Tag Archives: nature

Missouri Tour Day 17 – Augusta to St. Charles

04 Saturday Jul 2026

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We’re in St. Charles today! The end of the trail, at least as far as we are concerned. Got here around 1:00.  It was only 30 miles. We met Thierry and Jeff today, rode over 20 miles with them. We all had lunch at the Bike Stop Cafe just 1 mile past our hotel. They still had 45 miles to go after we separated. We had 1 mile to go. I didn’t feel guilty, although I think they may have slowed down a bit for me.  Fun fact: Thierry and Jeff met at a hostel on a trail in Oregon on their way across the country. 

Our average speed today was 11 mph. I think it’s because I had people to talk to. Or maybe because I had people to chase. Or because my computer broke, so I wasn’t focusing on numbers. Or because I knew it was only 30 miles. I am a very psychological athlete.

4:00 PM

We are sitting in a park on the river, watching people on the trail. We’ve seen a lot more locals than bike tourists, which is great. Because we’ve seen maybe 10 other tourists. 

St. Charles is an old, historic French town. And I’m going to spend a little more time here tomorrow, because… Dana is going to ride to St. Louis tomorrow without me, and without his panniers and front pack. So he gets some Carolyn-free time, and I get some ass-not-on-a-bike-seat time. I’ll pack and move everything and check out.

It’s a win-win. Okay, maybe I’m winning just a little bit more. 

5:15 PM

We’re sitting on Main St. in St. Charles, drinking malteds. If we are still hungry later we will have dinner. This may not be good for us, but we think we deserve it.

6:30

Ok, we’re having dinner. But it’s tapas, so we can go slow.

I may not write any more of these, at least not every day, unless something really good or really bad happens. We’ll be on I-70 tomorrow, so you never know. And a big THANKS to anyone who’s read any of my ramblings and observations.

Missouri Tour Day 7 – Pleasant Hill to Windsor

02 Thursday Jul 2026

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We started our day with breakfast at the cafe with Kelly and Luke. Kelly gave the biscuits a 10 out of 10. She grew up on a farm, so I believe her,

It took a few miles to get on the trail, but they were very pleasant, and we were able to stop at a gas station for Gatorade and Payday bars. Which turns out to have been a good idea, because there were no more services for 40 miles.

The weather today was perfect, and the trail was well shaded. However, all 50 miles of today’s ride was on gravelsand. With every pedal stroke, it ate a little of our tires, and a little more of our souls. Our average speed was 9.3. When I rode without the button, my average speed was 5.6. I admit that, without the button, I would not want to be doing this ride.

Dana said there was a convenience store at mile 30, which we were very much looking forward to. But it was in the town of Chilhowee. Turns out the town is pretty much gone. If the store is still in business, it was closed today. But there was a nice bench in the shade, which was lovely. But I find these dead towns to be very sad.

At mile 40, we came to the town of Leeton, and had lunch at DiAngelo’s American Diner. If you are ever in Leeton, MO, I highly recommend it. I’ve enclosed a picture of the owners, lovely, friendly people serving really good food. Dana had peach cobbler, because he could. 

I was thinking this would be a very short email. Until mile 45.

There are lots of road crossings on the trail, each with a gate slightly wider than a bicycle. Do you see where this is going?  Now, personally, I’m respectful of those things and ride through them very slowly. Spoiler alert: after mile 45, Dana did, too.

But as he went through that fateful gate, he thought that was a good time to check his bike computer. Turns out, it was not. So he hit the gate with his right brake hood, flipped himself around, and went down HARD. Then he said lots of bad words. 

I was afraid he couldn’t get up, but he did. I’ve enclosed a picture of his knee. Other bloody parts are his elbow and a finger, but they pale in comparison. What he’s most upset about, however, is his broken shifter. 

So for the last 5 miles, he was more miserable than me. But the woman at the hotel in Windsor was so nice. She got us peroxide and bandages, and offered to help us tomorrow if we need it. Which we might. 

The plan for tomorrow was to ride 16 miles to Clinton, without the panniers, ring the bell at the start of the Katy trail, then ride back here. But plans may change. Let’s see what happens.

Missouri Tour Day 6 – Kansas City to Pleasant Hill

30 Tuesday Jun 2026

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If we were to name today’s ride, it would be “The Smorgasbord of Hell”. 

We started the day eating leftover BBQ in the hotel lobby. Dana got us free coffees because when he was checking in, the person in front of him was a titanium member, and they got free breakfast. Dana asked if a titanium bicycle got free breakfast. It did not. But they gave him coupons for 2 free MEDIUM coffees. I know this because I asked for a large. 🫩

Our first 13 miles today were going through Kansas City starting at Amtrak’s Union station. What a beautiful city! And what a hilly city! Not too much traffic, though. Then a park, some nice farmland, a few historic markers, then onto the Rock Island trail.

The first 5 miles on the trail were lovely, and we met a nice couple from New Mexico, Kelly and Luke. This is their first long bike tour. 

But then the Rock Island trail ended. They are planning to complete it eventually. But today, we had to get on the road. A little hill up a pleasant, empty road, which led straight to a 6-lane highway. Luckily it had a median. So we waited a while, rushed across the first 3 lanes, stood in the middle of highway traffic for a while, waiting to cross the next 3 lanes. Turns out the median was also a left turn lane, but the car turning left waited for us. (Drivers around here are very courteous.) After that, a very pleasant country road, ending with a left turn, uphill, onto a 4-lane, 55mph highway with NO shoulder. We were on that for 5 miles, but it wasn’t a hill, thank goodness. About half way in, there was a narrow shoulder covered with a rumble strip. Not better. Dana tried to ride inside, I rode outside, since it hadn’t killed me yet. We had flashbacks of riding in South Carolina.

After a Gatorade stop at a gas station, we turned off the highway onto Smart Road (the name seemed appropriate), which was basically 3 miles of squirrelly loose, large gravel, sand and dirt (Smarter Rd.  Now seems more appropriate.) Then back on the trail. Which you’d think would be better, wouldn’t you?

The surface of the trail can only be described as  gravelsandmudwater. In the hot sun it was gravelsand. In the cooling shade it was sandmudwater. That went on for another few miles. (Honestly, I’ve lost track of the mileages, I was way more focused on survival).

We climbed 1100 feet in 32 miles. Like that wouldn’t have been enough without all the rest. Below is the route profile.

But now we are in the lovely little town of Pleasant Hill (an oxymoron if I ever heard one). According to the sign entering town , it was the largest chick(en) producer in the world until 1959.

We are in a really nice Airbnb above the tattoo parlor. It’s beautifully decorated with toys, books, music posters, and a kitchen table from the 60s. With an efficient air conditioner, probably not from the 60s. It reminds me a lot of my childhood, except for the air-conditioner. 

So after much needed showers, we went to the town museum and historical society. We met the folks who operate it, and their dog, and it was really interesting. They hope the town will perk up when the Rock Island trail is completed.

We asked them if the cafe next door is good. They said it’s the only restaurant in town. So as we headed to the cafe, who did we see but Kelly and Luke! They had just arrived, planning to camp for the night, so we all had dinner at 4:00. BTW, they totally agree with gravelsandmudwater . Dinner was good, although I doubt the menu has changed in decades. After his senior-sized meatloaf dinner, Dana had pie, because he could.

We just took the long way through town, back to the Airbnb. On the way we saw some historical markers, and then we got to a very, very long moving train. I think it had 6 or 7 locomotives, with whatever number of cargo cars matches that. So, instead of getting annoyed, we both thought, “Well, it’s not as bad as the 4 hour trash truck fire”. And we happily stood there for about 10 minutes, counting locomotives.

Speaking of truck fires (I promise I will never mention these again unless absolutely necessary), turns out there were 2 similar incidents in that area in the previous 3 days, and a perfume and candle truck fire the day after. We’re assuming it smelled good. And I’d rather not drive I -70 ever again.

I am exhausted, and can anyone guess what Dana is doing? 😌 Good night.