Derek Jennings
Ride with Me

In 1976 Bicyclists from around the world took part in a 4,250 mile journey across the United States of America to celebrate Bicentennial Year

Experience an account of 42 days on a bicycle from Readsport Oregon to Yorktown Virginia

Monday July 12th
Marshfield, Missouri

Everyone got up very early, 5.30am and I was on the road at 6.30am. Still very hilly but a beautiful blue sky again, sunny and warm, these mornings are gorgeous no mist, and pleasantly warm. Was invited to a house for coffee after 15 miles and sat on the porch to drink it. Breakfast in Hartsville, yet another hot cakes and syrup. Posted cards that I wrote on Friday. Last night in Marshfield at the Town House restaurant I met Tommy McConnell a local bike rider 54 years old, a local general practitioner who also ran a small farm and had 8 children (said his wife was his best cow!) He turned up at the cafe in his bike gear, track shorts and jersey and wearing a crash helmet, quite a character. Said his relation Leslie or Leonard McConnell was something big in the theatrical world in London. I said I’d watch for the name.

Met a guy on the road this morning with a mule and a dog walking 1,500 miles from Illinois to Utah. Stopped and spoke to him, a very gentle and likeable character named Wille Cupp, he allowed me to take a picture of him.

The remainder of the day was very hot and very hilly, stopping at Yukon for lunch on cheese, sandwich spread, and peanut butter sandwiches, with an orange and ice cream outside a grocery. Had 3 cups of coffee in the store and spoke to the owners whose daughter had been in England until just recently at the U.S Air Force base at Alconbury. Punctured in the afternoon on recently resurfaced roads, used my last patch, now I really am on a wing and a prayer!

Came to Alley Springs, I was told there was some good swimming here, so here I am sitting in the shade of a tree writing my diary having had my swim before riding my last 4 miles to Emminence. In the river I can see a small group of people going through what seems to be a Baptismal ritual. The BikeInn is a big tent on a campground with campbeds. The last 10 miles today had some pretty steep climbs (the Americans are calling them roller coaster roads, they say there are some more to come. I reckon I’ve got a hard long days riding ahead of me tomorrow if I’m going to get to Carbondale.

Tuesday 13th July
Emminence, Missouri

Had trouble last night with the mosquitos and was up at 5.30am and on my way out of Emminence by just after 6. The challenge of 120 miles a day in this sort of country is more mental than physical I think. Made Ellington for breakfast, the first food of the day. Twenty four miles done of continuous hills, like climbing brick walls! Another hours riding and a stop at a grocery store for two glasses of milk. On to ‘Johnsons Shut Ins’ stopping for ice cream, another hot day by the way. Made Indian Point for lunch, bought some grocery and was asked if I wanted to eat my own food inside and was given free coffee as well. All American places seem to be air conditioned, which here is probably as important as heating in England. The afternoons ride was not as steep with just one stop at a grocery just after Farmington for a Coke, a Marathon, and an orange, all of which I sat and ate in the store. A very hot day, must be over the 90’s.

Arrived in St. Genevieve about 5 and found the BikeInn was full, there were two or three groups in town. Met Ken Tann who was on the plane coming out here, he was travelling West. The BikeInn keeper put me in touch with Clarence Hill, a resident of the town, who kindly drove me back to his place 5 miles away. Stayed in his caravan beside his house, after meeting his wife Louanne and two children, and a welcome chat and a drink after a shower.

Wednesday 14th July
St. Genevieve, Missouri

Had breakfast with Clarence after going with him to the grocery store at Vell. Said goodbye to his wife, she left at 6.30 to go to St. Louis to work as a nurse. Didn’t get away until 9am and rode about 10 miles back into St. Genevieve and a little further to the ferry. Had to wait 1 ⁄2 hour for it to sail and then I was the only one on it. Across the Mississipi and into Illinois and a call at the Modoc Inn for a pop and route directions. The proprietor didn’t charge for the pop so I bought another. Started off refreshed, it was once again very hot, got about 5 miles up the road and a van approached and slowed. It was a Shimano service van I had seen at Scott City. Dan Burden a Bikecentennial organiser was in it, with a driver. Was given iced tea, had an interesting chat to Dan and the driver whilst Dan took endless pictures.

Was not getting on very fast, it was now 11 o’clock. Pressed on to Route 3 and picked up a map of Illinois soon after. Made a stop at Clovis Farm for peaches, they were selling them in punnetts of about 6-8 for a dollar and I couldn’t carry them, so they gave me a couple for a sample. (I also had two cups of free cider). On now to Chester, not stopping as I was down on schedule. A long flat hot ride alongside the Mississippi river until it turned onto the 149, then there was a bit of climbing to do to Murphysboro. Didn’t look much of a place although it was a fair size, noticed my first sight of coloured people since I started the ride. Pressed on to Carbondale, and only 6 miles further on, the road became heavy with vehicles and not very wide which got quite harassing. Time now was 2.40 and I called at the National Food store, bought some bread and chocolate milk and had a late lunch.

Found the BikeInn on the University Campus and booked in, Kenneth Tann had left a message for me on the noticeboard but there was no forwarded letter from Helen. Oh! I called at Phoenix cycles for a tyre beforehand, very friendly, knew all about Beryl Burton and the Milk Race. On the Campus I changed my tyres around to even the wear, had a shower, picked up new route sheets and went for a meal in the Golden Bear pancake house, hamburger, salad and chips and all the pancakes you can eat. Managed to get through 3 platefuls, 18 pancakes! Am sharing a room with an Aussie, haven’t found out much about him but he looks quite a character. Short, bearded, and about my age, maybe a bit older. Just caught a glimpse of his bike. Sports model with a Sturmey Archer 3 speed, school type satchel slung under the top tube, handlebars turned up, a glass bottle in a seat tube bottle cage and dynamo lighting. Is it gin in the bottle I wonder? His baggage is in 2 kit bags.

The temperature at 4 this afternoon was 101 degrees, good job the rooms at the University are air conditioned. The riding today was stifling, the heat waves, reflected off the road made breathing very difficult at times.

Thursday 15th July
Carbondale, Illinois

Didn’t get up until 6.45 this morning, had a cereal breakfast and got away by 7.30. Decided to plan my own route today as the official one included gravel. Went out of Carbondale on the 13 to Marion and Harrisburg. Not a sign of sun but still very warm 80 degrees, looks as though it could rain. Had a hot cake breakfast at Harrisburg, bought some grocery and coke after I’d turned into S.R.1.

Picked up the official route at Cave in Rock at 12.45pm. Quite a fast ride, pretty flat most of the way and slightly wind assisted. With only about 15 miles to do now I decided to spend the extra time by the banks of the Ohio waiting for the ferry and writing to Helen, outside a cafe, but it started to spit with rain. Managed to finish my lunch but wrote my letter inside the cafe whilst consuming two chocolate ice creams and two glasses of iced water, the cafe was air conditioned. Caught the ferry across at 3, I was the only one on it again!

Made my way to Marion, quite a nice ride, hilly, lots of trees and the sun was now back again. Called in at a house offering a drink, took a couple of pictures, left a note thanking them for the welcome to Kentucky, as there was nobody about. On arrival at Marion a couple of Britons spoke to me from a car who had lived in Marion for 5 years, they came from Devon. The BikeInn is Marion School, on the floor tonight. A chap from one of the groups starting from Carbondale going East has asked if I would like to accompany them for supper tonight (The Rustic Inn). The rain finally came, we had a terrific thunderstorm about 9 and it came down in buckets. Perhaps that will cool things down a bit.

Friday 16th July
Marion, Illinois

Up at 5.45am and away by just after 6.30 but punctured after 3 miles. Stopped and mended it, only to find it was flat again after 10 miles. This was to occur after 4 attempts at mending it, in the end the afternoon came and I changed the tube for another which I’d repaired previously, and that solved it. I stopped for the favourite breakfast just outside Province and got talking to a couple of farmers, one of whom paid my bill, it really is amazing. I departed from the given route for half the day which was a pleasant days riding, some flat and wind assisted, some hilly and wooded areas and all on good surfaces. The weather was overcast and very humid all the morning, turning sunny and very warm in the afternoon. Lunch was outside the grocery store at Utica and an ice cream later at Fordsville.

Got to within 12 miles of the BikeInn and punctured (rear), mended that with no success. This solution I have is a load of rubbish and I’ve now run out anyway. Only got a few yards down the road and it was flat again. In desperation I tried my last spare tube which I had kept after it let me down when a patch lifted. The Lord must surely be looking over me, it miraculously held up.

Got to the BikeInn at about 6.45, listed in the directory as Green Farm storage barn, Falls of Rough, Kentucky. Sleep in the barn, wash in the stream and drinking water is in a plastic lined dustbin. No place to eat so I think I’ll turn in (alone) and get a meal on the way in the morning. Spent a while trying to repair a spare tube just in case I get in trouble tomorrow.

Saturday 17th July
Falls of Rough, Kentucky

Not much to hang around here for this morning although it really is a peaceful place. Away by 6.30am to ride 3 miles to the main road for breakfast at a motel restaurant, egg, sausage and toast for a change. Decided to try and make Harrodsburg, so pressed on about 7.45. Had valve trouble with my rear tube, called in at a garage and borrowed a file to shorten the stem. That worked O.K and I was able to inflate it properly. The cut in the tyre from yesterday was showing rubber and I wondered how long it would be before it gave out. Took a wrong road and had to retrace 4 miles, then a Coke at a grocery store before the turn off to Hardin Springs.

Left the official route again shortly after and made my way to Elizabethtown. The weather now was not quite so humid and did not feel so hot, rode all day in just a vest. Getting a bit peckish at lunchtime and came across a pancake house just out of Elizabethtown and just could not turn that down. Refreshed, it was on to Bardstown and a picnic lunch, rather late at 2 o’clock outside the Stephen Foster Old Kentucky Home in the shade of a tree on a park bench.

The afternoon ride was hilly and rolling, in very pleasant farming and wooded hillsides, much more residential here. Another Coke just out of Springfield, a chocolate ice at Mackville outside the grocery and on into Harrodsburg. Looks a nice town, found the BikeInn with difficulty and changed my rear tyre. Into town for a fish and chip dinner got me to thinking I was very lucky to get through the day without any trouble after what must have been one of my longest days rides.

Don’t know the mileage, but I didn’t arrive until 7 o’clock and there’d been another time zone somewhere along the way, so it was really 8 o’clock. The first BikeInn group to leave Reedsport on May 16th (1 month before me) were here tonight.

Sunday 18th July
Harrodsburg, Kentucky

Up at 6.30am and away from Harrodsburg by 7.40. Very misty this morning but the sun is trying to get through. Nothing and nobody about and suddenly I realised it was Sunday. Had decided to ride to the Trailhead at Berea a distance of about 50 miles and then spend the rest of the day there, catching up with mail and washing. Not a shop open so rode to Berea non stop and a couple of miles short found a place to get the proverbial “hotcakes”. On to the Trailhead which really was a crumby old place a mile out of town.

Couldn’t see me spending the afternoon there so it was on to Boonville, after finding a grocery open at Big Hill for lunch. The afternoon ride although hilly was really beautiful through wooded hill country and the Daniel Boone National Forest, via McKee Sandgap Travellers rest. Nothing there, so on to Levi. Found a grocery 5 miles from Booneville and devoured a pint of chocolate ice cream and a coke. Boy! did I need that! it really was hot work up those hills.

The group at the BikeInn contained 3 Irishmen (all vets). Went to a Pizza house 2 miles down the road with them for supper, after I’d washed my T shirt and had a shower. Found out a Brit, Bill Best from Sidcup is one day ahead of me and has been ever since Pueblo. In Lancaster about 9.40 this morning I found the Presbyterian church, hoping that the service was at 10. I intended to ask if I would be welcome in strange bike riding garb, only to find the service was at 11, and I couldn’t wait. Thought I might have an opportunity to go to an evening service at Berea but now, I’m not there either. The residential properties have now changed considerably in this part of the State from those previously. Then they were affluent homes sometimes brick built, standing on large well kept pieces of land, with a porch equipped with sunloungers and a swingseat. Now they’re wooden shacks, also with a porch, piled high with rubbish, old iron and surrounded by a dirt yard equally as untidy, and full of old scrap and rubbish.

Monday 19th July
Booneville, Kentucky

Well today really has been a mixed bag. Didn’t manage to get any milk last night as it was Sunday, so set off this morning at 6.30 for a ride to Buckhorn for breakfast. It was very misty, with one or two stiff climbs and a descent to Buckhorn to find nothing there but a grocery store. Fancied a proper breakfast so decided to push on a bit. The next 5 miles were ridiculous! The road surface was completely chewed up by these blasted coal lorries which degenerated into gravel and potholes, the gradient was steep and each time a fast coal truck appeared spilling coal. I was forced to dismount and was reduced to walking one stretch, cursing my luck for the slow progress. At the top of a climb I removed my parka which I had worn since Booneville, sat on a grocery step which was closed and ate an orange.

On now to Chavies, no cafe but a grocery open, so bought some milk and had a cereal breakfast on the porch. It was now 10 o’clock and the roads were very hilly and rural so decided to stick to the main roads in the hope that the gradients would reduce. The S.R.15 to Hazard was better but it was a real dump. A dusty, untidy, and busy junction of roads spread over 1⁄2 a mile and lots of traffic. Had a breakfast in a 24 hour cafe. Left at 12 midday and pressed on down the S.R.15 to Whitesburg. Getting on better now, had lunch outside an ice cream drive-in by a bridge, traffic still heavy, had an ice before I left. My destination was I hoped Honaker, but I was not able to get a Virginia map, so my routing and distance was a bit vague. It was here I decided I couldn’t make Honaker and headed for Elkhorn City. On the way through Jenkins had a chocolate malt in the drug store.

The ride from Jenkins after leaving the S.R.119 at Shelby Gap (picked up a Virginia state map here) was along Elkhorn Creek, a beautiful ride in the valley of the Jefferson National Forest. Towering closely either side were mountains, tree lined right to the very top. The valley was beside the road, the creek lined with very nice houses on large plots of land. An enquiry at a grocery store 5 miles from Elkhorn, where I stopped for a Coke, revealed that most of the places belonged to coal miners. A really nice place to live! The BikeInn was the school, it did not take independent riders but there was not a group here. The security man was very helpful, and found the BikeInn keeper for me who luckily let me stay. Took myself into town for a meal, some grocery for the morning and a pack of playing cards.

A final note, Bikecentennial 76 were not kidding about these coal lorries, they really are fast and come close. The danger being, the shoulder is usually gravel and uneven with a jagged rut between that and the road surface. On fast descents it was hairaising, especially the single carriageway roads.