Yesterday I crossed a bridge over the Mississippi and entered Chester, Illinois. Over the past two months I've crossed, ridden beside and camped along a lot of great rivers including the McKenzie, the Powder and the Snake. But none gave me the feeling I got when I crossed the bridge over the Mississippi. I guess the Mississippi to me is not only a great river but in some ways represents the South and the South is my home. It will probably take me three to four days to cross the lower portion of Illinois and then I'll only have Kentucky and Virginia remaining. So, the Mississippi is like a huge sign saying, "welcome home boy". When I crossed the very narrow two lane bridge I looked back and saw a packed bike parked just across the bridge. I went back and saw a rider laying on a nearby bench resting. It was then I saw the statue of Popeye. Chester is the home of Elzie Segar, the man who created the character, Popeye the Sailor. As I took my picture with Popeye I made enough noise to wake up the biker. He was heading North to meet a friend and they were going to ride the Ragbrai in Iowa. We talked for a short while and soon it was time to find a room. There's only one hotel in Chester so I headed to the Best Western. As I registered my phone rang. It was Brian Fisher an Air Force buddy I reconnected with last year on a kayaking trip down the Suwanee River. He and his wife Jane live near St Lewis and they invited me up for a meal and warm bed. They have a lovely home in the burbs and spirited English Springer Spaniel named Ivy. Tomorrow Brian will drive me back to the Mississippi and I'll continue the trip. But, I've had two visits with family and friends and now more than ever I am ready to complete my journey.
