Coasting in the Ozarks

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We're currently in Houston, MO and spent the last few days in the Ozarks. We'd heard a lot from other cyclists about the Ozarks before we even got here. Some even bypassed them via a freeway and a gravel bike path. We're really enjoying them and have even worked in some sight-seeing along the way.

After leaving Murphysboro we rode along the Mississippi River levee. It was a flat ride for a change but very hot and humid. We ended the day in Chester, IL with Missouri over the river from us. It was our first experience staying in a city park and having free access to the city pool and showers. It was a refreshing way to end the day.

We rode into Missouri and the Ozarks. We ended our first day in Missouri in Pilot Knob and stayed in a motel because it had been a little while. We went swimming for the second day in a row and watched the last stage of the Tour de France on TV.

Yesterday morning we headed first to Elephant Rocks State Park and rode our bikes around elephant sized boulders (and bigger). The morning was cloudy with some rain, a nice break from the heat. We then headed up the road to Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park. Since Kristin was last there in 2004, there was a major flood. In December 2005 the Taum Sauk Reservoir upstream of it overflowed its dam (One of the park rangers said there was a flood sensor error). It washed out much of the park structures and trees. They've put a lot of work into fixing it up and there are new paths and signs. After we left the Shut-Ins we climbed up and coasted down, many times. We finished the day in Alley Springs on the Jacks Fork River.

This morning we checked out the spring and it's a big one. There is a picture of Nick next to some of the flow. It releases about 81 million gallons of water a day. We've climbed up onto the Ozark Plateau and the riding has been a lot less like a roller coaster today.

The numbers:
1350--miles ridden
4--jars of peanut butter eaten
4--tubes of sunscreen applied
0--Flat tires
4--of the last five nights with some rain
3--Homes of note visited: Besides the Lincoln home, we've also been to Dr. Pepper's home in Rural Retreat and Popeye's home (and his illustrator's) in Chester, IL.