76 miles, 4:45 riding time, 4,172 feet of ascent, 3,845 Calories
We had a thunderstorm in Chillicothe as we were having breakfast. Checking the radar, the departure was delayed several times; We finally got on the road two hours later than usual, in a light rain. The wind was very strong out of the southeast and slowed our progress. The rain finally let up and eventually we had a warm, sunny day, but the winds plagued us all day, except for those few miles where we were headed due north. We are now riding through lots of cattle ranches and forests. Oh, we saw two whitetail deer; unfortunately, they were too skittish to photograph.
Route for today: go east on 36E for about twenty-five miles (no services for 25.6 miles). Turn left on state road 11N for another forty-six miles (no services for 45.6 miles) to Kirksville. Yes, 75 miles and one store! After the first 26 miles, we stopped at the one store for some chocolate milk and pastries. When we got to the main street in Brookfield, they were having a parade! No, it wasn't for us, it was some sort of celebration of spring.
The last fifty miles were fun. According to Tracy, there are 148 hills in this stretch of road, called, "Missouri rollers." Imagine racing down a hill as fast as you can go and, at the bottom, crashing through the gears, downshifting and trying to keep your momentum to carry you up the other side of the valley; sometimes you do, sometimes you don't. The grades on some of the hills are as high as ten per cent - very steep. The road looks like ribbon candy as it undulates over the horizon.
We passed through, or near, the towns of Wheeling (pop 268), Meadville (pop 457), Laclede (pop 415), Brookfield (pop 4,769), unincorporated St. Catherine (pop ??), and unincorporated New Boston (pop too few to count?). Not much has happened in these towns, unless you care where General John Pershing was born; answer, near Laclede, Mo. Many of the small towns here are slowly dying. What, at one point, were thriving communities with busy downtowns, schools, banks, and post offices, are now just wide spots on the road, with shuttered businesses and no services. I think it's a shame.
Not much has happened in Kirksville, MO either, at least anything of any remark. No pre-sliced bread, no best pie in the country, no Indian name, nada!
Cross Roads employee of the day (and my favorite). Margaret drives one of the SAG wagons and makes sure that we have plenty of Gatorade, water, snacks, bananas, and other bike fuel. She is always a sight for sore eyes when we spot the SAG stop. Outgoing, with an incredible positive attitude, she's a delight to have on the trip. We love you, Margaret!
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