Jeff’s Missouri Bicycle Trip Report - 05/18/09
Day 1 - Morning
Monday, May 18th, 2009 - Destination: Petersburg, IL.
Google Earth Map
I
was up early to make final packing decisions. I wanted to take an extra pair of
boots, but there was just no room. I snuck Tahdra’s scale out to the garage and
weighed myself (209.5 pounds), me and the bike unloaded (258 pounds), and me,
the bike, and the gear (322 pounds). That’s a 48.5 pound empty bike (but
including the lights and battery), and 64 pounds of luggage/water. Thanks to
inspiration from Jim, I’d rigged up flashing LED lights (powered from a battery
mounted beneath the front basket) and installed a flag for safety. Jim said he’s
often told that he’s not initially seen, but his flag always is. Jim also gave
me an LED “head lamp” that I converted to a bicycle headlight. Tahdra fixed
me a huge breakfast, which added a few more pounds. She also took this picture
for me. 
I was finally on the road at 9:06 a.m., hoping I wouldn’t have to return the same way Alvin Straight did when he 1st started out on his trip in the movie The Straight Story (my favorite movie). I had planned a
route to avoid most towns, but sometimes hunger caused me to divert. I made 2
wrong turns this morning - one before I was even out of Morton, but the GPS’s
got me back on track. Here’s the 1st on the road picture I took - of the
WMBD-AM radio tower array on Springfield Road. 
Just before
reaching Route 9, I turned right on Leslie Farm Road. This was a good way of
avoiding Route 9, and a nice place for a break. 
Another bicyclist
passed me on one of the south heading roads. I mentioned I was surprised by all
the wind we were getting from the south. He said it was predicted. That’s when
it occurred to me that smart bicyclists pay attention to the wind forecast, as
well at the rain chances and temperature! Here’s a picture I took on one of
those south heading roads, except it’s looking behind me toward the
northeast. 
In some cases, my DeLorme PN-20 (GPS) was helpful in finding places to eat. More often, though, it crashed during a “search”, finally doing its own power cycle reset. (I’d read that you should avoid overloading its memory. I guess I was overloaded.) However, it did successfully guide me to Flairty’s Dairy Freeze in Green Valley at 12:25 p.m. There I had a tenderloin sandwich and strawberry shake on their covered side patio area. While I was eating, a postal working stopped by to tell a waiting customer that there was a package for him
at the post office next door.
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