It all started as a stupid idea in my head. Quite honestly even stupider than this plan. Originally I was going to do it alone and maybe just run it (told you it was even stupider) because I did not think any of my friends were stupid enough to join me. But low and behold I had two friends dumb enough to join in the adventure, Lou and Steve. We had finally hashed out when we would be leaving that fit into all of our schedules. Leaving July 29 Wednesday. earlier the better. We needed to cover ~55miles the first day from Chesterfield to Bluffton.
Steve lives in Kansas City and was training a little bit there and was a HUGE help with planning everything. He was very instrumental in the process and made it much better figuring everything out. Cannot thank him enough.
Lou, on the other hand and this may not come as a surprise for those of you who know him, was not very helpful in the planning section. He was more of the hype guy. (Funny story about that later)
So, since I hatched this plan awhile back, I knew I was doing okay with training and being fit for the journey, but I had to drag Lou with me on bike rides around St. Louis. He had a 5$ yard sale bike his mom got him awhile back, while I was a spoiled little bitch on a Lemond bike from my step father. I had strap in shoes and he was pedaling a mountain bike, but we trudged through some bike rides. I showed him my typical route through tower grove park down gravious to Soulard and then to the arch among several other routes on roads he was not comfortable with (completely understand why).
Then I had another idea for a training bike ride. We would do our normal route to the arch and then head north along the Mississippi River up to the chain of rocks bridge into Illinois and up to Alton. 33 Miles one way about 66 total for the day. Thought that would be doable and a nice journey.
We started in the morning and things were going well. Got to the chain of rocks bridge and it was warming up. Lou’s bike was holding on (I felt really good and really thought we needed this training session in). We got across the chain of rocks bridge into Illinois and headed back up to a levee path at the canal. It was a large rock gravel path. We did not know how long it lasted like this but it was rather uncomfortable and tough to ride on. We finally trudged through that section that lead to a paved trail (thank god). I was ahead of Lou trying to see when the path opened up and he was pretty far back. And he was walking with his bike. Fuck. Not ideal, hoping he was tired and wanted a break from that shit gravel trail. Ride back to him and he has a flat tire. Fug. So we’re in Illinois about 20 miles in with a flat tire and two bikes. I at the time did not bring a patch or have any idea how to change/patch a tire. I also could tell Lou was not in the best of spirits. Our little journey was caput. I was excited to get to Alton to grab a lager and then meander our way back.
We needed to find a ride. Who had a car big enough to pick us up or had a bike rack. No one really. My parents lived a good hour and a half away and I am sure wouldnt be thrilled about that. God Bless Lou’s girlfriend (fiancee as I am writing this), Catherine. She had a small SUV. Lou and I piled the deflated bike and our deflated selves into the car, feeling defeated and with some slight gooch pain. Thank you Catherine and Nelson Mandela, and Theodore Roosevelt you kind people/dogs for picking us up. Lou’s 5$ yard sale bike was defeated, he wanted nothing to do with it and we knew he had to find another bike for the 250miles to KC.
July 29. DAY 1 Chesterfield to Bluffton- Doug
The day finally arrived Steve was in town we packed all our shit, probably way too much but also way to little some how. Funny how that works out. We were waiting on Lou to finish his “work” day and leave by 2. You all ready know we did not leave until probably 3 or something like that. anyways we needed to cover about 55 miles the first night, i mean day. its funny now but we were in some shambles that first day.
Thank you Todd for taking us and dropping us off like a bunch of idiots right off highway 40. I can still see us getting our gear together as a rain storm was approaching it was windy as shit and starting to drizzle as we pulled up on a do not enter gravel road. Lou’s pack barely was holding on all ready. Steve was well equipped with a mount on the back. I had a huge backpacking pack that weighed way too much on. We opened our three airplane shots, cheers, down the hatch and hit the trail. Gravel Road. Rainy, wet, and windy gravel trail. We were excited. Making decent time as it started out lolly gagging along. We were a couple hours in and Lou, our hype guy, decided he was going to set the pace for the next hour or so. Steve and I were like that is fine. Lou takes off at a ridiculous pace ahead of us. Steve and I look at each other and dont increase our pace at all. We were like I am not sure he understands how much we have to ride today. After a little we cant see him around the turns. Eventually in like 20-30 minutes we catch up to him. Flash forward that decision almost bit him in the butt. Then it started to pour. gravel got thick and slow. Made it to a couple bridges and Lou had several falls. One was particularly bad. I was at the end of the bridge and he was coming in. I was watching him head on as his tire slightly turned and slid sideways. His top heavy pack flew over head and thudded and skid across the soaking wooden bridge right to my feet. Holy shit. Luckily, no injuries except a mental beating. Several falls in the first day by Lou, hopefully no more. As the day wore on we went past a mile marker and I realized we were not moving quite as quickly as we should have. The sun began to set and it was still raining. I remember it being dark, very dark and I saw we had about 13 miles to go roughly and by my estimation we were biking at about 7 minute miles or somehting like that. I said “we might have like another hour and a half left”. That did not go over well with our party. This was probably about at 9:30-10 pm. We had our head lamps on and were chugging along this gravel quick sand. Lou at one point felt like he was going to pass out, we had run out of water and he did not eat much along the journey so far, so I gave him an apple and we pedaled on. I went ahead to try and find where this guys house was. (Oh yea Steve called and found us a plot on a guys land that we were going to camp at along the Katy Trail) It was in Bluffton. I past mile marker 111 and could not find it. Took awhile but we finally found our sanctuary. The look and feeling we had rolling into this place will never be forgotten. Lou could not be happier we were sitting down, it did not matter where but we were sitting or what was going on but we did not have to bike anymore. As we were setting up our tents Lou pulled out his freshly bought a day ago walmart tent and revealed that one of the rods was completely broken. I started dying laughing. He somehow slept in his one rod tent leaning up against the wall. Steve opted to pay for a room and shower the gentleman had available. We stuffed our faces with whatever rations we had and bought waters from our host. That was a great nights sleep, even though it was on a concrete covered slab, but we were done biking for the night and had quite the journey soaking wet covered in rock dust.
DAY 2 Bluffton->Our Savior- ROCHEPORT
The second day was a bit rough getting back on the metal stallions, but we only have one option, to hop on our bikes and pedal on. We woke up and had a good laugh at how we arrived. There is always something interesting about arriving at a place when it is dark to see it in the morning light. I remember talking to our host Doug who had plenty of stories of his past bike trips that lasted for weeks. He was an adventurer forsure and it was good to hear his stories. Our next destination was Rocheport just past columbia, we were planning on camping in some free area near there. (I do not remember the details of this day nearly as much. Things started okay. It was cloudy and I believe there was a chance of rain as the morning went on. We carried on through the scenic central missouri landscape. I do remember seeing the capitol building in Jeff City from a stop near the highway. At some point I think after Jeff city we were riding on the trails and I got too close to the edge and it was still wet and the edge gave out my tire slipped down and I started to tumble with my heavy pack over my head. Lou was right behind me tried to swerve drilled me and tumbled down. Steve stood still with a clean sheet of no falls. That was a rough fall.
At this point I think we were figuring out where we were going to stay. I think we all agreed we would pay for a place if we could find one. We were not moving very fast and once we got past jeff city we began to call places in Rocheport. I think we called a couple places and they either did not answer or they were booked. Finally we got ahold of a place called the school house? maybe. This was at about 5-6pm and we were looking at restaurants around there and most of them closed at like 8 or something and we still had probably 10 miles to go so we were in a rush to check into our place shower and finally get some proper food. And did we ever get some proper food. I ordered a shit load of food, a bottle of wine, and I think I got some dessert. Sleeping in a bed and having this meal really saved us mentally.
Day 3 Rocheport-> Windsor
Sleeping in a bed, taking a shower and getting a proper meal in us was a game changer. This morning however was a bit sketchy. Once again it was rainy. We were told that the trail was out further past Rocheport and that we would have to take a detour. We started early and found the detour took us onto a highway. A two lane, not much of a shoulder highway. I think the speed limit was like 65. Thank god this was the first thing in the morning because this was an uphill climb. It was raining cars were going by us and we were not sure how long this would last on the highway. As they say what goes up must come down. I was ahead climbing up the hills and then slowed down a bit to wait for them to catch up near the top once I saw them I began to go down the hills we had climbed. We were carrying probably 50-60 lbs of extra shit on the side of a highway and its raining. Next thing I know I see Steve flying by me with his pack of gear and a trashbag like a parachute coming off the back, but he is flying down this highway. Lou is coming in hot right behind him. It was very sketchy but we were flying down this highway and once we got to the bottom the trail was there waiting for us. I was dying laughing once we all safely made it past this part.
I remember having some really good laughs throughout this trip and I cant remember exactly where, but I think one of them was before Boonville near this empty building we stopped at. The next thing I remember was getting to Boonville where we stopped to try and make a quick buck at the casino. For some reason we could not play roulette and didnt win anything. The next part seemed like we were going uphill for the rest of the day. We kind of got into a groove just chugging along listening to music and shooting the shit. At some point Lou got a flat tire (I think it was lou). Luckily we came more prepared and for never changing a tube before I felt like we handled it pretty well. Not much other than a grind through to Windsor. Ofcourse cannot forget GOD’S COUNTRY Sedalia Missouri- shout out david. Nice little city stopped and got some grub at a gas station. always good to be in gods country. Then headed back through to windsor.
Once we got to windsor we stayed in a small little motel. Dropped our stuff off and headed for town to get some food. Most places were closed so we walked to a liquor store grabbed some ales and made the horrible decision (lou was all about it) of going to sonic. It was between sonic or the local watering hole bar that lou did not want to go. Sonic won out and we splurged on some rather not delicious but needed calories and drank some lagers.
Day 4- Windsor-> Pleasant Hill- Kansas City
Another sleep in a bed, albeit a cheap motel is still better than camping probably. And a shower. The final day about 50 miles left. This one was a bit of a grind I think it was mostly uphill and we hit the highest point of the trail (or maybe that was the previous day). It seemed we had ups and downs throughout this day. I think everyone wanted to be finished. Ill leave it at that, it was a grind. We still had to find someone to pick us up as well. Luckily Lou had a buddy with a truck that came to get us. Pleasant Hill was absolutely pleasant to be at and we couldnt be happier to see the Jeep pick up truck arrive to bring us back to KC.
We celebrated in KC and then took a train back to St. Louis leaving Steve in KC. It was quite a journey and I couldnt be happier these two guys were up for the adventure. I do not think Lou ever wants to ride a bike again.
Still to this day, as i am writing this it is March 12 2021 that 5$ yard sale bike that Lou had from our Alton trip sits on his front porch deflated and still standing. A friendly reminder to Lou that he will never bike again. Of the pain and suffering of the journey. The, why the fuck did I do this reminder. Everyday I go by that bike at his house I laugh. What a journey that was. For me that is what life is all about. What a story, what an experience. What an Adventure in a time when Adventures seem non existent or very few and far between. I cant help but to think of the times when things were undiscovered and unexplored, like the exploration of Lewis and Clark, obviously going to bring that up since we traversed along the Missouri river where they did. But the idea of going out your door and not knowing what you’re going to find.
“ It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
I am not sure we kept our feet the entire time. i am also glad we did not. Sometimes the river just carries you along and you have to roll with the punches. Hopefully you are safe and sound at the end with some stories to tell and a little wiser. Probably some bumps and bruises as well.
Cheers
Good work Steve and Lou, until next time (or never again)