Alley Springs near Eminence, MO
Friday 6-4 day 31 52 miles 1399 total miles. Lesterville to Eminence. This may have been the hardest day of the trip with many up and down long hills, and hot and humid. Brother Bob has meet me here in Eminence and we're staying at the Shady Lane hotel. I've been looking for Crab Cakes since Williamsburg, VA with no success. Finally here in the middle of the Ozarks they were on the menu at Ozark Orchard Restaurant. They were actually pretty tasty. While here I got a haircut at the best damn barbershop in Eminence, maybe anywhere, Comb's Barbershop. What a real treat.
Current River
Thursday 6-3 day 30 52 miles 1347 total miles. Farmington to Lesterville. After an unplanned detour to Pilot Knob some of us visited Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park. This would be a great place to spend the day exploring, swimming and picnicking. I spent about two hours there. The rest of the day had some big hills, but not too many. Camped in Lesterville on the Black River.
Wednesday 6-2 day 29 52 miles, 1295 total. Chester to Farmington, MO. I had another first today - a flat! Roofing nail through the rear tire. Oh well it had to happen sometime, actually the group had four flats today. Crossed the Mississippi River into Missouri today and more hills. After 35 miles of heat and hills with 10 more to go we came to a real oasis, Crown Valley Brewing Company tasting and sampling room. A great treat for a thirsty cyclist and a place I must come back to. For the last ten miles of the ride the road was not so straight, and if you're wondering, it's none of your damn business. The nights accommodations were in Al's Place TransAmerica Hostel. This is a superb place for bikers, with bunks, beds, linen's, kitchen, showers and bathrooms. It's a remodeled jail. A very good day for a biker.
Tuesday 6-1 day 28 55 miles total 1244 miles. Carbondale to Chester. Took the levee route a hot damn flat day of cycling. Most of the route was along the flood plain and levee system of the Mississippi River where we got our first look at the river. We had our first group casualty today: the Folts' Randy and Meg. The days were too long, too hard, and not what they expected. I hate to see them go, but if they we not having fun, its best. Chester, IL is the home of Popeye the Sailor Man.
Pretty funny, I happened to check this blog post while sitting in Eminence sipping a beer!
ReplyDeleteBill, Believe it or not, Laura & I drove from Carbondale to Chester the same day. We were driving back to KC after spending Memorial Day in Nashville with my daughter. We saw two other touring bicyclists and thought of you, but they were heading east, not west.
ReplyDeleteDale Crawford