Fast and Fun (NOT!) Times on the Way to Farmington

Today's Mileage - 98.14  Average MPH - 14.4

I'm not too proud anymore to say that I am of an age where I can remember Sean Penn's primary claim to fame was the stoner in Fast Times At Ridgemont High.  I'm also not ashamed (much to my wife's chagrin) to admit that I actually like the movie, along with the other classic Dazed and Confused.  I guess because both of them pretty much reminded me of my senior year at C. E. Ellison High School in Killeen, TX.  Not that I was a stoner mind you (nope, straight-laced drama and band geek with the occasional foray into jockdom as I pursued soccer and wrestling, very unmainstream Texas sports), but I went to school with a bunch of Spicoli's.  For instance, this scene reminds me of many an exchange I would witness in Algebra II class which was "taught" by the head football coach;



Ahh, those were the days!  I can also remember Sean as he went through his Mr. Madonna phase (shudder) before he starred in amazing films such as A River Runs Through It, became a noted activist, and before he directed such films as The Indian Runner, The Crossing Guard, and The Pledge (I guess it MUST have the word "The" in front before he'll consider the script).

Well today I certainly could at least relate to the fast times part but more on that a little later.  But the day started out anything but fast as you can see from this video of the view as I ate my preride breakfast;

And then on our way up to the road (which was about a mile along a gravel road from the cabin where we stayed overnight) we discovered this little friend;

After saying goodbye to "Crystal" (as she came to be named) and Amy I headed off on my way to Farmington, MO - 100 miles away.

I wish I could say that many eventful things happened on the way but it was mostly non-eventful.  There were a few notable exceptions;

1)  On the 31 miles between Eminence and Ellington I hit some of the hardest climbs I have had in more than 2000 miles.  They were short but steep - I hit grades of 31%, yes you read that correctly 31%!!!!!!!  That sucked huge.

2)  In Ellington I got a little "local knowledge" that the way between Ellington and Farmington wouldn't be so steep.  Also, I was told that the rain lately has been nothing, just fifteen minutes or so and it was gone - THAT WAS WRONG!!!!  I ended up getting soaked for a good hour and a half of the route today - just after I sent Amy and the kids away with my rain gear because according to local knowledge I wouldn't need it.

3)  Once again I was menaced by dogs - this time a pack of five or six.  However, they started chasing (and seriously sprinting after me) after me but I was on a downhill stretch so I kicked it into overdrive and then next thing I knew I was doing 33 mph!  I don't think the dogs knew what had happened and I didn't have to use my pepper spray.

Back home they were riding the Gold Coast Century ride today and I was so sorry I couldn't do it.  In the shape I'm in now I would have smashed it!  I missed it last year because of a family commitment and the year before I didn't finish because that was the year I was doored halfway through.  So instead, I rode my own century today, and it was fast!

And that was pretty much it today.  Sorry, nothing but the facts folks.  It was a great ride - I averaged 14.4 and I got wet and squishy but I had fun.  Last night I had the chance to speak to my good friend Deanna Laster Slade who is the Assistant Director of Sunrise Day Camp.  We have worked out a way for the kids to be involved and I'm so proud to be able to say that tomorrow I am riding in honor of the Acorns (the 3 1/2 year-olds) and the Troopers (the 4 & 5 year-olds).  I am riding to give my strenght and support to these youngest of our campers and I hope you all will join me in thinking of them tomorrow and sending your energy to them!

And today's report;

FFL - 2 Rabbits, 2 Skunks, 1 Possum, 1 Hawk, 4 Squirrels, 1 Dog, 8 UFO's
RRL - 2 coolers, 1 cooler top, 3 gloves, 1 rubber work boot

Stay well and I'll update more from the road!


For another perspective on our journey check out Amy's blog at http://www.crosscountrymama.blogspot.com//
To help us get the kids to Sunrise go to https://www.wizevents.com/register/register_add.php?sessid=1809&id=1056
Check out our website at http://www.connorsarmy.org/

Epiphanies and Emasculation (Almost) on the Way to Eminence

(Something No Male Wants to See Coming At Him!)

Today's Mileage - 102.2 Average Speed - 13.7 mph

To say something is "Eminent" is to say that it is renowned or famous. By extrapolation then I guess that you could say that any town that names itself Eminence is saying that it is a place of renown or worthy of being famous. This is one of the bizarre thoughts that I found floating through my head on my through the central Missouri landscape.

Although I spent nine months here many years ago performing in Branson, MO for Andy Williams at his Moon River Theater, I never remember the weather being this hot in the summer. Apparently, its not the usual temperature for as Sarah and I rolled out of the Holiday Inn Express this morning it was already 70 degrees at 5:55 in the morning. Apparently, the HIE was the hopping place for cyclists since I saw another gentleman wheeling his ride through the hallway at exactly the same time I was leaving with mine. He was going west and I was going east so we were simply ships passing in the early morning. I was finally able to get everything together and Sarah and I headed out in search of a quick breakfast since we were missing the free one at HIE.

After a brief repast of “baked goodness”, coffee (me) and hot chocolate (Sarah) we headed out. But not before a local gentleman asked us if we were going to do the Pancake Ride the next day. We told him no that we were actually on our way to Eminence as part of our cross country ride to help the children of Sunrise. I told him a little about the camp and he asked if we had a website. I gave him a brochure and he smiled, thanked me and said he would donate. What a great way to start the day.

From the beginning I was a little concerned as to how Sarah would handle riding with me today. She actually managed to get in 23 miles yesterday so we knew she only had to ride 17 to keep up her average of 20 miles a day. Today would be rough according to the elevation profile. The indication was there were some steep (although short) inclines within the first 17 miles. But Sarah handled them like a trooper. In her new padded shorts and her clean cycling jersey it was so joyous to ride behind her and see her looking like a cyclist instead of just a young girl out on a ride with her dad. She looked so confident as she took to the road, bombed down hills at 30 mph and pedaled up the hills. And then we hit the first steep incline of 12%. I rode beside her encouraging her and singing my Dory version of “just keep pedaling, just keep pedaling….” until she made it to the top. She seemed to gain confidence from that. The next steep incline she attacked a little more energetically and by the end of the day she had conquered climbs of 14%! She was so incredibly proud of herself. She won’t be riding with me outside of Eminence because those climbs will be far too brutal but she will ride again soon!

Amy and the boys finally picked up Sarah from where we stopped on the road and since there were plenty of towns along the way I told Amy I would just meet them at the end of the day. I was now on my own for the next 88 miles but I had full water bottles, a full bladder (of the camelback variety) and money for snacks - I was on my way.

And it proved to be a repeat performance of yesterday’s rollercoaster ride. Only this time there were lots more of them. I seem to have gotten into a groove of how to handle the hills and how to deal with my gearing. However, at the first little town where I stopped, a small spot on the map named Bendavis, the man in the store warned me that the hill into Eminence would “eat my lunch”. I thanked him kindly for the advice but in my head I’m thinking, “I climbed Wolf Creek Pass in great time, how hard can it be”. Apparently, Amy and the kids had stopped in earlier because he greeted me with, “Your wife and kids were already here, they said an out of shape old guy would be in here looking for a cold drink.” So that was another reason why I thought he was just yanking my chain.

As traveled further on I was grateful for the GPS, the map, and the tailwind that I was finally getting after far too many days of headwind in Kansas. As I rode I noticed the proliferation of dead armadillos everywhere I rode. Also raccoons, possums, and far too many UFO’s. I was reminded of what Andra (the reporter from the Joplin Globe) who told me that a lot of it is due to the weather and the encroachment of humans into their environment. And these are the things I sort of ruminated upon as I rolled along. And then I rolled into a much bigger town and I received the same information about the hill into Eminence - it’s a killer! Hmmm, I thought, there might be more too this.

Finally, about 25 miles outside of Eminence I stopped at an intersection and as I was collecting my thoughts and preparing my penultimate assault for the day, a man in a church across the street beckoned to me. I came closer and he asked if I wanted to step inside for some air conditioning and some cold water. I thanked him kindly and went inside to partake. It was just nice to chat for a while about the roads, the weather, the town, and to my surprise when I told him my story he said that he thought he might have read about it in last week’s local paper. He sent me into town (Summersville) to look for an old paper - no luck. So I pressed on expecting to see the monster of all hills loom before me. From my elevation charts I knew just where to expect it - right across the Jack’s Ford crossing.

Finally it was here, the monster I had been warned about. I looked at my elevation on my cycling computer and it listed it as 8% - no big deal. Then it jumped to 14, 15, 18 %! I was now officially struggling so I stood up and mashed the pedals - I would not let it beat me, I would not stop, I would not climb off the bike. Just as I thought my heart was going to explode it “flattened out” to 7% - a breather! And then it kicked back up to 17 % and the sign appeared that told me my turn off was ½ mile ahead - and it was uphill all the way! And the computer suddenly flattened out to 8% - time to breathe! And finally it kicked back to 18, 17, 15, 17% and then it was finished - I was at the intersection for SR E - my turn off - I had made it!!!!! But I refused to stop yet, I rode on for another 300 yards down SR E just to show that hill it didn’t beat me!!!!!!

The rest of the journey was just to get to the cabin and get into contact with Amy. My ride today was done. We headed to the cabin on the bucolic lake where we would spend tomorrow’s rest day and I showered, met some of the animals (it’s a working farm), and headed into town for a yummy meal of catfish, hush puppies fried okra, cole slaw and fried potatoes - it’s the closest we could get to fish and chips in honor of the games.

Well, here’s to a restful day tomorrow to get prepared for another grueling day in the saddle!

And here is the gruesome and more disturbing than usual report;

FFL - 25+ armadillos, 18 possums, 15 raccoons, 2 cats, 1 skunk, 2 turtles, 1 fox, 10 UFO’s
RRL - Noodle, red cowboy hat, strange steel spike (which I kept)

For another perspective on our journey check out Amy's blog at http://www.crosscountrymama.blogspot.com//
To help us get the kids to Sunrise go to https://www.wizevents.com/register/register_add.php?sessid=1809&id=1056
Check out our website at http://www.connorsarmy.org/