Hello All! You will be happy to hear that my mom's knee is doing a little better. (Still swollen, but we're figuring that's just the way it's going to be for the rest of the trip.)
First of all, my mom lied when she said it was going to be flat for the next couple days. It's not. Coming out of the freaky, Pop-eye obsessed town, we had about thirty miles of beautiful, wonderfully flat land, before we returned to our old friends, the hills. The hills in Illinois have a vicious sense of humor. Just when I think I've finally found the top, we'll come around a bend, and, surprise! More hill!
We spent the night in Ferne Cyffee state park in Goreville. It's very motivating, going towards a place with a name like Ferne Clyffee. And, as we were very happy to find, they had showers!
During the night, we were lucky enough to get a visit from some critters, who had quite a feast in my mom's paneer. They consumed a bag of potato chips, a loaf of bread, and some granola bars. Hopefully they enjoyed them. Leaving Ferne Clyffee was a hot, hilly day, and we stopped a little off route, in the little town of Golconda (I think. My mom kept calling it Glocoma, but since that's a disease, I'm guessing that's not right.) Got up early the next day for my favorite part of the trip! We got to ride a ferry across the Ohio River!!! Maybe to some of you, ferries aren't that exciting, but I have to say, when you're on a bike trip, getting to ride on a vehicle that moves without you having to do anything is quite nice! We then entered Kentucky! Stopped for the day at a town called Marion. We called in early, but with a heat index at 110, it's hard to ride past noon. We love you all! Amazing job on the donations! Special shout out to Emma Mulligan, who donated $200.00 yesterday. Thank you so much! Your donation is beyond generous! Thank you all for your support!
We traveled across the Mississippi yesterday and entered Illinois! The massive Mississippi was amazing to cross by bicycles although we held up quite a bit of traffic with our slower pace. After crossing the bridge we landed in Chester, Illinois home to Popeye! Remember him? Some of you will. The whole town is filled with popeye characters and cartoon drawings. We went to The Spinach Can, a memorobillia shop but sadly, it was closed.
We spent the night in a Best Western because my left knee (the one I've had surgery on four times) has swelled up ferociously. Raine was my nurse. She got me bags of ice, brought the bikes in, organized our stuff and insisted I elevate my leg immediately. She even wanted me to skip my shower (I did not listen to that)! The swelling is down this morning but not gone. I fear the hills took their toll on my knee, and it may not recover untill I stop cycling. Luckily, we have flat terrain for the next few days, that should help.
Today (Thursday, Shannon, my sister's birthday!) we are in Farmington, MO staying in a converted jail that is now a cycling only hostel. Quite nice! We have AC, showers, a fridge and ice!!! I've learned to cherish ice as well as AC.
We've been pushing hard and the hills have really worn us both out so we haven't been packing in the miles recently although we know we will after some much needed shorter rides and longer rest.
Things we've found interesting about Missouri: it's beautiful - reminds us of New England with its green lush grass, rolling hills, picturesque churches and barns, inviting ponds and peacefully grazing cows. Surprises are that the Confederate Flag is still quite active, smoking is still allowed in quick stop stores, restaurants, etc., and some drivers do not like cyclists - we've been honked at, whistled at, yelled at and given the infamous finger.
The wildlife has been surprising too - armadillos that migrated from Texas, possums, wild turkeys, turkey vultures (massive birds), frogs the size of footballs, and a few huge snakes.
Whenever we eat out, the server always asks us what we want to drink, sometimes even before we have sat down at our table - quite funny. No introductions, just, "What would you like to drink?" I was on my way to the bathroom and was intercepted by the waitress wanting to know what I wanted to drink. Strange.
We should be in Illinois by Friday for a very short stint then on to Kentucky where we've heard tales of menacing dogs attacking cyclists - one guy broke his ribs after falling from his bike when two dogs surrounded him. Pepper spray is a must we've been told.
Your comments and donations keep us going, they really, really help the difficult moments and heat. THANK YOU!
We are enjoying Missouri, which completely beats Kansas. My mom and I haven't killed each other yet, which, considering that we've spent three weeks in each other's company, is quite an accomplishment. One thing Missouri is already becoming known to me for is dead armadillos. There is an insane amount of armadillo road kill! (I didn't even know armadillos lived in Missouri.) My mom had her first cup of good coffee since we left Pueblo at MacDonald's. (I know, we've sunk low.) We took an off day a couple days ago in Marshfield at the Holiday Inn, and spent the day watching the Casey Anthony trial and feeling lame, especially because it was the day that the TV people interviewed us (of course). The riding has been good. Up and down, mostly. We are officially in the Ozarks, which are only lame when you're in a car. (When you're riding a bike, they're steep as heck.) We are, right now, in Eminence, which is in the Ozark National Waterways. Unfortunately, we are at the bottom of the valley right now, so we have a nice uphill slog to look forward to. Yesterday we stopped at Walmart again, (the place is addicting!) and ate klondike bars in the parking lot. It was our special fourth of July treat! We love you all! Love all of your comments!
This is a link to our five minutes of fame on the Ozarks local news! Just click the picture below.
Thank you Alex for your reccomendation about the space museum in Hutchinson! We really enjoyed it! Still having fun! I will post a larger blog soon!
The good news is that we are now in Missouri, the bad news is that Missouri is just as hot as Kansas. We've almost cycled 1,000 miles and plan stop when we reach 2,000 miles - we think that will be enough cycling by then. We should be in Virginia at that point, may not make it all the way to Ricmond, though.
The heat is up! For the last few days it has been at least 100, and shade is hard to come by when one is cycling along a back road. We did find a beautiful pond yesterday which Raine waded into. No sooner was she sunk up to her neck, when a man parked his car and walked over to me shaking his head. I knew we were in trouble. I figured he was either going to tell us to get the h*ll out of his private pond or tell us the pond was not safe for swimming due to some chemical or alien infusion.
I was wrong on both accounts. According to this man's word, "I saw two lovely ladies by the side of the road about to get wet, and I wanted to watch. I'm newly divorced and have been baling hay all day." That was a first! Very sweet guy who chatted with us as we swam. It did turn out to be his dad's pond too. He told me to look him up if I ever swing through Kansas again.
We've been camping in city parks which is free but somewhat unpleasant. Why? Because it is still 100% at 9:00pm. Because there are lights from the baseball fields and the playground and the grilling areas. Because the bathrooms are locked after 9:00pm. Because I am 50 years old and am too darn old to sleep in a city park, but who can afford a motel every night for forty nights?
Still, most people in Kansas are unusually nice and generous. We met a retired cyclist who gave us ice cold pepsis, freshly washed grapes, granola bars and stories from his past cycling travels. First, he assured me he was not trying to pick me up and that he had been happily married for fifty years!
Kansas towns always have wonderful public pools, and they let cyclists in for free? Why? Because they understand how hot and drained we are, I suppose, or they are just sweet people. A lady stopped by our tent recently and offered us ice cream sandwiches. You just can't beat the generosity and kindness of Kansans!
Well, we are in Hutchinson, Kansas, which, for all of you with a map, is a sizable city not too far from Wichita. It is devilishly hot in Kansas in late June. It is the kind of sticky hot that creeps down your neck and settles in the pit of your stomach. However, a miracle has happened, a victory for red heads everywhere. I have not burned like a lobster. I am TAN!!!! (I'm probably the first tan red head ever to walk the face of the earth.)
Anyway, we have, since my last post, made it to the middle of Kansas. (Alexander was our middle point.) We traveled for a couple days with some other bikers, a couple of cousins raising money for Alzheimers, one of whom was from England. (They were fun to travel with) and three brothers, two of which were on a tandem bike. In Rush Center, we had the best burgers literally ever made on the surface of this earth at Effie's. Effie is 87 years old, and has been cooking burgers for most of her life. Hopefully we can post some of the pictures on Facebook. Very cultural experience! However, that afternoon was killer. We were biking through the hottest part of the day uphill, on a narrow little road where livestock trucks were barreling past as if there was no tomorrow. (And if you have ever passed a livestock truck with your windows rolled down, you will know it is not pleasant.) After a LONG day (about 12 hours) of biking, we made it to the lovely little town of Larned, which is probably best known for its sizable juvenile detention center. We enjoyed dinner at Sonic, which, after biking, was something akin to heaven, and then slept in the city park, something my mother has decided that she is too old for. The next day, we rode through the blinding heat. My mom got two flat tires, and we both had a breakdown. We were saved by a very nice woman who let us use her swimming hole. There is nothing like jumping into cool water on a hot day. We both enjoyed it VERY much. For the rest of the day, we traveled with a friend we had met earlier in our travels, Bill. It was his positive attitude that kept us going all the way to Nickerson, the next town, before dark. Bill left us, and my mom and I enjoyed a carton of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, sitting outside of the gas station feeling somewhat sorry for ourselves. We both agreed that we couldn't take another night in a tent, and so we stayed at Hedrick's Inn and Exotic Animal Farm. Very cool place. We saw ostriches, llamas, giraffes, camels, kangaroos, tortoises, parrots, Shetland ponies (not my favorite of animals, due to a bad childhood experience), and probably a bunch more that I'm not remembering. We stayed in a llama themed room, which was, to say the least, quite interesting. The next day, we hung around in our llama room and watched Austin Powers. The perfect antidote to heat and exhaustion. Today, we went a little off route in order to get our tires looked at. (we have to stop getting so many flats.) We hope to be back on the road tomorrow! Our goal this week is Girard. We love you all! I LOVED reading all of your comments on my earlier post. Your love and support is what motivates us. Thank you!!!!!
Wednesday by Laura
Ok, so we're in the sun so much that despite pouring gallons of sunblock, wearing sunscreen shirts (yes, they exist) and wearing a visor and bandana, I am still turnning a deep shade of mud. That's the bad news. The good news is that I think I have met my quota for vitamin D for the year!
We are in a rhythm now - we get up at 5:30 (so hard to do), pack and hit the road. We cycle 10 to 20 miles to a town and then eat breakfast - usually a box of cereal and milk. Good coffee is nonexistent in these small towns. Today I added two spoonfulls of instant coffee to the coffee I bought in a donut shop. That worked. A decent cup was had!
After breakfast we cycle another 25 to lunch and then hang out in a library or under a shade tree for a few hours and then back to the cycling for another 20. Dinner, read, good night.
A glamorous day in the life of a biker!
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