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Day 22, June 6. Pilot Knob to Emminence & Ellington, MO
After an early start and meet up with Rod (he slept behind a church after fixing his chain and trying to catch up before dark). We toured a unique state park featuring big round stones .... called Elephant Rocks. Supposed to be one of Missouri's geological treasures. Was quite interesting, but might lose out on state geology contest to Arizona. Grand Canyon might be a bit more impressive.
Start climbing into the Ozarks, known for steep, short hills, lots of ups and downs, narrow roads, big/fast/impatient trucks. While Rod stopped for his first meal in a while at Centerville, we pulled up to Post Office so Sharon could mail excess home. She parked in front, diagonal slot. As I was messing in my bags, I heard a terrible crunching /scrapping noise behind me. Looked around to see an old man in a big pickup dragging Sharon's bike out into street, spewing all contents. He just kept backing and doing more damage. When he finally stopped, I carefully chose some very special words to address the situation. He casually got out of the truck, took a look, shrugged his shoulders and left. The bike is ruined. He just took off to the local hair salon less than a block away. Sheriff report and scrambling with lots of local help from folks how were ashamed of their fellow citizen for totally disregarding the damage he had done and its consequences. We had people volunteer to take Sharon all over the place ... but no place really good. We were many miles from anything. No bus/train service. Where to find a replacement bike. Sharon first toyed with quitting, but I was proud that she opted to persevere and let us scramble to find options.
The Centerville network came alive. We found a bike in Pittsburg KS that could have it ready by Friday or Saturday, about 250 miles away, on route. Rather than going backward to St Louis, about 250 in the wrong direction where there would be more transport options, we tried to find something to get her into the right direction. A librarian knew a local bike enthusiast who immediately left work (45 minutes away) to come and get her, take her home to his family. His workmate was going toward Pittsburg for a baseball tournament in the next few days, so it was decided to leave Sharon in their good care, while we hustled to get to Pittsburg by Saturday ... about 250 miles. (3 days of riding) It's hot, windy and very hilly. Rod and I started out for 14 miles of tough, windy hills before a big dinner, then the last 27 mile push to Emminence. Sharon got the private bedroom in Ellington, MO. Her host is a vet of Afghanistan...was recently there. She'll have to report on her experiences. Rod & I burned every available calorie to make those very steep, hilly miles before dark. Just made it. Day 23. June 7. 110 miles
June, 8. Day 24. Marshfield, MO to Golden City MO (Craig). 82 miles. Cooler today. That rain helped. Wind shifted a bit this am to a northerly, then soft westerly. Actually got a few minutes with wind at my back. But insignificant at this velocity. Will be heading west after this mid day break, so am hoping it reminds kindly.
I write this now in Ash Grove at noon hour, having traveled 48 miles from camp. Passed a whole pack of cyclers on an organized American Cycling Assn. cross country trip. They started May 5 from Yorktown (we started May 16) . They take a rest day every week. We haven't yet ... Sharon's was unplanned. Rod's was unplanned repair day. The group plods along enjoying more smells of the countryside than we do ... speaking of smells along the way... MISSOURI ROAD KILL CHAMPION without doubt, it's the Armadillo. I have never seen a live one out of the zoo, but have noted the tough shell doesn't stand the rigors of direct contact with tires. The few shells I've seen intact are quite nice. Haven't noted the wretched smell associated with possums and racoons.
Turtles are a distant 2nd. I stopped to help two little guys cross the street this am. Had to flag down/alert oncoming cars until I could safely rescue,
Turtles are used to a slow pace, so he jumped on Craig's bike THE MCDONALDS FACTOR another observation we've made is a tell tale sign we are approaching a significant sized village. When McDonald's happy meal boxes and drink containers start showing up in the ditches. We know we are about 10 minutes (by car) from town ... the time it takes to consume and dispose out the window. Not nearly as bad as Eastern Kentucky. Where everything gets thrown in the ditch. SHARON'S JOCK ITCH. I know you've all been wondering if Cruex really works. I still see her packing her can into the washroom, so assume the lingering memories of wet underbriefs are still with her. Now a few days out of the saddle, no doubt she is itch-free again. TICKS. I found a tick on my leg 4-5 days ago.. Got him before he dug too deep. Maybe coincidental, but my neck was a little stiff a day or so later. Just read headlines in local paper yesterday that there's a major tick problem. One of symptoms is a stiff neck and weakness. I assumed sick neck was because of my make-shift pillow ... and weakness was due to exhaustion. A little girl elsewhere in MO died recently. My symptoms are not a big deal, but something else to ponder when sitting on that bike seat for 11 hours a day. Picked up another tick today. He'd dug in a little deeper. Maybe the neck will be a bit stiffer as a result. Could make it to Kansas today, but no point. It's 70+ miles away and likely afternoon headwinds. So I'll take a bit more time off in AshGrove and head down about 30-40 miles to Golden City. Made it by 7pm. Had fine meal at Cooky's Cafe...known for their pies. I indulged eagerly. Retired to city park for another free night camping, complete with showers and covered pavillion and solitude ... as soon as the little league game was over.
RIDING ROUTINE AND FUELING. We each have our own unique needs, but all need to consume the right amount of food. While I (Craig) stay away from most junk food on this trip, Sharon like's her bedtime cookies and goodies throughout the day. Rod likes shakes. We all have big hearty dinners to replenish.
I like bananas, yogurt (if you can find it), Fig Newtons during day. Getting tired of mini mart food and cafe pancakes. The mini marts usually have a very limited supply of hearty/healthy food. Plenty of drinks and ice cream. I like to get in 30-40 miles before 11-12, then take off a bit in middle of day to find laundry and a library to update this website. Then let the day cool off, perhaps have an early dinner and go for another 15-20 miles.
Rear rack has tent, sleeping bag, mattress. Left rear pannier has clothes, windbreaker & rain coat. Right rear pannier has emergency food, extra water bottle, PDA, charging units for PDA and camera, radio (for weather forecast), extra batteries, headlight. Computer on handle bars tells me how slow I'm going (faster than mosquitos can fly, I hope), distance traveled, avg speed, max speed. We typically average about 11MPH with all the hills. Now in the Kansas flats we'll probably bump up to 14MPH assuming winds are neutral. Rear view mirror to watch for the huge trucks bearing down rapidly.
June 9. Day 25. Golden City - Pittsburg
Also greeted by Chuck, big ol guy sittin on his porch as I pulled into town. "Where you headin'" was my invite to stop and chat. He enjoys greeting cyclists parading in. He invited me to spend time in his rocker on the porch and offered a cool drink. He's retired from a local door factory. Sold some commercial property in the city and owns a 2nd home in Branson, MO, the new entertainment capital of the midwest. He's set.
At the bike shop, met a couple, Sara and Kyle who left VA before we did. Are riding to their daughters wedding north of Boise (Tamarack). Nice chat, comparing notes. We all agreed the nastiest drivers we've encountered are from Missouri. Rod Here: In case my story has not been accurately reported (I have not read the blog over the last couple of weeks), I will give you an update on my last couple of days on my own. My minor problems started with some shifting issues that eventually lead to a bent chain earlier in the week. I was able to peform a little roadside operation and brought the patient (my chain) back to life. It was fine at that point even though my shifting was still funky. It was my only option since the bike shop we thought was several miles behind us had closed. After Sharon's demolition derby on Wednesday. Craig and I put in a tough afternoon's ride and pulled into camp at dark. On Thursday morning as I stopped for breakfast, Craig continued on. After breakfast I moved along up the road at a fairly slow pace. Too little food the day before followed by no after ride meal last night left me a little dead legged. Combined with some early morning hills I plodded up the road 20 miles to the next town where I got good quantities of food, a good rest, and finally some renewed energy. As Craig had headed out of town before I arrived, I returned to the Brooks (my saddle). At the next town 25 miles down the road, I stopped in the midday heat to do some laundry and bent my chain again. I had liberated Sharon's chain from her wreck, but wanted to work with the shifting before continueing up the road. Since I am not much of a bike mechanic, I played with it for quite awhile. Before I knew it, the day was about over so I took a room at the motel that had loaned me tools and given me a place to work. It was terrible that I had to be inside rather than in my tent as we got a good electrical storm that night with lots of rain. In the morning, the air was fresh and so were my legs. I put in 113 miles to get back on pace with our original plan. It was a great day for riding with overcast skies in the morning and staying in the 70's during the afternoon. With the exception of about 17 continuous ups and downs at the end of the day that just about finished me off, it was a pretty good day. Only had one pit bull chase me going up one of the hills while nipping at my front panier (helped me get up that hill). Also had one dog put his front paws on my crossbar to help me work on my shifting in his driveway. As I pulled into Ash Grove at sunset, the only restaurant still open was Chinese which is not my favorite. I stayed at the local park with the group from Adventure Cycling. On Saturday I put in 70 easy miles with only a few hills and a good tailwind. Stopped midway and had a couple of pieces of pie with some of the Adventure Cycling group. I was in to town by 1 p.m. to meet Sharon (who passed me in the back seat of a suburban a few miles from town) and Craig. So, no disasters, just life on the biking road.
We rode down to the local auditorium for the final acts of the Colgate Country Jamboree. A regional talent contest, with 10 finalists performing tonight (Sat).
June 10. Day 26 to Yates Center via IOLA
As we left town the dark clouds moved in quickly. First raindrops and flashes found us under a narrow eaves of an auto repair shop. Read his Sun. paper as the big drops fell and all hell broke loose right above us. A sheriff had passed on the road earlier came back to offer us assistance ... evacuation to another place. We waited a few more minutes for all to clear and away we went, with a nice little tailwind. We popped off 60 miles very quickly, joining up with a couple, Kyle and Sarah from Covington, VA that I (Craig) had visited with in the bike shop.
They had just "retired" their dentist practice and were on our route. They were riding to their daughter's wedding in the Boise, Idaho area. We had an enjoyable lunch at a diner in downtown Chanute sharing stories to date. Then taking pics and wishing each other the best of safe journies.
June 11. Day 27. Yates Center to ?? TORNADO ALLEY Tornadoes and lightning storms could be on tap today. We were advised a good place to go in a tornado is into a mini-market cooler. The weather has favored rain, rain, rain recently with the rivers running very full and muddy. Although we have only been caught in it briefly. Farmers in KY were complaining about no rain. The Kansas farmers got it all .... and way too much of it. Can't plant, can't harvest mature wheat and hay.
Sharon has observed there are not many foreign cars on the road. Confirmed by us. I can't recall seeing a luxury car for a long time. As we get closer to Wichita (Boeing and other commerce), I'm sure we'll see a change. Family fancy car here is a big ol' American pickup truck.
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School's out for the summer
farm scene of western Missouri and the roads we travel.
He wasn't as gruesome as others
Old expression, "flat as a pancake"
Cooky's Cafe. Golden City, MO. I had my
Almost as good as Mom's pies.
Breakfast of champions. Pbutter, lemon drops and banana. 
I made it to Kansas. Others to follow
Sharon and her new Trek touring bike, all tuned up by Roger.
We're camped on the main line for the Cannonball express.
Rod capturing more photo momentos for Mom (Iola)
Sunday in Kansas
Wild lillies & wheat, Kansas
3 generations bass fishin' just after a major thunderstorm
This is corn & wheat country