Long days and new friends in Iowa

Trying to knock down a 100-mile day on this tour but by the 80-mile mark I’m just not feeling it.

Started early, leaving Ogden, IA at 6:10 a.m. It was a gorgeous pink sunrise after a storm that must have dropped 5-inches of rain easy. Fell in love with quiet Ogden while drifting into the community and saw the Standard Station.

What perfect preservation of a step back in time. The milky white exterior, simple red piping by the roofline and two pumps standing guard on the small island. I imagined leaning out the window of our wood panel station wagon and watching the numbers on the gas meter click away as my younger sister reveled in the aroma of the toxic gasoline fumes. Then my dad would flip that flat metal arm back and return the hose with a kathunk.

Made my way through the Farmers’ Market in Ames. Three blocks long, a petting zoo, and another head nod to history.

Through Marshalltown, IA with my eyes set on Grundy Center. I had 29 miles to go. Headed north with some headwinds and by Conrad I had enough.

It was very difficult finding a place to stay in Conrad. Nobody at the church and while there was consistent traffic at the Post Office nobody knew anything. Nobody knew the mayor or council member or a priest.

I stopped a man walking into Casey’s grocery and he pointed me to another church about three blocks to the north. While pedaling Lillian Avenue I asked a woman in a golf cart for directions. It was Jamie, she had common sense and took me home.

“Honey, this gal is looking to throw her sleeping bag down for the night and I thought she could use our camper,” she said to husband Rick.

Another common-sense person. Rick did not argue; they made it just that simple.

Then the real kicker, while touring his woodworking shop I found Rick was in IT, setting up computer security and whatnot. “I’ve worked in Dane County,” he said about his tie to Wisconsin. “Also, Washington County.”

With that, we found we knew the same people in law enforcement.

Such a small world and great new friends.

Side notes on the tour:

Searched for the history center in Marshalltown, IA. What I found instead was a diner with a simple storefront and a long legacy for loose meat sandwiches.

”One wet,” said the man sitting at the counter round the turn. “Wet” I understood meant extra grease. The waiter wrote the order on a white paper napkin.

The sandwich came with mustard and a pickle. Cheese was extra. A spoon was required.

The fist-sized serving came double wrapped in paper. Grease had already soaked through the first layer of paper and the bun. A steady stream of customers came through the door, like church let out. Nobody looked at a menu. The place was legend.

-Both Nebraska and Iowa have kernels of corn littering the shoulder of the highway. It’s fun to see when one rogue seed takes hold in a slim crack in the pavement.

-Love how the communities embrace the history on the Lincoln Highway in Iowa.

-Battling a lot if rain since entering Iowa. Was headed east out of Carroll, IA and there was a big homemade road sign $7 corn. “Better keep pedaling … storms on your heels.” I vaguely saw the man dressed in camouflage sitting in the shadows… he had a booming voice. I picked up my rain apparel from the Fareway grocery in Jefferson, IA. The clerk at the deli handed me a large garbage bag and wished me a safe journey.

-Interesting to note, the grocery over the bridge in Jefferson left pallets of chips and Gatorade lining the wall outside the store. “Do you put all this away at night?” The clerk looked at me like I was nuts.

-Jefferson was one of my favorite communities. St. Joseph’s church readily offered me space to stay the night and when pedaling back after a quick grocery shop I saw a boy in a red cape walking with his mom down the tree-lined street; very Norman Rockwell.

-Updating my mileage. Long days are courtesy A1 Health and Fitness – training since November 2024 and it is paying off.

Utah airport to UPS store and host – 21 mi.

Olympic Training Rink, bike store, Jordan River Trail – 24 mi.

Salt Lake City to Park City – 36.40 mi.

Interview Eric Heiden to host – 14 mi.

Park City, UT to Evanston, Wy – 65.54 mi.

Evanston, Wy to Fort Bridger, Wy to Lyman, Wy – 44.26 mi.

Lyman, WY to Green River to Rock Springs KOA – 50 mi.

Kimball, NE to Chappell, NE – 67.43 mi.

Chappell, NE to Paxton, NE – 61.17 mi.

Paxton, NE to Brady, NE – 63.95 mi.

Brady, NE to Kearney, NE – 81.55 mi.

Kearney to Chapman, NE – 60.90 mi.

Chapman, NE to Columbus, NE – 58.64 mi.

Columbus, NE to Blair, NE – 79.55 mi

Blair, NE to Denison, IA – 67.94 mi

Denison, IA to Jefferson, IA – 60.29 mi

Jefferson, IA to Ogden, IA – 26.05 mi (lots of rain)

Ogden, IA to Conrad, IA – 85.14 mi

Conrad, IA to Independence, IA – 78.61 mi

Total = 966.87 miles.

This year’s tour is intended to highlight previous Winter Olympics as we head into the 2026 Winter Games in Milan, Italy.

Local speed skater Jordan Stolz is expected to compete in four events and if you would like to be part of Team Jordan feel free to pledge your support by using the QR code below courtesy the Dan Jansen Foundation.

Jansen’s foundation is a 501c3 and he’s agreed to donate 100% of all support noted to Jordan Stolz. Be part of Team Stolz today.