Week 1

Week one is done and all is well. Here's the summary folks:

Day 1. My dad drove us to St. Louis to drop us off at the start of our route on the east side of the river in Hartford IL. After filling up on some awesome ribs (check out Pappy's) we intended to start as planned. Turns out the Mississippi River is pretty flooded and the ferry we were supposed to take was not running - so we turned to plan B and had Pops drive us 25 miles or so further ahead on our route to St. Charles MO and the start of the Katy bike trail. After a feast at good ole Crackerbarrel we were on our way. Day 1 was a rainy and "short" 30 mile ride. After all the planning and dreaming it felt great to finally be on the road.

Lewis and Clark Statue with our bikes at the start of the Katy Trail

Day 2: After a rainy day 1, day 2 presented us with a fierce 25 mph headwind. So I guess it's better to be humbled at the beginning and we trudged on. Hard day. We camped both of our first nights in vacant campgrounds.

Day 3: Finally a beautiful day. At the end we stumbled upon heaven: Coopers Landing. This place is a bar, restaurant, campground, and music venue hidden on back roads along the Missouri river known only to locals. Bob Runyan the locally famous folk singer played that night, and we had some beers as we watched an amazing sunset on the river (photos posted later when we find computers). I was also presented with the tough choice of their famous homemade burritos or the "best thai food made in a trailer on the entire Missouri river" - so I chose both.

Great end to a great day

Bob Runyan jammin out at Coopers Landing

Day 4: Now off the Katy trail and riding Missouri back roads. Did you know Missouri had big hills!? I didn't! ("the more you know.." I guess). It was hard! This was our first "oh crap" moment (censored for kiddies). We counted on getting some food near our campsite that night, but turns out towns with populations of 72 close up shops early. After our backup dinner of ramen accidentally spilled we each had a serving of instant oatmeal for dinner. It was a day made for reality tv - of surprises and "relationship building exercises".

Spilled Ramen :(

Day 5: We did better today. Kicked those hills' butts, put in 67 miles. Lots of really tiny towns. Highlight was stopping in the town of Blackburn to get out of the rain and eat some gas station sandwich lunches we picked up that morning. The town was completely deserted so we pulled our bikes under the awning of the closed local bank to eat and get shelter. Someone found us and invited us into the local town hall where they were having a May Day lunch of ham and mashed potatoes. They were real swell people and we even got our photo taken for the monthly newsletter.

The kind folks that invited us in at Town Hall

Ended the day in Lexington MO. No camping so stayed at a "charming" (tongue in cheek) motel and ordered Pizza Hut delivery, drank half a beer and passed out.

Dive Motel,,, no other options around

Day 6: We woke pretty darn sore and since the plan is take a day off once a week, it evolved into a day off day. And that's where we are now at hotel with bikes and gear in room, clothes and stuff everywhere drying after being washed. Explored the town, it's an old pre-civil war town very charming.

Also, not that this is any new news but molly's Verizon phone is kicking the crap out of my AT&T

More updates later...


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Location:St Charles MO - Lexington MO