Oops...

The plan for the morning: a bike ride along the Mississippi.  It only takes a few minutes to get the bikes out of the CR-V and unfolded into riding ready position...

We stopped for a quick breakfast out, then headed for the bike path...

Pretty river views...

There is a pedestrian/bike "lane" on that bridge... yeah, I think we should give it a shot.  Before heading to the bridge, we took a side path...

This path took us across a small bridge, onto an island.  The marina here in Clinton is in a slough (prownouced "slew").  Below is a slough view...

And a gate across the path.  The water level is high, so the path from this point on is flooded.  When I stopped to take this photo, I was holding the bike between my legs.  For a moment, then it crashed on its side.  Picking it up was an "Oh, shit!" moment: a broken brake lever.  I still wanted to cross that bridge, and figured "one brake is better than no brake"... and then realized that there is a microswitch inside the brake housing that cuts out the electric assist when the brakes are applied.  Yeah, no pedal assist.  Second "Oh, shit!" moment.

While riding with no assist, I fussed with the broken lever and discoved if I hold the lever "just so," the switch would make contact and I would have some pedal assist.  On to the bridge!

Because the approach to the bridge is steep, we have to get off the bike path and hit the streets to get to the bridge...

Yes, she is from "the other side of the tracks."  ;-)  Now, on to the bridge...

And, we are in Illinois... a "two-state" bike day.  :-)  Welcome to Fulton, Illinois.  We pedaled around to find the bike path on this side of the river.  Along the way, I got a photo of the red-winged blackbirds I have mentioned before...

On to the bike path on the Illinois side...

A Dutch-style windmill that is visible from the other side of the river (Dutch settlers here)...

We rode through some of Fulton to get back to the bridge - check out the gas prices at this station...

Apparently, just for looks.  Back to the bridge over the Mississippi River...

That is a skinny pedestrian/bike access!

Back through the neighborhoods on the way back to the coach, checking out one of the many trains passing by...

For the record: yes, they do run during the night.  About 100 yards or so from our RV site.  Joan loved it.  Me?  Not so much.  Childhood memories of "living by the tracks"... our house where I grew up was closer to the tracks than this RV site.  I remember the house vibrating every time a train went by.  But, I digress.

Back at the coach, proof that I was along for the ride...

Being a city park, they have a check out time of 4:00.  Since we got an early ride in today, the new plan is to hook up and head east another 100 miles or so.