Week 7
Updated: Apr 15, 2021
7 states down, 3 to go
Week 7 was quite a different one for us. First, we finished Kansas, taking leave of some great folks, the Beckman’s. Then, Missouri (I’ve renamed that state “Misery”) was Adventure Cycling’s statement on how to route the most difficult path for bikes through a state. Or, they were in a very bad mood that day. Or, no one had actually ridden the route before publication. I’m sure it’s a beautiful state. But all I could see most days was a roller coaster of 18-20% grades punctuated with rare, short flat snippets through sweat/salt-encrusted eyes. And instead of birds singing, my ears were filled with the terrible things my legs were telling me. Oh, and for fun I got to dodge dead armadillos!
We’ve gone over 3000 miles, finished 7 states, averaged 74 mi/day (87/day last week), and have crossed the Mississippi! The Missouri pain will fade into part of this great adventure with fond memories I am sure. We met many great folks there, and the traffic was very courteous. Today we rest in Chester, IL. We may finish this thing after all!