Missouri experiences continued

Posted on 26 Sep 2011 by John

Thursday 22nd Sept Well it looks like I spoke too soon, We wake up in Marshfield to pouring rain again. Disappointing but to be honest I think Stuart needed a rest day. We spend most of the time in the hotel playing cards with me teaching him Crib. Lucky for him we did not play for money! ha ha. As the day cleared in the afternoon, we used the car park to help teach him some gear changing drills (the double shift etc) that should help him on the hills and to keep up a bit better. Please note that Stuart has limited cycling experience and this is a huge undertaking by him and every little bit of advise is a huge bonus for him (even if it is from me) I am just passing on the helpful tips my colleagues at WRCC have given me over the past 3 years.

I was surprised to learn that Voltarin is a prescription only item over here. I do not remember that being the case in Australia. Although the motel we stayed in was excellent they did not provide main meals and so we ate twice at a little Mexican place (they are everywhere here) but the food was very ordinanry and no option to pursue the caveman diet. Whatever it was did not agree with me and I wa not in the best riding condition next day; not ill but just no get up and go. One good thing about the motel was the unlimited supply of bananas – this will make the Ozzies sit up. Price is less than $1 a kilo (And they are imported!). That is good reason to pig out on them!

Friday23rd Sept: We wake up to a beautiful day – not a cloud in the sky and no wind and off to an early start only to find another damed detour. Something I had forgotten to mention from a couple of earlier entries. Becasue the holiday season is over, the local council are now out doing lots of road repairs and I t seems to be all the little bridges are being done at once. Sometimes you have long detours or others you have to dismount and carry your bike and trailer across difficult and often mauddy approaches to the temporary structures. Make it interesting !! Anyway this detour was at least on a decent road and we cam across interesting sights such as Amish farmers in their horse and buggy carts

Note I have not swapped bikes I am merely holding Stuarts bikee while he takes the photo! By lunch time we have made 100klms but I feeling very flat – damned Mexican food – so i know I need some real meat. Where do I find this – at a hamburger joint. For a bloke who does not eat Hamburgers I do really well- I eat do doubles with bacon but leave the bread and I immediately feel better. After lunch we set off and after about a mile we realize we have missed our turn-off (love these detours self inflicted or otherwise) and press on to Summerville a total trip for the day of 156 klms or 100 miles.

The countryside is really beautiful and the conditions good although becoming more hilly. And even if I say so myself, the tips re gear changes etc seem to have helped Stuart. He rode really well today – or maybe it was just the rest day that helped! At Summerville we book into a small cheap but really good motel that costs just $45 for a double. and then head for a good meal at the Hungry Moose. Good value and great service.- even got to use our 10% discount vouchers from the motel – somehow I managed to turn that into a 20% discount. They had a great display of stuffed animals from around the world. I could not believe the size of the moose head. i decide to feed Stuart to the animals ha ha

So well fed and really pleased with ourselves we return to the motel, pack everything for an early start as we plan for another 100mile day.

Saturday 24th Sept The morning looks good with perfect conditions and the plan is to reach the town of Bismark, The scenery is beautiful and the 1st hour goes to plan. Hills but manageable with an almost ‘sling-shot’ effect as you get a roller coaster effect. However it then changes very suddenly and no more roller coaster effect. Lots and lots of spikes with no chance to regain momentum in between the spikes which according to Stuart’s Garmin reading are consistently in the 11-13% gradient range. I lost count of the number of times I saw this sign but I assure you they were not joking! They only placed then at the top of the hills but as sure as eggs is eggs for every downhills there is an equal uphill

I think today is the first time I have felt under-geared.with my bike. I had to get off and walk a few times but even then once or twice I was able to walk uo faster than Stuart was peddling with his three front cranks. No reflection on Stuart – just a reflection of the gradients. I was more puffed at the top walking than I was if I had been peddling. Maybe I should have read the blurb on the maps more closely – “Exhausted riders have likened this part of the trail as one long self propelled roller coaster ride” Mmmm. Up til now I am the only rider I have seen with my combination of front ranks and rear cassettes and it has stood me in good stead so far. Here ‘s hoping I don’t get caught out again especially in the Appalachians.

By lunch time I was ready to stop for the day but Stuart was keen to get at least 60 miles in for the day if possible and so we pushed on to Centreville after a decent rest period. Luckily the second part of the day was much easier with the spikes.. The one good thing about the spikes I had to reest a few times and that gave me the opportunity to look around and appreciate the beautiful scenery. I reckon that in a couple of week the full colours of fall will take over as the leaves change from green to reds and orange.

I race ahead to Centreville an secure a camp spot in the front of the local Court house next to the Sheriff’s office. No conditions about alcohol in the park this time – just nowhere to buy it! A good meal and we are ready for an early night after a really hard day. I think I am asleep by 8.30 and before I drop off I can hear Stuart snoring loudly from his tent. Tomorrow will be another hard day through the hills but not like this morning. We have sorted out our program and are confident that a minimum of 70 miles per day will get us through on schedule to finish up in York Town Virginia by the 12 or 13^th October

We will be ready for another early start – or so I think.

11.30p.m. Crack – a huge thunder bang that wakes me up and has me sitting bolt upright in my tent Yep more rain and the thunder claps keep going all night. I am now hoping we are not going to be washed away by morning.

Sunday 25^th September Another enforced rest day- but at least not washed away. More card playing. I tried to borrow a pack from the Sheriff’s Office but unbelievably they did not have a pack in the station.(not like in my day in the Police Force !) I note that in they have a really interesting collection of old dope types on display in their foyer.

We also spend serious time considering our options re offloading the ‘coffin’ and the panniers to gain speed. Calls for help going out left right and centre as time is now a major concern due to the weather. If we can off load or get them carried foreward we can still cycle in the rain as the added weight is no longer a danger. Fingers crossed.