Day 30: 69 Miles

Ellington, MO to Houston, MO

Today’s ride was on paper the hardest day I’ll have until I hit Colorado. With this knowledge, I tried to wake up early, but when my alarm went off at 6:45 Matt had already left and Troy and Amanda were on their way out the door. I’ve never been a morning person, but I am really not a morning person compared to these other cyclists. Troy and Amanda had come from Houston, MO yesterday and were able to give me a good idea of what I’d be getting into today. The first 25 miles would be the hardest, there would then be another 35 miles with rolling hills and some large climbs, and the last 10 miles would flatten out. I got on the road around 7:45, which for me was pretty early.

My strategy for the ride today was to take all the climbs slow. I knew I’d be happier taking my time and averaging 9 mph over the first 25 miles, instead of trying to push the hard stuff in the morning. I had my bike computer giving me directions, but kept it on a screen where I can’t see my average speed. This allowed me to focus on taking each hill one at a time. I was surprised how easy the morning felt. I’ve definitely gotten in better shape over the last month. I had a day in Pennsylvania that was similar in distance and elevation gain to today and I nearly quit after that day. Today was going much better.

I got to the town of Eminence about 27 miles into the day and felt great. I had conquered the hard part of the day and had energy to spare. Eminence was one of two towns I’d be passing through before hitting Houston, so I stopped in at Ruby’s Family Restaurant for an early lunch. I sat down and the waitress informed me they were still serving breakfast for 5 more minutes, but I skipped the French toast after seeing the all you can eat lunch buffet. The buffet had fried and grilled catfish, but I was more focused on the salad bar. It was the first time I’ve seen fresh fruits and vegetables at lunch time in probably 1,000 miles. I loaded up my plate and sat down at a table next to a couple of women who were having breakfast. They watched me eat that first large plate in about 5 minutes and then head back for a second helping. They asked me a few questions about my trip but then went back to their meal. When I was finished eating I went outside to grab my water bottles so that the waitress could fill them with ice. I came back inside and the two women told me that they had taken care of my check. It’s hard to believe the amount of kindness I’ve been the recipient of over the last few weeks. Everyone I’ve met has been so friendly and helpful. These chance encounters during the day make a normal day of biking an unforgettable experience.

After my meal, I hopped back on my bike and started back into climbing hills. The Ozarks are the forgotten mountains (at least for me) between the Appalachians and the Rockies. I don’t know why I pictured Missouri to be flat, but it is far from it. I got right back in the grove though and was at my next stopping point before I knew it. I grabbed a Gatorade from a gas station and filled my water bottles up with ice and water. At this point I was way ahead of schedule so I decided to take a nice 45 minute break at the gas station. I ran into Matt there and let him know I was planning to stay at a motel tonight. Matt was focused on finding another free spot to stay, but I knew I wanted to be in a comfortable bed after today’s ride. He went on and I followed about a half hour later. The last section went by quickly as well and when I arrived in Houston I actually had energy to ride more. I ended up averaging 11 mph today which is extremely fast considering the 5,500 feet of climbing. I got to the motel and saw Matt waiting for me there. He had asked around town, but there wasn’t a good free option for a place to stay. We opted to split a room at the motel, which made things a lot cheaper for me.

Once we were settled in we decided to grab dinner at the Chinese Buffet across the street. That’s right, I ate at two all you can eat buffets today. With all the riding, you’d never be able to tell. I don’t know how much weight I’ve lost, but I need to be eating as much food as I can stomach at this point. Tomorrow’s ride is going to be easier than today, so I’m thinking about sleeping in and getting a later start to the day. We are through the hard part of the Ozarks though and the riding should get easier every day until I hit Colorado.