Day one of the second leg, we are back on track. (Mike walked his 1.5 miles on our off day yesterday, while I kept an air-conditioned car nearby for each time he took a break.) The weather today was sunny and hot but not too hot (high 70/low 80’s) with just enough breeze to whisk away the sweat. After about 8 miles on Route 30, we pulled off on Old Lincoln Highway to walk through two charming towns – Lisbon and Mt.Vernon. A very nice area which boasts lots of green space, some Victorian houses and Cornell College. When we arrived at the end, we saw a police car behind our parked car and another approaching. Both officers were quite nice. We were slightly confused because when we said we hoped we didn’t cause them any trouble, they replied no worries and confirmed that it is legal to park on the street we were on. We asked if they saw our sign that explained what we were doing, they said yes but they didn’t try to call our cell for more info. Not sure why this needed two police responses – maybe it’s quiet in the town now that the college is on summer break.
Day two was a very pleasant hike from just beyond Mt. Vernon to just into Cedar Rapids. A little too hot (upper 80’s and no clouds) but pretty countryside and wide shoulders. Both Mike and I like the south east part of Iowa – lots of green open spaces and little towns each with their own character.
Day three was a perfect weather day for walking – starting in the mid 60’s and topping at upper 70’s, and overcast. We started walking in downtown Cedar Rapids (a really interesting and pretty city) and ended on Route 30 for the last two plus miles (a four lane divided highway with not much to see). The walking is getting more strenuous with rolling hills as we move past the Mississippi. We had an amazing meal at Cobble Hill in downtown Cedar Rapids and are looking forward to exploring on our day off tomorrow.
Walk Across America 