Monday, June 4, 1984
Carbondale, Ill.
00 miles
I’m reprinting the day-to-day journal entries of a cross-country bike tour my friend and I took in 1984. More about the TransAmerica Tour 1984
Gene’s Journal
We had plans to take off this morning for the Missouri border. I jumped out of bed early, did some laundry and putzed around. When it was 10 a.m. and we were just getting to breakfast, we came to the brilliant conclusion that we were still half hungover, we hadn’t stopped since Charlottesville, Va., and we could probably use a rest day to get our bikes and bodies back in condition.
The day proved profitable for me. Returning to the bike shop we’d visited the day before, I learned that when I swapped my double chainring for a triple before the trip, I should have installed a new front derailleur with a wider cage. Never occurred to me, even as I repeatedly jammed my chain on some shifts. He happened to have one, showed me how to install it, and now I can efficiently use all three chainrings. The Ozarks and Rockies are ahead, so I’m sure I’ll be using all three again.
Finishing with my bike, I went back in the motel room to find Bruce in the bathroom with the Cannondale trussed up by bungee cords stretched over the shower stall door frame to give it a good cleaning. Very strange looking.
Headline: June 4, 1984 —
Time magazine’s cover asks, “And for Vice President, Why Not a Woman?” The cover pictures New York Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro and San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein
(Ferraro did run as VP in 1984 and
Feinstein was elected to US Senate).
Bruce’s Journal
We were sitting in the Big Bear Restaurant at around 11 a.m. when we realized we would never get out of town before 1, and therefore would have a difficult time making St. Gen that day. We still had errands to run, so we decided to stay the day and take a break. That way, we could run all our errands and get our bikes clean. Which they really needed.
Besides, we were afraid that if we didn’t get to the Mississippi Ferry by 6 p.m., it would shut down and we wouldn’t be able to cross to Missouri. We would be in for a great surprise, however, where that ferry was concerned.
That day, we walked a lot, going to the post office (to mail film and other things home), buying batteries, film, Dr. Bronner’s soap, a new supply of Kahlua, and bike essentials.
Bis had to get a new front derailleur and a tube. I got my front wheel trued, bought some spokes and also a new tube. By the time we got all that done and cleaned the bikes, it was time to shower and head to our next movie, “Star Trek III, In Search of Spock.”
We stopped at Wendy’s on the way for a burger and we ordered a large pizza after the flick. Heavy appetites. The movie was pretty poor, but still entertaining. What stuck most in my mind was the line Kirk said, “Klingon bastards,” which I have adapted for use with dogs. All dogs are now “Klingon bastards.”
After another go-round with the Big Bear Restaurant, we were out of Carbondale by 6:30 the next morning.
Tomorrow:
Day 24 — “Clearing a path for the Olympic torch”
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