Sept.14
DAY 48
  Fort Madison to Canton 80 miles on route 9 east passing through the towns of

Niota at 3 miles - nothing there
Dallas City at 10 miles -campgroung/motel west side,store,cafe in town
La Harpe at 24 miles - stores and cafe
Blandinsville at 30 miles- store
Good Hope at 40 miles-a crossroads
Bushnell at 50 miles - stores and cafe downtown and on eastern side on 9
Fiatts at 71 miles - nothing

Once across the Mississippi and in Illinois the road is mostly flat all the way to Canton,notice I said mostly.There are some small hills today but nothing to compare with Iowa.The scenery today is corn field and lots of soy beans and that is about it.Canton has a motel just out of town on the east and pizza places that deliver,The HitDog is set.

Sept.15
DAY49
  Canton to Chenoa 78 miles on Route 9 and 24 passing through the towns of

Banner at 7 miles - motel and cafe
Kingston Mine at 15 miles - looks like it has a bar
Bartonville/Peoria miles 26 to35 - all services but you have to find them
Eureka at49 miles - stores and cafes
El Paso at 61 miles - store, cafe,and motels campground 3 miles west at mile 58

Todays the road was for the most part flat with a few small hills and one steep hill coming out of Peoria. For most of the day once again soy bean and corn fields was the scene de jour.

A DOG TAIL
As I was riding along minding my own business I was AMBUSHED by a sneaky curr.Passing by a farm house from behind a bush came a large silent dog with his teeth bared and as he closed in a vicious growl that gave his ambush away.Well let me tell you ,this gave me quite a start. Being a big dog myself I barked a command to this mangy curr to return to his home.There must be a bit of The Calico in that mutt for him to set up this ambush and to heed The Hitdog's command. Well The Hitdog's bark startled the mutt and he stopped his advance and with a final snarl gave up.That makes 2 for The Hitdog 0 for the savage mutts..

Sept.16
DAY 50
  Chenoa, IL to Remington, In. 88 miles passing through the towns of

Fairbury at mile 11 - stores and cafe
Forrest at mile 17 - store and cafe
Chatsworth at 24 - ?? bypassed on 24
Gilman at 40 miles - all services
Crescent City at 48 miles - store and cafe
Watseka at 54 miles - all services

Today was a no frills ride all corn and soy bean and a flat road. Find a comfortable gear to pedal in and forget about shifting. Crossed the Indiana border at 66 mile so continue on to
INDIANA