https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1GYFMoesSc/ I woke up in Marble Rock, Iowa, and got moving under clear skies. Not long into the ride, I noticed something off with my front fender. A quick stop confirmed it had broken Its mounting bracket, probably just worn out from all the miles. I pulled it off and strapped it to my rear rack, then kept on rolling. After crossing Shell Rock Creek, I headed south through quiet farm roads, then turned east at Allison and picked up the Rolling Prairie Trail. It was a great change of pace, mostly paved with lots of wooden bridges and no cars in sight. Somewhere along the trail, I passed through a small town and spotted an ice cream truck parked under a tree. I didn’t even think twice. I pulled over and enjoyed a cold treat in the shade before continuing on. In Clarksville, I stopped for a cold sugary drink and met another cyclist who was also taking a break. We got to talking, and they offered to ride with me to the next town. The miles flew by as we chatted about bikes, touring, and Iowa’s backroads. We stopped in Waverly for a cold beer at a brewery right off the trail. After the pit stop, we parted ways and I continued east, eventually making it into Oelwein for the night.