1jun2024-kirkville, MO

 I have nobody to ride for today that has battled or is battling cancer. I also, am not riding today due to unforeseen circumstances. Since I wasn’t riding there’s no pictures but I will try to describe what the day was like. We started out this morning and the roads were wet but luckily there was no rain, Just road spray which is probably worse than being rained on. We weren’t very far out of the hotel and we really did see the beauty of Missouri. It’s a tough bike ride something like 140, they call them rollers but they really aren’t. They’re just ups and downs but not systematic, not organized and not easy to cycle. Lots of lush green.  It’s amazing how beautiful it is with the rolling Hills followed by the valleys.  It was very nice to view from a vehicle. You could look out in the distance and see black cattle dotting the beautiful green landscape and the day was so cool and so wonderful that on occasion you would see young calves frolicking in the fields. The final rest stop was at a century farm; this farm had been in this particular family for over 100 years and they let us stop there, rest, and refuel and enjoy the scenery. It wasn’t a mountain top but more like a hilltop with a panoramic view maybe 15 miles in 360°.  A very nice farm with very nice people to allow us to stay there. The food choice of the day was fruit salad:  fresh watermelon ball, cantaloupe ball, pineapple, and blueberries. After that another 20 miles of up and down hill climbing and then into the city of Kirksville Missouri. Basically, I think that’s all I have. hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Ok, I forgot I had these pictures:  the second one is Carl, 78 yo and lived here all his life.  He told us Remington arms used to have a plant here and there used to be a grocer, a clothing shop, and a post office. Pretty much everything is gone now.

The top picture is ……. Ohhhhhbuddyyyyy…. I found a mulberry bush.  They were really small but definitely the best I’ve tasted on this trip, incredibly sweet. Yum!,,,

The third one is 10 miles past the SAG stop. I was waiting for the riders to pass and thought this would be a really cool picture.  Let me know what you think.  It really defines the days ride and Missouri.