Date: August 25, 2005
Route: Festus , MO to St. Genevieve , MO
Distance: 48
Ride Time: 3h 15m
Elevation Climbed: 3160’
Weather: 92 with high humidity
Log
Today Missouri was mine! It should have been tough with almost as much climbing as yesterday in about half the number of miles. I can’t explain it, but I’d sure like to replicate it. The feeling of strength and eagerness for the next hill stayed with me during the entire ride.
Maybe it had something to do with my new hanky. Jerry presented it to me (see above) first thing --- a bright red bandana that worked well accessorizing my carefully coordinated outfit, integrating the splash of red in my socks with the whole. I used the time on the road perfecting my waving technique. Or it might have been that I’m getting pretty good at shifting stop to stop quickly and smoothly. With so much practice the last few days, I’m much better at visually assessing the difficulty of the hill and shifting to the right gear at the right time. In any case, today I loved the route, the road, and the challenge.
Speaking of hankies, Jill has hers attached to a spring-loaded cable so it is always handy and won’t blow away. Ingenious!
Josh, our mechanic, is my hero. My bicycle shifted perfectly for the first time since I left home at the end of July. He removed the master link, inserted a pin, and solved the problem. My new brake pads that he installed last night are still a little squeaky but feel very safe and solid. Now if he could only fix Melanie’s problem. Yesterday one of her pedals fell apart and she is riding with one clipless pedal and one with a cage. She should receive replacement parts today and be as good as new tomorrow.
I can really tell we are in the south by the strange and beautiful flowers. I see exotic (to me) blossoms in every field, garden, and roadside ditch. There are trees with feathers, trees with blossoms, and trees with berries. Hibiscus bushes of every color thrive in yard after yard. A strange and wonderful flower called a Naked Lady springs up along fence lines, borders, and under trees. The vista was only marred by the haze.
The final 15 miles included great rollers on a newly paved, non-chip-sealed, ridgeline with a few steep climbs and giddy descents. When I reached the top of this one (look far in the distance and you can see the road snake up the side of the hill), which had a section of 14%, I gave a victory whoop. I was answered by hounds from this valley and the next. I was still laughing when I reached the motel.
