Saturday, September 13, 2014

Wake Up and Smell the Roberts

Day 55
Eminence, MO to Farmington, MO
Distance: 91 miles
Total Climbing: 6647 ft – the most of any day so far
Morning temperature: 48F

*Smelly Roberts = long cycling bottoms, long story as to the name (but nothing to do with them being smelly)…

Yes, the time has finally come. The Smelly Roberts* have made their first proper appearance of the trip. I woke miraculously hangover free to temperatures hovering around 48 degrees and shivered at the thought.

And yet as I stepped out into the morning, I smiled at the fact that the mist of the last couple of days had lifted and it was the kind of bright, crisp, sunny morning that you can get in Fall in the US, with light streaming through the trees, casting beautiful shadows across the road, and a gentle breeze.

Indeed, the first part of today’s ride was just so perfect I wanted to slap a rosette on its ass and give it a prize!! An LL Cool J smooth road surface all the way, little traffic, trees and forest framing the road… and the toughest hills I have encountered so far on the trip.





Despite the perfect conditions, I made slow progress, struggling with the gradient of some of the climbs. Right down in my lowest gear and up out of the saddle, I could only just turn the pedals. I even resorted to my little “reverse skiing” trick at times (and when it was safe to do so), making a zig-zag up the incline to reduce its impact and plod my way to the top.

Stopping in the small town of Ellington for a coffee and a bit to eat, I sat chatting to an older guy whose daughter ran the gas station. We laughed about the route I’d just taken, although in the back of my mind I was actually concerned that I would not manage to complete the ride I had set myself for the day. Having covered only 27 out of the (predicted) 88 miles, the thought of my legs, and knees, having to do the same again another two and a half times seemed daunting.

“Oh you’ll be alright darlin’,” he told me. “You done the worse, next bit aint so bad. You got a few tough climbs, but nothing like what you just done.”

And when I stepped back outside the temperature had risen enough to dispense with the Smelly Roberts and to ditch the Windstopper for the Shrug.

Sure enough, there were climbs but also some respite between. Having turned North I had a light headwind, but nothing to complain too vigorously about. And by the next town, it had heated up even more and I was able to pedal off again without the shrug.

And it stayed like that for the rest of the day. A quick stop in a bar in the middle of nowhere to get a glass of coke late afternoon to rest my knees, which by then were struggling, I had a welcome distraction observing the antics of a Bachelor Party who were recreating a Rodeo scene from a movie using a fake horse (hehe). And then I only had 30 miles left.

As promised, the road flattened out and it seemed like there was a gradual descent into Farmington. Arriving on the edge of town, I’d been unable before then to get any reception on my phone to check the address of the hotel, and found by the time I needed it, the battery had died (good planning Kat). Riding into the centre of town, I was given directions from some friendly people in one of the grocery stores, which involved re-tracing my steps, making an 88-mile ride into a 91-mile one!!

It was after 7 by the time I rolled in and was grateful to be in before dark.

But it was pitch black by the time I had showered up and ventured out to eat, and so I was walking around the streets and parking lots of the new part of town, weaving my way to a steakhouse with good reviews, when two ladies who were standing outside a closed coffee shop called out to me.
One of the ladies, Kim, insisted on driving me to the steakhouse…

“Come on England,” she drawled. “Jump in, can’t have you walking.”

Laughing at my new name, I accepted the ride, and she also gave me some Buckeyes to put in my handlebar bag as a lucky charm to keep me safe - they look like what we call Conkers in the UK, and I tried to explain the game...



I had a tasty meal and a glass of pinot noir, and was just finishing up when I heard a hollering from the door.

“You done there England?”

Kim had come back to see if I needed a ride back. And so I accepted another lift, only this time we stopped off at a bar really close to my hotel where her friends were having a drink and playing pool (Kim wasn’t drinking and wouldn’t even accept a soft drink as a Thank You).

The fun ensued, with a few drinks and a mixed standard of pool playing (I don’t seem to be getting any better despite the number of games played recently…ha). But all in all, another great night.

Rest day tomorrow, and the knees are extremely grateful.

Me x

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