Day 29 - Monday, June 8
Start - Chester, IL
End - Farmington, MO
Miles (on the route) - 44.5
Miles (total) - 48.75
Avg Spd - 11.0mph
Max Spd - 39.5mph
Total Ride Time - 4:20
The day started with a light drizzle but it quickly cleared up. It was clear and sunny skies for the afternoon. I used the library and headed down to the Mississippi to cross into Missouri. I found the statue of Popeye at the base of the bridge and grabbed a quick photo. The bridge ride was not the most fun I've had. Traffic was light all the way to Chester, but this must be a major crossing because there were plenty of trucks whizzing by and over the bridge. I tried to time it best and bike as fast as I could because there was no extra room, just the two lanes. I don't think the trucks liked seeing me out there.

Missouri started out flat as can be, no hills along the Mississippi. I found the directions and road signs to be a bit different. I can't recall being in another state where the roads are lettered instead of numbered or named. Here is a sample of my first 20 miles into Missouri, "Right onto State Road H, left onto US 61, right onto SR Z, right onto SR N, left onto SR P, left onto SR B." So that's a little different. The hills started to creep in, nothing crazy but frequent. And along with the hills, came the storms. They seemed to be with me through the late afternoon, but just North or South of me. I made a mistake on my travels, passing by a convenience store to stop at the next town 5 miles down the road. I didn't take not that the convenience store I passed was the one listed for the town. I was out of water and had about 25 miles to go to Farmington. It was either backtrack 5 miles of hills or just go for Farmington, which isn't the end of the world. I went ahead and moved on, but found myself rather thirsty when I rolled into town.

I made my way straight to the firehouse hoping to score a much needed shower after a humid day of hills. I was enthusiastically greeted right away and invited in to relax. There was another biker there, Dave, who was travelling East. He had been stranded there with a broken rim, waiting for a bike shop to open up on Tuesday morning a few towns away. I grabbed a shower right away and Dave and I walked a few blocks to a local tavern where I had an amazing burger and a few local microwbrews. Finally, good beer! Dave and I chatted about the trip, sharing stories of interesting parts, people, and disasters. He had already lost a few days earlier in his trip due to an infected saddle sore that needed to be opened up by a doctor. Ouch! No Bueno! The route for him began in Washington, where he rode south on the coastline into California, and then East joining the transam route in Colorado.

We ended up hanging out with the firefighters out front of the station for a few hours, trading amusing stories and jokes. Mike, Chris, and Mongo were pulling their 24 hour shift while we were there. Mongo (from Blazing Saddles) was a bear sized man who got his name from a time he was moving into a second floor apartment and his fellow firefighters were late to help him move. So he did it by himself, including bear-hugging a washer and carrying it up the steps! These days he wears a knee brace because all of the cartilage in his knee is destroyed. Go figure. But these guys were great and had me cracking up all evening. Dave and I joked about how this trip is like being in a submarine (Dave had actually spent time in a submarine in the Navy), where you are going half nuts from the lack of interaction with women. You are anxious to just to see an attractive woman. Dave and the firefighters were joking about a group of 3 young women riders about a week ahead of me who they each had met. Apparently Mongo and the guys were at a fire when they were notified that 3 female riders were going to be staying the night at the station, and Mongo drove the firetruck back to the station faster than to the fire. These guys were great and Missouri seems alright.