I was back in the saddle today and, in spite of sore quads, able to complete the 103 mile ride through the Ozark's of southern Missouri. The day started with light rain and heavy traffic in Branson but as the morning progressed the rain stopped, the traffic decreased, and we enjoyed a very hilly ride through the scenic Mark Twain National Forest. Unfortunately, the scenery was frequently marred by front yards full of junk cars and trash; and for the first time in the trip we were chased by numerous dogs. We ended up climbing 7,300 feet even though we gained almost no net elevation.
West Plains appears to be a pleasant little town of about 12,000 people. It's a county seat, but other than that, it's not obvious what drives the local economy.
Tomorrow's 114 mile ride to Popular Bluff will likely be a wet one as showers and thunderstorms are forecast throughout the day. The combination of rain and hills may make for challenging conditions. It's likely I'll spend some time in the support van to avoid riding in conditions which I deem to be too risky for my skill level.
Steve
Steve,
ReplyDeleteJudy and I have just returned from ten days on the road to Portland to see our youngest son and have finally caught up on your blogs. We are in AWE of you accomplishments. Your grand journey seems to have taken some epic turns. We hope the condition of your fellow rider Brett improves. What a tragedy for him and his family.
Thanks for posting your blogs, they are an incredible account and I know they can't be easy after some of the days you and the others have been through.
We wish you best of luck, clear skies and the wind at your back.
Joe and Judy