I am sitting in the shade, on a chair, in a sundress, watching the world go by at the Windsor Crossroads Motel. Neither of up slept well last night, but Dana reprogrammed his shifter so even though his right shifter is broken he can use the left too change the back gears, and he’s not actively bleeding, so all is good.

FYI, he wrote all of that techie stuff. I’m just glad he fixed his shifter.

We rode about one mile on a wonderfully paved road with no bloody (get it?) panniers to breakfast at the Wagon Wheel.

And who did we see but Kelly and Luke! It’s just happening! When the waitress asked “Where y’all from?”, they said New Mexico and we said Massachusetts.  She was pleasantly surprised. But she’s probably seen it before, because that’s what happens on a bike tour. You’ve known someone for 3 days and you’ve become good friends. We may never see them again, but it’s been nice. 

The waitress took our pictures for her Katy Trail Wall of fame.

Our next short, pleasant ride was to the pharmacy, where we went straight to the first aid aisle. There were only 6 aisles, and they saw Dana’s knee, so even I could find it.

We bought a bunch of stuff for the motel owner, to replenish her supply, and pay it forward. She said someone came in last week with his head cut open. Turns out there’s a hospital next door. If Dana had seen it yesterday, we might have paid a visit.

Then we were finally on the Katy Trail! … where we rode through the State Park, and learned lots of local history. Then a mile back to the hotel. Now that’s what I call a nice day on a bike! 

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So, if you are still reading…

After the fall, we washed out the road rash on the trail, but it was getting worse.  At the motel, we hosed off the bikes and the blood. I laid a towel on the bed, so Dana could lie down without bleeding on the bedspread. After his shower I patched him up, but it wasn’t pretty. 

Neither of us really slept last night. I was dehydrated and worried. I think he slept fine unless he moved. His back, ribs, and right knee and shoulder are achy today.

We decided not to ride today. If Dana had wanted to ride 16 miles to Clinton, ring a bell, and then ride 16 miles back – all on gravelsand – I would have. But he did not! Phew! Even with  the button, and without the road rash, I’d still rather not. 

But compared to our day, Kelly and Luke fared worse. Don’t worry, there was no blood.

So their average speed was about 6 mph, because they aren’t Dana and they don’t have buttons. After riding non-stop, not even time for DiMaggio’s, it started getting dark around mile 40. By mile 50 it was dark, they had gotten separated, and their phones were dead. Kelly had made it to their reserved cabin, but somehow Luke had missed the turnoff, and he assumed she was still on the trail. So he ditched the panniers, rode back 10 miles looking for her. Figured he could carry her panniers for her. But he didn’t find her, and he rode 10 miles back. By then, his headlamp had died. He got to the cabin at 11:15 PM. After riding 70 miles. 

I am a whiny wimp. And I’m going to have to be ok with that!

Tomorrow we’re continuing on to Sedalia, a nice 20 mile ride, and we’ll be back on schedule.