September 3, 2020
Brains. I have no brains.
Midwest brains and a flat sunny day of cycling
Brains, I have no brains. It is unfortunate the the server at the Towne Grill in downtown Jefferson City had to confess this to this Ohioan at the start of her shift. Brains and eggs is apparently a Jeff City menu item. Unfortunately, I went without brains and ordered a ham and cheese omelet.
It was an unexpected start of a perfect day to cycle even sans brains. The roads out of Jeff City were not busy and the trail likewise. There has been little trail traffic during this week. Today, I encountered a Swiss and an American bicycle tourist heading west. The basketballing tourist was chronicling his tour playing hoops along the way. Unfortunately, I did not get his social media details.
The uneventful day included a single trail closure, a rock ledge had collapsed on the trail. I ventured past the barricade and found a 4-foot pile of boulders covering the trail mixed with large trees and debris. I reported the situation to my touring group as a good scout does. Off I pedaled to the main road for a little more than a mile around the closure. It was a fast and safe detour.
This trail section hugs the base of the hillside of the Missouri River Valley. There are farms but sparse settlements. Mokane was our lunch destination. The group's SAG driver pulled into town and searched for options. The Mokane Bar and Grill was the sole option. The owner opened the door as I cycled into town. It had personality, a small town bar with pool tables and a dance floor. The food was pretty good. These are often the surprizing places to stop on a tour.
I pedaled on with my belly full of a delicious catfish sandwich and tater tots. God, I love tots. The trail past Mokane was more open than anytime earlier this week. I pedaled in the sun. Hallelujah! The highway into Hermann soon appeared and I cycled a few miles into town across the Missouri to Second Street Lodging, home for the night.
Hermann is a small town that is a weekend destination for wine loving tourists. Although, we saw no vineyards, the area is home to numerous. Just about every third home appears to be a bed and breakfast. My home for the night is quite nice and comfortable.
The day ended with a walk over to Harvest Table for dinner with a local wine. Surprisingly, the town did not have the German look I was expecting. Too much time in Germany and Switzerland set my expectations high. It was a very charming placewith small shops lining the main street.
Tomorrow morning I venture into the Missouri wine country. Augusta is the destination. It is an even smaller town but a larger tourist destination. It looks to be another flat day of cycling along the Missouri.
Today's Route
Follow the tour
No telegraphs need as we trace Lewis and Clark’s journey into the unexplored. You can just check us out on social media: Cycle Blaze and Instagram with hashtags @tombilcze #showmeMO #katytrail.
Today's Trivia
The Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP) opened in 1836 in Jefferson City. The prison housed inmates for 168 years and was the oldest continually operating prison west of the Mississippi until it was decommissioned in 2004. The Jefferson City Convention & Visitors Bureau offers a wide variety of tours at the site, once named the “The bloodiest 47 acres in America” by Time Magazine.
Today's ride: 48 miles (77 km)
Total: 196 miles (315 km)
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