Sunday, October 30, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Day 28 and 29
So day 28 started a lot better than yesterday. All of a sudden my pump decided to start working again. Also, I stopped by a local auto place to see if they had the right adapter just so I could top the tires off. Sure enough one of the guys dug one up so I had them put a little more air in.
I was on my way, FINALLY! it was a beautiful day with very little wind and I made it to Garden City in no time. When I got there I stocked up on bike gear and food. I tried getting a new pump but the adapter on the new one didn't want to work so I had to return it. I also bought some hand and foot warmers which will definitely be coming in handy. Thanks Linda!
After that I pretty much turned in for the night.
On Day 29, I was determined to get to Colorado. I had just been in Kansas way too long and at that point I was convinced the state had it out for me. Haha
Another day of smooth sailing. I got just across the border when I noticed a rest stop. I didn't have much more time before it got dark and really cold so I decided to stop there. I looked everywhere for something saying I couldn't camp there but there was nothing so I went for it. As I was setting up my tent a guy named Lance pulled up and sparked a conversation. He told me of his two years riding around the country on a bike. It was really great talking to him but it was starting to get really cold and dark so I had to get back to setting up camp.
Once everything was set up I got to enjoy a warm meal. Thanks to Kayleigh and Trevor that gave me an MRE (meal ready to eat) before leaving Dayton. It was actually pretty good! A little complicated of a process but good. Haha
When I went to crash out I got set up with my hand and foot warmers. I almost opted to sleep in the restroom (it was heated). It was another below freezing night. In fact, in the morning my water bottle was frozen all the way through. The warmers really helped but it was still hard to get good sleep.
I was on my way, FINALLY! it was a beautiful day with very little wind and I made it to Garden City in no time. When I got there I stocked up on bike gear and food. I tried getting a new pump but the adapter on the new one didn't want to work so I had to return it. I also bought some hand and foot warmers which will definitely be coming in handy. Thanks Linda!
After that I pretty much turned in for the night.
On Day 29, I was determined to get to Colorado. I had just been in Kansas way too long and at that point I was convinced the state had it out for me. Haha
Another day of smooth sailing. I got just across the border when I noticed a rest stop. I didn't have much more time before it got dark and really cold so I decided to stop there. I looked everywhere for something saying I couldn't camp there but there was nothing so I went for it. As I was setting up my tent a guy named Lance pulled up and sparked a conversation. He told me of his two years riding around the country on a bike. It was really great talking to him but it was starting to get really cold and dark so I had to get back to setting up camp.
Once everything was set up I got to enjoy a warm meal. Thanks to Kayleigh and Trevor that gave me an MRE (meal ready to eat) before leaving Dayton. It was actually pretty good! A little complicated of a process but good. Haha
When I went to crash out I got set up with my hand and foot warmers. I almost opted to sleep in the restroom (it was heated). It was another below freezing night. In fact, in the morning my water bottle was frozen all the way through. The warmers really helped but it was still hard to get good sleep.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Day 27
So day 27 didn't go nearly as smooth as I was hoping. I got ready and was on my way out of town when I noticed my rear tire was looking a little low. So I stopped to fill it. When I unscrewed the valve cover the entire valve core came with it which caused the tire to completely deflate. Then I came to discover my pump was broken. Therefore, I was stuck in a town with no bike shop and likely no way of pumping my tire up since it has a presta valve instead of a traditional schrader valve. The rest of the day I spent trying to find some way of solving my problem. Looking for a place to rent a car/truck, checking hardware stores for pumps, trying to fix my pump. By the end of the night it was looking like I was going to have to either hitchhike to the nearest bike shop or have a pump overnighted to Dighton. I just hope everything works out...
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Day 21 through 26
I'm just going to get all caught up here because there hasn't really been much going on lately. Mostly the typical routine: wake up, try to find a nice cafe, ride, eat, ride, eat, ride, eat, sleep.
Day 21 I made my way to Council Grove, KS. That night it was freezing so I called a pizza place and said right in the beginning I wanted to place an order for delivery. We get through the whole order and then it comes up that they don't deliver! I already had my order in so I decided to just ride down there. It was like being in a blast chiller when I was flying downhill.
Day 22 I was off to McPherson. Today, the winds started dying down a bit which was great. McPherson was a cool little town with some really nice people.
As I was getting ready to head out of McPherson on day 23, a man named Brent actually stopped me because he saw I was touring and wanted to hear my story. Really great guy and really enjoyed talking with him. After that I was off to Great Bend, KS.
Nothing much else to tell other than the fact that day 23 was the least amount of wind that I saw while in Kansas so far.
Day 24 I had high hopes for where I was going to ride to but the weather and my legs had other plans. Today the wind picked up like crazy and my legs just weren't having it. Only being able to go 8-9 mph while traveling over flat terrain really takes it out of you both mentally and physically. So I called it an early day and stopped in La Crosse, KS. in fact, I decided to take the next day off to give my legs a rest.
Day 25, I did just about nothing. The only time I got out to do anything was to run to the grocery store to get some more food. Boy did that feel good.
Day 26 I was headed to a state park about 99 miles away. As I was headed there I started second guessing my route. When I looked again at the map I realized that it would be likely that I would run into few if any facilities along the way (food, restrooms, water). So I stopped in the next town to contemplate a change in route. That was when I noticed my rear tire was flat. After changing my inner tube, I adjusted my route and was either going to stop in Dighton or Scott City for the night.
Let's just say that events during the day would decide that for me. Two more flats later there was no way I was going to make it to Scott City. Yes that's right THREE FLATS in a single day. One of the flats was my fault because I didn't look hard enough for what caused it and the same thorn caused a second flat.
Anyway, stopped in Dighton and just hoping for a smooth day on day 27. Beside the rain that's supposed to be rolling in.
Day 21 I made my way to Council Grove, KS. That night it was freezing so I called a pizza place and said right in the beginning I wanted to place an order for delivery. We get through the whole order and then it comes up that they don't deliver! I already had my order in so I decided to just ride down there. It was like being in a blast chiller when I was flying downhill.
Day 22 I was off to McPherson. Today, the winds started dying down a bit which was great. McPherson was a cool little town with some really nice people.
As I was getting ready to head out of McPherson on day 23, a man named Brent actually stopped me because he saw I was touring and wanted to hear my story. Really great guy and really enjoyed talking with him. After that I was off to Great Bend, KS.
Nothing much else to tell other than the fact that day 23 was the least amount of wind that I saw while in Kansas so far.
Day 24 I had high hopes for where I was going to ride to but the weather and my legs had other plans. Today the wind picked up like crazy and my legs just weren't having it. Only being able to go 8-9 mph while traveling over flat terrain really takes it out of you both mentally and physically. So I called it an early day and stopped in La Crosse, KS. in fact, I decided to take the next day off to give my legs a rest.
Day 25, I did just about nothing. The only time I got out to do anything was to run to the grocery store to get some more food. Boy did that feel good.
Day 26 I was headed to a state park about 99 miles away. As I was headed there I started second guessing my route. When I looked again at the map I realized that it would be likely that I would run into few if any facilities along the way (food, restrooms, water). So I stopped in the next town to contemplate a change in route. That was when I noticed my rear tire was flat. After changing my inner tube, I adjusted my route and was either going to stop in Dighton or Scott City for the night.
Let's just say that events during the day would decide that for me. Two more flats later there was no way I was going to make it to Scott City. Yes that's right THREE FLATS in a single day. One of the flats was my fault because I didn't look hard enough for what caused it and the same thorn caused a second flat.
Anyway, stopped in Dighton and just hoping for a smooth day on day 27. Beside the rain that's supposed to be rolling in.
Day 21 and 22 Pictures
Picture 1 was of a gorgeous sunset at the end of day 22.
Picture 2 was taken as I was going over a bridge. The entire bridge was lined with bras for breast cancer awareness month. It was quite an interesting display of support.
Picture 2 was taken as I was going over a bridge. The entire bridge was lined with bras for breast cancer awareness month. It was quite an interesting display of support.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Day 19 and 20
Day 19 was a short stretch to a campground just outside of KC. I officially made it to Kansas today! On my route today I discovered that a lot of the back roads in Kansas are unpaved so I decided after today to stick to bigger highways.
On the way out of KC I was just pedaling away when my nose made me stop. There was a little Mexican bakery that had smells coming from it that were phenomenal. When I got in there I didn't know where to start. They had a really cool setup too. The way you picked out what you wanted was by walking around with a pizza tray and some big metal tongs and load the tray up. Obviously I went a little crazy given that opportunity. Needless to say it was delicious and I definitely got some extra to enjoy that night.
As I was just about to the campground I noticed a Walmart and decided I would check to see if they had a good air mattress. I almost didn't because I had checked at several Walmarts before this but they never had anything that was right for what I needed. They always had queen size mattresses which were too big and a little pad that cost $40! At this one though they finally had a twin size one the was only $10. I was so excited to finally be able to sleep on something halfway decent while camping.
When I got to the campsite I could tell it was primarily an RV site because the tent sites were not well taken care of. But I was excited because there was some leftover firewood at one of the sites. It was already really cold and I've been wanting to get a campfire going since the start of this trip. So I started it up and sat by it for a while before turning in for the night.
Day 20 I was setting out for Topeka, KS. I had to take a few rough roads and I got checked on by a cop again to make sure I was alright. Other than that it was a pretty straightforward day.
As soon as the sun went down it got real cold real fast. Luckily I wasn't too far from the campground but I knew I was in for a rough night. I love the sleeping bag that my amazing friends Anthony and Leslie gave me because it's lightweight and it fits perfectly on the back of my bike but it definitely isn't built for cold nights. So I made sure to bundle up as you can see in the picture. I even kept my shoes on to try to keep them a little bit warmer. Even so it wasn't the best night of rest. When I woke up in the morning it was 29 degrees! I decided then that I was going to get a motel that night (was going to be about the same temp).
On the way out of KC I was just pedaling away when my nose made me stop. There was a little Mexican bakery that had smells coming from it that were phenomenal. When I got in there I didn't know where to start. They had a really cool setup too. The way you picked out what you wanted was by walking around with a pizza tray and some big metal tongs and load the tray up. Obviously I went a little crazy given that opportunity. Needless to say it was delicious and I definitely got some extra to enjoy that night.
As I was just about to the campground I noticed a Walmart and decided I would check to see if they had a good air mattress. I almost didn't because I had checked at several Walmarts before this but they never had anything that was right for what I needed. They always had queen size mattresses which were too big and a little pad that cost $40! At this one though they finally had a twin size one the was only $10. I was so excited to finally be able to sleep on something halfway decent while camping.
When I got to the campsite I could tell it was primarily an RV site because the tent sites were not well taken care of. But I was excited because there was some leftover firewood at one of the sites. It was already really cold and I've been wanting to get a campfire going since the start of this trip. So I started it up and sat by it for a while before turning in for the night.
Day 20 I was setting out for Topeka, KS. I had to take a few rough roads and I got checked on by a cop again to make sure I was alright. Other than that it was a pretty straightforward day.
As soon as the sun went down it got real cold real fast. Luckily I wasn't too far from the campground but I knew I was in for a rough night. I love the sleeping bag that my amazing friends Anthony and Leslie gave me because it's lightweight and it fits perfectly on the back of my bike but it definitely isn't built for cold nights. So I made sure to bundle up as you can see in the picture. I even kept my shoes on to try to keep them a little bit warmer. Even so it wasn't the best night of rest. When I woke up in the morning it was 29 degrees! I decided then that I was going to get a motel that night (was going to be about the same temp).
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Day 19 and 20 Pictures
Picture 1 was of a fortune I got in a fortune cookie. I thought it was quite appropriate.
Picture 2 was me braving my first below freezing night. Not so much fun. Haha
Picture 2 was me braving my first below freezing night. Not so much fun. Haha
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Day 17 and 18
I got off to a fairly early start from Ethan's on day 17 and had my eyes set on Kansas City.
For those of you that don't know, I have a mount on my handlebars for my phone. Also, I get ESPN updates on it with the scores for my favorite teams. Well, as I was truckin it toward KC I see that the 49ers are doing quite well against Detroit. So obviously I look up the nearest Buffalo Wild Wings. It was just close enough that I would probably be able to catch the last quarter so I turn on the turbo and actually make it there before the end of the third. Well, we all know how that game ended. Woohoo! The best part was that big fans of both teams were there and a lot of friendly trash talking was going on. More so on the Detroit end. Haha
Well after that awesome time, I was on the the final stretch to KC. When I got there I was very excited to check it out. I was planning on sticking around the next day so I kept it pretty low key the first day. By the time I got all cleaned up and everything most everything was closed anyway.
Although I did find a place that was open 24 hours and had karaoke going on so I stopped in for a bit. A bunch of stuff was two for one so I was able to get two beers and two appetizers for less than $20, thanks Melissa :). After that, it was back to my place to crash out.
Day 18 was pretty fun. I was just disappointed because a lot of the stuff I wanted to check out was closed. I road down 18th & Vine which is a historic Jazz/Blues place but everything was closed. I was able to go to the KC Federal Reserve where there was a free self guided tour. The vault there was nine stories tall and took 30 cement trucks to complete but I think I can still crack it. Haha It was a pretty interesting tour overall. After that I went to a BBQ place that was recommended to me by a local and it was delicious.
The rest of the day was just spent drinking delicious coffee and pedaling around taking everything in. That is until the weather turned south which is when I turned in for the night.
For those of you that don't know, I have a mount on my handlebars for my phone. Also, I get ESPN updates on it with the scores for my favorite teams. Well, as I was truckin it toward KC I see that the 49ers are doing quite well against Detroit. So obviously I look up the nearest Buffalo Wild Wings. It was just close enough that I would probably be able to catch the last quarter so I turn on the turbo and actually make it there before the end of the third. Well, we all know how that game ended. Woohoo! The best part was that big fans of both teams were there and a lot of friendly trash talking was going on. More so on the Detroit end. Haha
Well after that awesome time, I was on the the final stretch to KC. When I got there I was very excited to check it out. I was planning on sticking around the next day so I kept it pretty low key the first day. By the time I got all cleaned up and everything most everything was closed anyway.
Although I did find a place that was open 24 hours and had karaoke going on so I stopped in for a bit. A bunch of stuff was two for one so I was able to get two beers and two appetizers for less than $20, thanks Melissa :). After that, it was back to my place to crash out.
Day 18 was pretty fun. I was just disappointed because a lot of the stuff I wanted to check out was closed. I road down 18th & Vine which is a historic Jazz/Blues place but everything was closed. I was able to go to the KC Federal Reserve where there was a free self guided tour. The vault there was nine stories tall and took 30 cement trucks to complete but I think I can still crack it. Haha It was a pretty interesting tour overall. After that I went to a BBQ place that was recommended to me by a local and it was delicious.
The rest of the day was just spent drinking delicious coffee and pedaling around taking everything in. That is until the weather turned south which is when I turned in for the night.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Day 17 and 18 Pictures
Picture 1 is of the Kansas City skyline.
2 & 4 are of a couple of fountains around town.
3 was taken right as I was getting into the heart of KC.
5 was of one of the best (if not THE best) white mochas I've ever had. It's amazing how incredible coffee can taste when done right.
2 & 4 are of a couple of fountains around town.
3 was taken right as I was getting into the heart of KC.
5 was of one of the best (if not THE best) white mochas I've ever had. It's amazing how incredible coffee can taste when done right.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Day 15 and 16
Day 15 was probably the toughest day so far. The morning was great. It was a short stretch to Jefferson City where I explored for a little while. I found out that Jefferson City was a big target of the South during the Civil War and that it had to be defended against several major takeover attempts.
After exploring, it was time for me to hook up with the Katy Trail which was just north of the city. That's where I met the people that were taking their dog along for a ride. They were really friendly and I wish I could have stuck around for a while longer to talk.
The Katy Trail was a great type of trail that I think all states should have. I'm fairly certain that it used to be a railroad track that they just paved over. It spans most of Missouri and follows some very scenic parts of the state. Huge bluffs and most of it trailing right alongside the river. It was also a route that Lewis and Clark followed quite closely so there was a lot of history to be told along the way. The only problems that I had on this trail were the strong headwinds and the trail surface wasn't the smoothest.
That morning my aunt asked if I was going to be anywhere near Midway which is where a travel channel show takes place at a local truck stop. Well, in traveling on the trail I was on I noticed that Midway would only be 5-10 miles out of the way so I went for it. Getting there was pretty tough with big hills and ridiculous winds. The truck stop was pretty cool but I didn't see any cameras around and didn't recognize anyone from the show's webpage.
Getting back to the trail was the toughest 5 miles I've been on yet. Not only were there hills and a lot of wind but most of the way back was terrain that my bike isn't really suited for. I was cursing this five miles the entire way. Haha when I finally got back to the trail, nearly an hour later, I was very relieved and planned out how much further I was going to be able to ride and where I would stop.
I had my sights set on Boonville. The winds were dying down, I was making pretty good time, when only five miles from Boonville I get my first flat. I wasn't sure if it was just a slow leak or an actual flat so I tried pumping it up to see if I could limp on it the last five miles but it wasn't happening. Of course this had to happen on my rear tire and with only about 30 minutes of daylight left. Regardless, I was able to take care of it and continued on. When I got to town I found out there were no vacancies anywhere in the heart of town so I had to ride another five miles to get to the nearest place to stay and upon getting there I find out they had nothing but smoking rooms. Not happy about that but I was just relieved to have a place to stay.
Day 16 I was back to the Katy Trail for a short stretch and on to Warrensburg. My buddy Phil knew somebody that lived there and was willing to let me crash. While still in Boonville I stopped at a local bike shop where I was helped out by a really friendly old man that gave me a quick tune-up and a long talk involving many random stories and advice. One of them was about a man that visited his shop once that had designed a recumbent bike that he could hit 65 mph in. Might look into that for my next trip.
The rest of my ride was pretty straightforward. When I got to Warrensburg, Ethan and his roommates welcomed me warmly into their apartment. Ethan took really good care of me while I was in town and we had a good time. I am very grateful for his hospitality. Tomorrow I'm off to Kansas City!
After exploring, it was time for me to hook up with the Katy Trail which was just north of the city. That's where I met the people that were taking their dog along for a ride. They were really friendly and I wish I could have stuck around for a while longer to talk.
The Katy Trail was a great type of trail that I think all states should have. I'm fairly certain that it used to be a railroad track that they just paved over. It spans most of Missouri and follows some very scenic parts of the state. Huge bluffs and most of it trailing right alongside the river. It was also a route that Lewis and Clark followed quite closely so there was a lot of history to be told along the way. The only problems that I had on this trail were the strong headwinds and the trail surface wasn't the smoothest.
That morning my aunt asked if I was going to be anywhere near Midway which is where a travel channel show takes place at a local truck stop. Well, in traveling on the trail I was on I noticed that Midway would only be 5-10 miles out of the way so I went for it. Getting there was pretty tough with big hills and ridiculous winds. The truck stop was pretty cool but I didn't see any cameras around and didn't recognize anyone from the show's webpage.
Getting back to the trail was the toughest 5 miles I've been on yet. Not only were there hills and a lot of wind but most of the way back was terrain that my bike isn't really suited for. I was cursing this five miles the entire way. Haha when I finally got back to the trail, nearly an hour later, I was very relieved and planned out how much further I was going to be able to ride and where I would stop.
I had my sights set on Boonville. The winds were dying down, I was making pretty good time, when only five miles from Boonville I get my first flat. I wasn't sure if it was just a slow leak or an actual flat so I tried pumping it up to see if I could limp on it the last five miles but it wasn't happening. Of course this had to happen on my rear tire and with only about 30 minutes of daylight left. Regardless, I was able to take care of it and continued on. When I got to town I found out there were no vacancies anywhere in the heart of town so I had to ride another five miles to get to the nearest place to stay and upon getting there I find out they had nothing but smoking rooms. Not happy about that but I was just relieved to have a place to stay.
Day 16 I was back to the Katy Trail for a short stretch and on to Warrensburg. My buddy Phil knew somebody that lived there and was willing to let me crash. While still in Boonville I stopped at a local bike shop where I was helped out by a really friendly old man that gave me a quick tune-up and a long talk involving many random stories and advice. One of them was about a man that visited his shop once that had designed a recumbent bike that he could hit 65 mph in. Might look into that for my next trip.
The rest of my ride was pretty straightforward. When I got to Warrensburg, Ethan and his roommates welcomed me warmly into their apartment. Ethan took really good care of me while I was in town and we had a good time. I am very grateful for his hospitality. Tomorrow I'm off to Kansas City!
Day 15 and 16 Pictures
Pictures 1 and 2 are of the sunrise and sunset on Day 15.
Pictures 3 and 5 are of the capital building in Jefferson City.
Picture 4 is of an awesome tunnel i got to go through when traveling on the Katy Trail.
On day 15 I met a couple and their German Sheperd "Jenny". They were on the Katy Trail too and Jenny got to lounge out in one of those little pull trailers you normally see children in. Haha you can see it in picture 6.
Pictures 3 and 5 are of the capital building in Jefferson City.
Picture 4 is of an awesome tunnel i got to go through when traveling on the Katy Trail.
On day 15 I met a couple and their German Sheperd "Jenny". They were on the Katy Trail too and Jenny got to lounge out in one of those little pull trailers you normally see children in. Haha you can see it in picture 6.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Day 13 and 14 Pictures
The first two pictures are just some photos of the picturesque rides I've been able to take in lately.
The last one is of Mill's Pond. If you look way in the back you can see a tiny cave entrance where the water is coming out of. This was where the people that discovered Onondaga Cave had to enter as it was the only way in back then. Imagine entering that tiny opening and discovering something as grand as Onomdaga Cave.
The last one is of Mill's Pond. If you look way in the back you can see a tiny cave entrance where the water is coming out of. This was where the people that discovered Onondaga Cave had to enter as it was the only way in back then. Imagine entering that tiny opening and discovering something as grand as Onomdaga Cave.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Day 13 and 14
Day 13 started off with an amazing cave tour of Onondaga Cave. I wish I had a good flash on my phone because there were some amazing shots I couldn't get because the lighting was too dim. Even so, I still got some good ones. Before I went on the tour I was given the choice to go on the tour solo (nobody else was in at that time) or with a school group for half price. I was about to go with the group but then saw it was a really young elementary school group so I decided to go solo. Man am I glad I did because I got such an individualized tour and later we saw the other group and the guide was pointing out rocks that looked like witches and animals. I was happy to have avoided that. Haha
A quick tangent... In learning of the history of the cave I found out that there were many times the cave was almost destroyed by mining companies for its flow stone (a stone that is gorgeous when cut and polished). I am so very grateful that never happened and am now even more supportive of state parks and what they have to offer as I hope many others are. Natural beauties like these should never be destroyed to make for some pretty countertops.
I then set out for Owensville, MO. It was a nice day and a very scenic ride and I was enjoying it thoroughly. Later on in the day I was riding past a house with a dog in the yard. Of course the dog started barking and chasing after me but it was gated in so I wasn't worried. Shortly after the dog started barking I hear the owner's voice calling the dog. The dog didn't respond and just as I was getting far enough away that the dog would have stopped barking anyway... POP! The owner fired off a gunshot! I'm pretty sure they were doing it to shut the dog up but still almost had me bailing off the bike to find cover. Haha
After dinner I was making plans to find a place to set up my tent when off to the west I saw an amazing light show. It was a tremendous looking thunderstorm rolling in and even though I braved one well the previous night I wasn't in the mood to push my luck so I stopped for the night at the local motel. Luckily the owner understood my situation well and offered me a great rate.
There isn't much to tell about day 14. I made my way to a campground just outside of Jefferson City. Pretty normal day, good ride, can't complain.
A quick tangent... In learning of the history of the cave I found out that there were many times the cave was almost destroyed by mining companies for its flow stone (a stone that is gorgeous when cut and polished). I am so very grateful that never happened and am now even more supportive of state parks and what they have to offer as I hope many others are. Natural beauties like these should never be destroyed to make for some pretty countertops.
I then set out for Owensville, MO. It was a nice day and a very scenic ride and I was enjoying it thoroughly. Later on in the day I was riding past a house with a dog in the yard. Of course the dog started barking and chasing after me but it was gated in so I wasn't worried. Shortly after the dog started barking I hear the owner's voice calling the dog. The dog didn't respond and just as I was getting far enough away that the dog would have stopped barking anyway... POP! The owner fired off a gunshot! I'm pretty sure they were doing it to shut the dog up but still almost had me bailing off the bike to find cover. Haha
After dinner I was making plans to find a place to set up my tent when off to the west I saw an amazing light show. It was a tremendous looking thunderstorm rolling in and even though I braved one well the previous night I wasn't in the mood to push my luck so I stopped for the night at the local motel. Luckily the owner understood my situation well and offered me a great rate.
There isn't much to tell about day 14. I made my way to a campground just outside of Jefferson City. Pretty normal day, good ride, can't complain.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Day 11 and 12
Day 11 I woke up pretty early so I figured I would find a good breakfast place. When I got down to the lobby I asked Darryl where a good place was and he referred me to a place just around the corner. Now don't get me wrong, the place had pretty good food but I quickly found out the only reason Darryl sent me there was so he could get a free sandwich later. Haha
I didn't have to check out until noon and my route for the day wasn't too long so I figured I would take my time getting ready to go. When I finally left it was gorgeous out and I couldn't wait to get going.
On my way out of town I was able to see many of the amazing buildings St Louis had to offer. The cathedrals I passed by were incredible.
One thing I never really think of when planning out my day is terrain and how easy or difficult it can make things. Sure enough I hit some pretty big hills which really slowed me down. Therefore, when the sun started setting, I was still far from reaching Meramec State Park.
Realizing this I stopped in a small town called Labadie to buy a few things and ask if there were any places to stay nearby. The ladies at this shop were so very helpful and made sure I was all set to go before I left. I sort of felt bad for abandoning the plan we had forged and just setting up my tent in an abandoned field. Haha
That night I heard something in the brush right next to my tent that sounded pretty big. I was a little scared but I never did find out what it was. I even looked out to try to see it a couple times.
I got a really early start on day 12 because there was a school nearby and I wanted to be out of there before the students started rolling in. I was off to Meramec State Park!
I got there in pretty good time and proceeded to the visitor's center. They had some pretty cool exhibits there that I checked out. However, come to find out they stopped doing cave tours last month! I was so bummed but I proceeded to ask what else there was to do. She then referred me to Onondaga Cave State Park. It was a little bit out of the way (in addition to Meramec already being out of the way) but I figured it would probably be worth it. She also referred me to a local restaurant for some lunch.
So I was off to lunch followed by Onondaga. Unfortunately the place she referred me to was closed that day so I had to backtrack to find something else. Not fun. An inconvenience like that in a car is nothing but on a bike it's a bit more irritating.
I had been checking the weather all day because I knew a storm was coming in around 6ish that night. When I was only about 6 miles from the campground, it starts coming down and coming down good. Up until then I had always been a bit afraid to ride in the rain but when I was in it I was actually quite refreshed. I was joking with some of my friends that I think it was God's way of telling me I REALLY needed a shower.
After riding in it for a little while I stop at a small shop to try to wait out the really bad stuff. I get a few snacks and by the time I'm done with them, we're back to a sprinkle. Right before leaving I realize how badly I need to use the restroom. I ask if the store has one she says yes but she's still working on the bathroom and it's kind of a disaster right now. But she stills says I'm more than welcome to use it. Come to find out it wasn't even hooked up. Good thing I only had a code yellow situation going on. This lady was so nice she even poured water down the toilet to "flush" it for me. (I offered to do it myself but she wouldn't let me)
During the remaining 4 mile stretch, I saw a ton of animals. It was like they were seeing me through the storm. A couple of dogs, two groups of deer, horses, cows, a mini horse, and even a donkey. Many of which ran alongside me for brief stretches. Weird thing was, I didn't see any of those same animals the next day when the weather was fairly clear.
When I got to the campground I was fortunate enough to have no rain just long enough to get everything set up and ready to go. I knew it was going to get pretty bad overnight so I put a tarp over my tent to help block the downpour. Even with it staked down I'm pretty sure I almost lost it overnight. It was crazy being in a tent through such a huge storm like that with the high winds, torrential rains and regular flashes of lightening and claps of thunder. I was at the total mercy of the storm. Fortunately I made it out safe and dry.
Can't wait for the cave tour!
I didn't have to check out until noon and my route for the day wasn't too long so I figured I would take my time getting ready to go. When I finally left it was gorgeous out and I couldn't wait to get going.
On my way out of town I was able to see many of the amazing buildings St Louis had to offer. The cathedrals I passed by were incredible.
One thing I never really think of when planning out my day is terrain and how easy or difficult it can make things. Sure enough I hit some pretty big hills which really slowed me down. Therefore, when the sun started setting, I was still far from reaching Meramec State Park.
Realizing this I stopped in a small town called Labadie to buy a few things and ask if there were any places to stay nearby. The ladies at this shop were so very helpful and made sure I was all set to go before I left. I sort of felt bad for abandoning the plan we had forged and just setting up my tent in an abandoned field. Haha
That night I heard something in the brush right next to my tent that sounded pretty big. I was a little scared but I never did find out what it was. I even looked out to try to see it a couple times.
I got a really early start on day 12 because there was a school nearby and I wanted to be out of there before the students started rolling in. I was off to Meramec State Park!
I got there in pretty good time and proceeded to the visitor's center. They had some pretty cool exhibits there that I checked out. However, come to find out they stopped doing cave tours last month! I was so bummed but I proceeded to ask what else there was to do. She then referred me to Onondaga Cave State Park. It was a little bit out of the way (in addition to Meramec already being out of the way) but I figured it would probably be worth it. She also referred me to a local restaurant for some lunch.
So I was off to lunch followed by Onondaga. Unfortunately the place she referred me to was closed that day so I had to backtrack to find something else. Not fun. An inconvenience like that in a car is nothing but on a bike it's a bit more irritating.
I had been checking the weather all day because I knew a storm was coming in around 6ish that night. When I was only about 6 miles from the campground, it starts coming down and coming down good. Up until then I had always been a bit afraid to ride in the rain but when I was in it I was actually quite refreshed. I was joking with some of my friends that I think it was God's way of telling me I REALLY needed a shower.
After riding in it for a little while I stop at a small shop to try to wait out the really bad stuff. I get a few snacks and by the time I'm done with them, we're back to a sprinkle. Right before leaving I realize how badly I need to use the restroom. I ask if the store has one she says yes but she's still working on the bathroom and it's kind of a disaster right now. But she stills says I'm more than welcome to use it. Come to find out it wasn't even hooked up. Good thing I only had a code yellow situation going on. This lady was so nice she even poured water down the toilet to "flush" it for me. (I offered to do it myself but she wouldn't let me)
During the remaining 4 mile stretch, I saw a ton of animals. It was like they were seeing me through the storm. A couple of dogs, two groups of deer, horses, cows, a mini horse, and even a donkey. Many of which ran alongside me for brief stretches. Weird thing was, I didn't see any of those same animals the next day when the weather was fairly clear.
When I got to the campground I was fortunate enough to have no rain just long enough to get everything set up and ready to go. I knew it was going to get pretty bad overnight so I put a tarp over my tent to help block the downpour. Even with it staked down I'm pretty sure I almost lost it overnight. It was crazy being in a tent through such a huge storm like that with the high winds, torrential rains and regular flashes of lightening and claps of thunder. I was at the total mercy of the storm. Fortunately I made it out safe and dry.
Can't wait for the cave tour!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Day 10 & 11 Pictures
I got a couple good shots of the arch. Also, it was really interesting to see the fountain where the water was dyed red. Lastly, in the same area where the fountain was there were a ton of people camped out. At first I was a little bummed that I didn't know about it before booking the hotel but then I realized it was a sort of demonstration going on.
On my way out of St Louis I got some great pictures. The city had some amazing buildings and cathedrals.
On my way out of St Louis I got some great pictures. The city had some amazing buildings and cathedrals.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Destination for today
I'm headed for Meramec State Park today. I was going to post my route for the day but I had to improvise it a bit.
Donate Button
I have managed to post a donate button in the top right corner of my blog as some of you have requested. I just want to be clear that it is for donations to me and my trip. If you would like to make donations to the charities I'm supporting, I strongly urge you to do it through their websites (links are provided to the right).
If you would rather do it through the donate button you can but you will need to let me know the amount and where you would like it to go. However, there are fees applied through this process so the full amount will not make it to the charity as it would if you did it through their site. Also know that if more money is raised through this button than I need, I will donate the remainder to the charities I am supporting.
If you would rather do it through the donate button you can but you will need to let me know the amount and where you would like it to go. However, there are fees applied through this process so the full amount will not make it to the charity as it would if you did it through their site. Also know that if more money is raised through this button than I need, I will donate the remainder to the charities I am supporting.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Day 9 Pictures
Picture 1 was taken right before I crossed the bridge into St Louis. Goodbye Illinois, hello Missouri!
Picture 2 was of the little strip of bars I went to for some grub and a couple beers. There was quite a nightlife there.
Picture 3 is a view from my hotel room.
Picture 2 was of the little strip of bars I went to for some grub and a couple beers. There was quite a nightlife there.
Picture 3 is a view from my hotel room.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Days 7 and 8
Day 7 was pretty laid back. I didn't do any riding that day because I wanted the chance to check out Shawnee National Forest.
First, I went to a local restaurant recommended to me by a couple that worked at the campground I was staying at. The restaurant was Rose's Kountry Kitchen and I loved it. It was a very relaxed and friendly place and the food was great.
Later on, I decided to check out the local attraction which was the cave that you can see in the pictures I previously posted. It was an amazing sight. Also, I can see why the river pirates and thieves chose the cave for shelter. When you walk in, it's instantly at least ten degrees cooler which was great relief from the hot sun. Also, there was a crack in the ceiling of the cave, giving it somewhat of a natural skylight.
After that, I went to the campground's restaurant and had the most AMAZING brownie sundae. Then, I pretty much called it a night.
Day 8 got started off with a bang and unfortunately an unanticipated one. So in the morning I make sure to wake up bright and early to get everything ready to go so I can get on the road right away because I had big plans for the day.
Sure enough I get going right about when I had planned to. First stop had to be Rose's and I'm so glad I stopped there. It was only the second time I had been there and everybody already knew me. I was greeted whole heartedly and one of the ladies that was in the back made sure to make her way out to say hello.
When I'm done there I'm just thinking of the road ahead of me and seeing the awesome sights at the Garden of the Gods. It was probably only ten minutes into my ride when BANG!!! I ran over something and it didn't feel good.
When I set out on this journey I thought I would have to do some minor maintenance, tweak a few things, and probably change an inner tube or two. Well what I had hit was a stiff metal wire and normally I just roll right over those but it had gotten kicked up and lodged in my gears. Not only that but it managed to pop out the wire that connects my rear derailleur to the shifter and throw my rear derailleur completely off. So my first on the road maintenance ended up being a significant one. Needless to say, I was on the side of the road for about an hour fixing everything. In the end, and I'm very proud of this by the way, everything was working and I have to say, pretty much as good as new. Gears were shifting well, upper and lower limits were set appropriately, not too bad for a first timer.
After that I wasn't sure if I was still going to attempt to go to the Garden of the Gods. But then everybody's advice started chiming in and I knew I had to do it because it's more about the journey than the destination.
There were a lot of hills getting there but as you can see from the pictures it was well worth it. Standing on top of those rocks and staring out at miles and miles of forest was incredible.
When I left there it was full steam ahead. As the sun was beginning to set a really nice couple pulled up and offered a place to stay but I knew if I stopped then I would have well over a hundred miles to put in the next day so I trekked on. I was riding well into the night and I'm proud to say I put in about 105 miles. My first century ride!
When I got to where I was staying, I noticed a little bar nearby with a big bud light sign so I had to stop for one or two. It was a neat little place with some really friendly people. It was funny because it was more of a country place with quite a few old timers but they still had a number of hip hop/rap songs playing. Poor white country boys didn't stand a chance. Anyway, had a blast and the next day I'm off to St Louis!
First, I went to a local restaurant recommended to me by a couple that worked at the campground I was staying at. The restaurant was Rose's Kountry Kitchen and I loved it. It was a very relaxed and friendly place and the food was great.
Later on, I decided to check out the local attraction which was the cave that you can see in the pictures I previously posted. It was an amazing sight. Also, I can see why the river pirates and thieves chose the cave for shelter. When you walk in, it's instantly at least ten degrees cooler which was great relief from the hot sun. Also, there was a crack in the ceiling of the cave, giving it somewhat of a natural skylight.
After that, I went to the campground's restaurant and had the most AMAZING brownie sundae. Then, I pretty much called it a night.
Day 8 got started off with a bang and unfortunately an unanticipated one. So in the morning I make sure to wake up bright and early to get everything ready to go so I can get on the road right away because I had big plans for the day.
Sure enough I get going right about when I had planned to. First stop had to be Rose's and I'm so glad I stopped there. It was only the second time I had been there and everybody already knew me. I was greeted whole heartedly and one of the ladies that was in the back made sure to make her way out to say hello.
When I'm done there I'm just thinking of the road ahead of me and seeing the awesome sights at the Garden of the Gods. It was probably only ten minutes into my ride when BANG!!! I ran over something and it didn't feel good.
When I set out on this journey I thought I would have to do some minor maintenance, tweak a few things, and probably change an inner tube or two. Well what I had hit was a stiff metal wire and normally I just roll right over those but it had gotten kicked up and lodged in my gears. Not only that but it managed to pop out the wire that connects my rear derailleur to the shifter and throw my rear derailleur completely off. So my first on the road maintenance ended up being a significant one. Needless to say, I was on the side of the road for about an hour fixing everything. In the end, and I'm very proud of this by the way, everything was working and I have to say, pretty much as good as new. Gears were shifting well, upper and lower limits were set appropriately, not too bad for a first timer.
After that I wasn't sure if I was still going to attempt to go to the Garden of the Gods. But then everybody's advice started chiming in and I knew I had to do it because it's more about the journey than the destination.
There were a lot of hills getting there but as you can see from the pictures it was well worth it. Standing on top of those rocks and staring out at miles and miles of forest was incredible.
When I left there it was full steam ahead. As the sun was beginning to set a really nice couple pulled up and offered a place to stay but I knew if I stopped then I would have well over a hundred miles to put in the next day so I trekked on. I was riding well into the night and I'm proud to say I put in about 105 miles. My first century ride!
When I got to where I was staying, I noticed a little bar nearby with a big bud light sign so I had to stop for one or two. It was a neat little place with some really friendly people. It was funny because it was more of a country place with quite a few old timers but they still had a number of hip hop/rap songs playing. Poor white country boys didn't stand a chance. Anyway, had a blast and the next day I'm off to St Louis!
Garden of the Gods - Shawnee National Forest
Beautiful views and amazing rock formations. One heck of a time getting to it though. This site actually used to be the edge of an ancient sea. 
Amazing Motorcycle
I saw this parked outside a local restaurant. First time I've seen a bottle of nitrous on a motorcycle. Oh yea, and there was another one on the other side. 
Cave In Rock
This location can be found on some of Lewis and Clark's maps. It also came along with warnings of thieves and river pirates as they often took shelter in the cave. 
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