting held every evening before dinner. At RAP, the following day's map and cue sheet is handed out and then explained by our AbB trip manager.)