Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Up and Down in Missouri Day 31







We really enjoyed the ride today. Planned for 91 miles, I got a few extra at no additional charge! Between the first and second SAG stops, AbB ride co-leader Andy and I were having a nice chat as we enjoyed the beautiful countryside. The day was hot and humid, but riding generates a breeze so we were feeling OK. I checked the mileage for the next turn on our "cue sheets", and realized that we must have missed a turn. That's OK, it happens all the time. What made me laugh was Andy saying "Good thing you caught that , Dave. I might have gone ten miles before I noticed it"! Well, when you ride as fast as Andy does, you can afford to miss a turn or two and still end up at the hotel before the other riders. We back tracked a little, took a side road, asked several drivers (who were all visiting from somewhere else!), and finally reached the SAG.
We rodes hundreds of ups and downs today, though you have to look hard behind Christine (of the AbB staff) to see the "ribbons" in the road (try "double clicking" on the picture). Tonight we're staying in Chillicothe, Missouri, and we have an even hillier ride tomorrow. Hopefully I can get some pictures that do it justice.
The second photo shows part of a farm we passed. I think the owners my have extended their credit too much....but the name has a nice Spanish-Latin ring to it.
Next are some of the riders at the first SAG. Notice how everyone is eating--you burn alot of calories on these rides, and when it's time to feed, we feed! Also note how everyone was standing in the shade at about 9:30 A.M. Like I said, it was hot.
Since eastern Kansas, the terrain we have passed is very much like that of south-central PA and northern MD--rolling hills, lots of corn, soybeans, cattle, etc... We had lunch in the town of Jamesport (though where the water was, I couldn't say), at a restaurant run by a Mennonite group. We also passed Old Order Amish farms.
We're getting up early tomorrow, as the day is one of our hilliest. But as long as we avoid headwinds, no one wants to complain!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This does look alot like homeland. Getting closer to us.....have a good day riding up and down those hills