Right Outta Springfield
This is my first post about why I'm riding, and here's where to donate to Water Life Hope. We're in the last thousand miles of our ride -- it's going fast, so if you've been wondering when to donate this is your moment. And extra thanks to those who have given already.
Things got complicated as I quickly got whatever Steve had. Carol remained healthy but her bike needed drivetrain help, including brand-specific parts that complicated the fix. So it just took time. So Steve and I ended up in a VRBO house (really awful) in another part of town (really great), Carol went to a hotel and we each made tentative forays into the Springfield environs. Steve and I went to the Pedaler's Bicycle Museum once we were able to do more than go to the grocery store. The museum is only open by appointment, but it's run by an incredibly accommodating guy. If you find yourself in Springfield it's a don't miss.
The team reunited yesterday. Steve and I were well enough to do more ambitious tourist stuff, so we made a run to Springfield's biggest attraction -- a massive Bass Pro store. It had tons of taxidermy, thrumbing country music throughout, and every motorized method of being in the outdoors in existence. We went to the free stuff -- if you handed over large amounts of cash you could see an aquarium, a movie and more. Snow, our Warm Showers host for the night, would be busy during the working day. After we'd had enough of Bass Pro, we ate more time at the Springfield Art Museum and took in an unexpected and wonderful Nick Cave exhibit.
Snow is from Buford, Georgia, a very nice girl from a fine hippie family. She has a lovely handmade life in Springfield. She paid $12K (cash) for a house that needs a lot of help but is in a great location. She teaches, runs a pedicab and pursues an ever-expanding set of academic degrees. Like all our Warm Showers hosts, we wished she lived close to us. We knew we were at Snow's house when Carol looked in the window and noted its contents -- construction debris and bicycles. We slept happily in the bus, parked in the alley behind her house.
It was raining when we got up this morning, ping ping ping on the bus roof. Carol and I set out into what looked like a hole in the rain. I was still wobbly yesterday, so the ride was definitely experimental for me. We cleared Springfield and someone turned on the hills. Nothing like New Mexico but it does get your attention after you've been in eastern Oklahoma. We headed towards Lebanon, and made it about 40 miles before the rain returned, a bit too challenging. My interest was in continuing to recover, so I threw in the towel there. Carol lasted four or five more miles. The last of the 53 miles to Lebanon were by bus. Thanks, Steve.
Tomorrow we head for Rolla, home of a storied USGS operation. We will, apparently, pass through Uranus, Missouri. And we'll end at a the home of a kind and indulgent Warm Showers host who has hung in with us as dates have slipped. We understand the Mississippi is to flood again at Cape Girardeau on Saturday. We're due there Tuesday, and our Warm Showers host hasn't yet dissuaded us. Keep your fingers crossed.
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| Steve with James Allen, bike guy extraordinaire at the Pedaler's Bicycle Museum |
May 2, 2019: Springfield to Lebanon, 40 miles by bike, 13 miles by bus.
A week in Springfield -- that's what we ended up doing. Our Warm Showers host, Paul, simply gave us his AirBNB house for a couple of days. We lived in gracious splendor, and popped in on his church's Earth Day festival. Steve slept most of the time, and we realized needed more time to get well. Our host needed his house back.Things got complicated as I quickly got whatever Steve had. Carol remained healthy but her bike needed drivetrain help, including brand-specific parts that complicated the fix. So it just took time. So Steve and I ended up in a VRBO house (really awful) in another part of town (really great), Carol went to a hotel and we each made tentative forays into the Springfield environs. Steve and I went to the Pedaler's Bicycle Museum once we were able to do more than go to the grocery store. The museum is only open by appointment, but it's run by an incredibly accommodating guy. If you find yourself in Springfield it's a don't miss.
 |
| A Wright Brothers head badge |
The team reunited yesterday. Steve and I were well enough to do more ambitious tourist stuff, so we made a run to Springfield's biggest attraction -- a massive Bass Pro store. It had tons of taxidermy, thrumbing country music throughout, and every motorized method of being in the outdoors in existence. We went to the free stuff -- if you handed over large amounts of cash you could see an aquarium, a movie and more. Snow, our Warm Showers host for the night, would be busy during the working day. After we'd had enough of Bass Pro, we ate more time at the Springfield Art Museum and took in an unexpected and wonderful Nick Cave exhibit.
Snow is from Buford, Georgia, a very nice girl from a fine hippie family. She has a lovely handmade life in Springfield. She paid $12K (cash) for a house that needs a lot of help but is in a great location. She teaches, runs a pedicab and pursues an ever-expanding set of academic degrees. Like all our Warm Showers hosts, we wished she lived close to us. We knew we were at Snow's house when Carol looked in the window and noted its contents -- construction debris and bicycles. We slept happily in the bus, parked in the alley behind her house.
 |
| A lamplighters bike |
It was raining when we got up this morning, ping ping ping on the bus roof. Carol and I set out into what looked like a hole in the rain. I was still wobbly yesterday, so the ride was definitely experimental for me. We cleared Springfield and someone turned on the hills. Nothing like New Mexico but it does get your attention after you've been in eastern Oklahoma. We headed towards Lebanon, and made it about 40 miles before the rain returned, a bit too challenging. My interest was in continuing to recover, so I threw in the towel there. Carol lasted four or five more miles. The last of the 53 miles to Lebanon were by bus. Thanks, Steve.
Tomorrow we head for Rolla, home of a storied USGS operation. We will, apparently, pass through Uranus, Missouri. And we'll end at a the home of a kind and indulgent Warm Showers host who has hung in with us as dates have slipped. We understand the Mississippi is to flood again at Cape Girardeau on Saturday. We're due there Tuesday, and our Warm Showers host hasn't yet dissuaded us. Keep your fingers crossed.
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