Mississippi River Trail

A Blog About My Travels Down the Great Mississippi…

I just received a guidebook order I thought was so cool that I wanted to share it with other cyclists. David Able and his brother, of Ontario, Canada, ordered a copy of the MRT guidebook. They are planning a bike tour of the entire route this fall. That in itself is pretty cool, and I’m sure riding it as brothers will provide them with many great stories during future family gatherings, and create a special bond between them. I envy their special relationship.

But what is so cool about their particular tour is that once his parents saw the guidebook, they ordered a copy of the book for themselves. They believed that having their own copy they could better follow their tour, and relate to their sons’ MRT Adventure. Is that not a special family!

Summer is upon us and a couple of the interesting Mississippi River Trail Adventures I have reported on in this blog have begun their journey.

Earline and Jon Blumhagen are well into their “Mission Possible Tour” of riding the entire MRT to inspire support for the deaf. I first heard from them back in 2009, when they emailed me with questions about the MRT route. Initially they had planned to make the ride in the summer of 2009. They delayed the ride to allow more time to organize support for their cause. We have stayed in contact, and it is great to see them into their journey.

They are a great couple who are pedaling for a really great cause. You can follow their adventures on their website http://www.thewifipedalers.com/.

I am also very happy to report that The Unseen Ghost Brigade is also living their adventure.  Theirs is a truly interesting and unique story. They are a troupe of live street performers who are floating the Mississippi River on a raft, stopping along the route to stage performances. Olli emailed me to ask if I had any helpful advice for them and if I thought my guidebook would be of help to them. I gave it some thought, and even though my guidebook followed the river on highways, I thought it would have some helpful information for them. It might give them a since of history for the areas they would be passing by and it would show many of the cities on the banks for the river. I also gave them some names to contact that might help them schedule their performances. The more emails we exchanged and the more I read about their plans on their website, the more I was tempted to ask if I could join them as a roadie or something. They are going to create some great memories on their adventure!

Follow their adventure and try to catch some of their performances listed on their website http://unseenghostbrigade.org/.

If you are fortunate enough to see Olli and the troupe, be sure to tell them Bob said hello. 

Heritage Travel, Inc. has created a special Circle (which is a method they use to group entries by interest) they call “Cycling Through History”. The focus of the Circle is to combine history and culture with cycling. There are several interesting entries posted at the Circle’s website. I was asked to post a series of entries related to the history and culture along the Mississippi River Trail. The guidelines for the post do not allow a great deal of detail, and with a theme of history and culture I did not include many points of interest covered in the guidebook; however, it is great exposure for the MRT.

Follow the link below and check out the entries I have posted, along with those posted by others. If you are a cyclists, I believe you will discover some interesting entries.

Enjoy your MRT Adventure!

http://gozaic.com/Connect/Circles/Cycling-Through-History/blog/

I received an interesting package in the mail today. Jan and John Rupert sent me a CD with photos and a copy of the journal for their 2009 ride on the MRT from Mahtomedi, MN to New Orleans. They lived one of my dreams of riding it on a tandem. I’ve always tried to get Dawna, my wife, to tour on a tandem, but she refuses to do it. She says the view never changes for the person on the back. So my hat is off for Jan and John.

They had a great adventure on their ride which started on September 14^th and ended October 19^th. They encountered more rain than normal, but with the warm weather they didn’t let it spoil their ride. Their only complaint was the hills they encountered in Iowa and Missouri. There are a few 400 ft climbs in those areas that would be extra difficult on a tandem. They were really glad to reach the southern portion of the MRT, which they referred to as “tandem country” because it is so flat.

Reading their journal brought back memories of the tours I’ve ridden on the MRT. It was great hearing about the people they met along the route and how many of them opened their homes to them. Something just seems to happen to people when they see someone touring on a bike that makes them want to stop whatever they are doing to ask about what you are doing. They said that the highlight of the trip was the contact they made with people they met along the way.

I was interested to read about the route Jan and John rode south of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Rather than crossing the river into Kentucky or Tennessee they remained west of the river and put together their own route. They pretty much followed Highway 61 all the way down to West Memphis. They said the road had a good shoulder and little traffic. I plan to check it out sometime this summer and send a report to Terry Eastin (Executive Director of MRT, Inc.) I know Terry and the MRT board members are seeking an Arkansas route through this area. I recently reported on a potential route on this blog that followed the Crowley’s Ridge Parkway. I rode the proposed route with a group of cyclists that included several of the board members. It was an awesome route, and it will be pretty hard to beat; however, the route Jan and John rode remained closer to the river, so it is worth checking out.

I thank the Rupert’s for sending me the journal. I always enjoy hearing about the MRT Adventures of other cyclists.

Sadie has Kenny well trained.

This is the final day of our Crowley’s Ridge Adventure. We dropped one of our team today. Jason had to get back to his bike shop in Jonesboro, Gearhead Outfitters. Judy’s husband, Ken, along with Bryan Signorelli joined Team CRR on this last stage, so we actually gained a rider. Ken rode a recumbent. I don’t believe he got the memo that recumbents cannot climb hills, because he helped push the pace on every incline we encountered today.

As we have been all week, we were blessed with another beautiful Arkansas spring day. On this day we were doubly blessed because the wind had shifted around out of the north to provide us with a good push on the final leg of our tour. After leaving Village Creek State Park I did something I had not done in awhile. I shifted into my big front chain ring. During the past 3 days all our big rings had been good for was gathering dust and pollen, but with the flat lowlands, along with the healthy tail wind, with little effort we were able to crank it up a couple notches. With Jeff and Bob C at the front, Team CRR cruised down the road at a respectable 21 mph.

In Marianna we stopped for one final feast at Cleo’s Restaurant. Between the great spreads laid out by the communities we had ridden through and the meals we had eaten on our own, we decided we were eaters who liked to ride bicycles. Everyone swore they were going to begin a diet, tomorrow. As we sampled at least one of everything on the buffet, Ranger John Morrow told us about a new park project in the area. The Arkansas State Parks within the St. Francis National Forest had begun development of the Mississippi River State Park. Development of the project would be implemented in several phases, but would eventually include renovation of existing campgrounds in the forest, the construction of a new visitor center, and paving the gravel roads on the southern end of the Crowley’s Ridge Parkway. He was very excited about the project and his enthusiasm spread to everyone in our group.

After leaving Cleo’s, we took a side tour through Marianna’s quaint downtown. There was a park in the middle of the square, with monuments and a gazebo. We circled the park and stopped to snap a photo of the park and the courthouse. Everyone was pleased that we had made the side trip.

Jeff had given specific instructions at the start of the day for everyone to meet at the Delta Heritage Trail State Park, so we could finish the tour as a group. As we awaited the last of the riders to join us, it provided an opportunity to explore the park. It had changed a lot since the last time I had been in the area. This is a rails-to-trails project. Currently 14 miles of the former Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way has a hard packed gravel surface, suitable for fat tire bicycles and pedestrians. When completed the trail will consist of 73 miles of paved trail and include bridges across both the White and Arkansas rivers. The park also includes a gift shop, restrooms, picnic sites, and five primitive campsites.

Munnie Jordan, another MRT, Inc. Board member, arranged a police escort for Team CRR the remaining 13 miles into downtown Helena. We maintained a leisurely pace so everyone could enjoy this final leg of the tour and share stories about the adventure. Kenny’s wife met him at the park and brought Sadie, his border collie, and her trailer so she could join him on the final leg. When we reached Cherry Street we passed under a balloon banner waving in the stiff breeze, to be greeted by Mayor James Valley and County Judge Don Gentry.  On this final occasion, Terry Whaley thanked the local dignitaries for their hospitality. As we changed into our civilian clothes and packed our bicycles and gear, everyone exchanged goodbyes and generously partook in the refreshments and adult beverages Munnie had provided. 

Due in a large part to the efforts of Jeff Owens, Ruth Hawkins, and many others, this has been a great ride. A special thank you to Dana Cable for driving the support vehicle and taking care of all the riders’ needs. I hope it becomes an annual event, and if it does, I highly recommend it for anyone who rides a bicycle. I think I speak for all the members of Team CRR’s class of 2010, when I say “Thanks for the memories.”

 I’ll see you down the road!          

The end of Crowley's Ridge Ride 2010!!!!!

Mayor Donnie Faulker and Team CRR in front of historical Harrisburg courthouse.

After hearing Ruth Hawkins’ talks and visiting the Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center, everyone was better informed to appreciate what a unique geological feature we were in. There is no better way to view the area than on a bicycle, because as Ernest Hemingway stated, “you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.”

I overheard several members of Team CRR say that last night was the best night’s sleep they had had the entire tour. Even after 4 days of cycling everyone was up early and excited about the activities planned for the day ahead. Our group has become one big happy family at this stage. During the initial stage of the ride we referred to each other as the guy wearing the Sun Drop jersey, and the guy in the Navy jersey, or the woman on the Orbea bicycle, but now we know them as Mike, Bill, and Judy.

Sergeant Doug Normon once again provided a police escort as we departed the Craighead Forest Park. He was fearless as he sped around our group to secure an approaching intersection. Doug is a really great guy. At one time he was the mayor of Jonesboro, but he gave the position up after his term to return to being a police officer. Some of the people in our group familiar with the politics of the area said Doug was too nice of a guy to be a mayor.

We continued to experience several good climbs at the beginning of our route today. There was one flat open area where the road was bordered by large freshly plowed fields and we saw a pair of crop duster airplanes at work. It was a long stretch of road, so were able to watch them performing their aerial acrobatics for several minutes. That is one of many great advantages of riding a bicycle, you have time to enjoy the details of your surroundings.

Our first stop of the day was in the town of Harrisburg. We met Mayor Donnie Faulkner on the front steps of the county courthouse. It was a classic government style structure with tall pillars framing the entrance topped by a four-sided clock tower. The front steps provided a great photo opportunity to assemble the group while Terry Whaley presented the mayor with a plaque, and thanked him for his hospitality. We did come away from Harrisburg with a mystery that everyone is eager to learn the history of. While visiting the men’s restroom in the courthouse, one of the cyclists snapped a picture of a sign over the urinal that read, “Don’t get feet on the seat. Fine $5.00.” If anyone reading this has information about the origin of the sign, would you please post it as a Comment on this blog. We would greatly appreciate it. I can’t print the unbelievable stories Mike and some of the other riders came up with, or at least I hope they weren’t the story behind the sign?

It was a short ride from Harrisburg to our lunch stop at Lake Poinsett State Park. We want to thank the city of Harrisburg for sponsoring the Subway sandwiches, chips, and cookies for our picnic lunch. We also want to thank Park Assistant Superintendent Kathy Evans for telling us about the history of this section of Crowley’s Ridge.  She explained how this eastern slope of the ridge was mostly formed by the waters of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. She said that in this area, what is now the Mississippi River once was the Ohio River. It is an interesting story that I hope will encourage everyone reading this to visit the park to hear. In his ongoing effort to cultivate a relationship between MRT, Inc. and the communities we were riding through, Terry Whaley presented Kathy with a plaque and a copy of Bicycling Guide of the Mississippi River Trail, personally autographed by the author.

With about 30 miles still remaining to reach our campsite, after lunch we reluctantly climbed back on our bikes to pedal down the road. With stiff legs it was a bit awkward in the beginning, but within a couple miles our cadence returned and we were once again one with our bicycles. I was fortunate to be riding with a really interesting bunch of cyclists. The stimulating conversation helped pass the time. It was also fun to listen to Jason and Bob C. doing their mock running commentary of the events of the ride. Jason must know every bicycle racing cliché that Phil Liggett, Paul Sherwin, and Bob Roll have every used to describe a race. After a climb up a steep hill or a sprint to a city limits sign he would run through several of the quotes. After one sprint Jason himself had won, he performed Contador’s famous pistol salute, Vinokourov’s rocking the baby, and at least 5 other Tour de France victory salutes.    

The Arkansas spring was in full swing on our ride. The dense forests bordering the highway formed a collage of various new fresh green foliage and white dogwood blooms. This was a sharp contrast to the winter wheat field we passed that was ablaze in yellow. The consensus of our group was that the heavy rain in recent weeks had killed the plants and they had turned a brilliant yellow as they dried out.

The wind was picking up on the last leg of our ride for the day, and naturally it was a headwind. The wind was so strong at one point that when the group I was in thought we might have made a wrong turn, Seth said we should continue to ride the road even if it is the wrong way, because it was the first tailwind we had had all day. But everyone finally did arrive at Village Creek State Park. After Wynne’s Mayor Paul Nichols honored us with a visit, everyone showered and cleaned up to shuttle into town to do everyone’s second favorite activity, which is to eat. Kelley’s Restaurant had the unfortunate luck to serve Team CRR. I say unfortunate luck because at $11 per person for the buffet they didn’t make any money off a bunch of hungry cyclists.

With our hunger satisfied we returned to our tent city. It was our last night together. We still had another day of riding, but we knew that once we had finished the ride everyone would be busy packing their bikes and gear away, so we exchanged our goodbyes tonight. After sharing the experiences associated with 6 days of riding and camping together a bond develops. Everyone exchanges emails and promises to stay in touch. Kenny invited everyone to ride The Tour de Hoot in McGehee, Arkansas on June 5th http://www.tourdehoot.com/2009.htm. He guaranteed we would have a great time. From what I have learned from riding with Kenny, he knows how to have a good time on a bike. 

Home sweet home.

Team CRR takes over downtown Jonesboro.

After I posted yesterday’s blog, several of us took a walk around Crowley’s Ridge State Park. The native log and stone structures were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. There was a natural spring at the top of the hill and the pool from the spring trickled down a 40 foot cascade draining into the lake. At one end of the lake there is a swim area with a diving board and tube slides. We walked along the trail that bordered the lake to read the interpretative signs telling the history of the area. The park’s namesake, Ben Crowley, was given acreage on the ridge as payment for serving in the War of 1812. One of the signs told how he arrived at the ridge with his sons and he looked around and said, “Boys, this is good enough”. We all agreed that Ben must have been a man known for his understatements, because this was a lot more than good enough.

We said goodbye to Crowley’s Ridge State Park, but we knew we would be seeing more of the ridge in the miles ahead. Just as the previous day had ended, we began the day riding the undulating hills that made up the ridge. As I mentioned earlier, hills tend to break up a group of riders, but with the help of the support vehicles, we seemed to find our way back together at the scheduled breaks and the points of interest along the route. The group I was with included a couple of local riders. Jason and Troy routed us into Jonesboro via some less traveled roads. Along the way they both acted as tour guides telling us about the history of the area and the points of interest. They told us that they had both been instrumental in the installation of the Share the Road signs that we passed along the route.

Our first stop for the day was a visit to the Arkansas State University Museum. Jeff and Jason led us across the campus and right up to the door of the museum, where Ruth Hawkins held the door open so we could take our bikes into the center for safekeeping during our visit. The museum had exhibits about the history of the area. One display was called “Old Town Arkansas”, where they had recreated a downtown main street of the late 1800s era. There were 13 turn-of-the-century shops that would have been found in a typical small town, including a drugstore, bank, dentist’s office, and barber shop. My favorite exhibit in the museum went back even further in Arkansas’s history. This was a life size mastodon skeleton they called Mona. I don’t normally associate our area with mastodons, however there have been 29 locations in the Central Mississippi Valley area where their bones have been discovered.

We were on our own for lunch in Jonesboro. Jason told us that the best restaurants were in the downtown area so off we rode. It just so happens that his bicycle shop, Gearhead Outfitters, was also downtown. That was great, because several people were in need of bike supplies and Ken wanted to buy his wife a new cycling outfit for letting him come on the ride. Jason was right about the downtown having good food. The cheese dip at Godsey’s Grill was unlike anything I have ever tasted.

After lunch Jeff had arranged another police escort from the downtown area to Craighead Forest Park. Everyone agreed that we were always going to ride with Jeff because his rides provide escorts, speeches from mayors, and catered food. The escort by the Jonesboro police was the best we’ve had the entire ride. We had a police car at the front of the group and another at the back, and Sergeant Doug Formon racing ahead on his motorcycle, with his siren blaring, to shut down all the intersections we crossed. Of course, Jonesboro is Jeff’s hometown so we wouldn’t have expected anything less from him.

The park had everything we needed to unwind after a day of cycling over the ridge’s hillsides. There were showers, a laundry, and the Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center. By the time everyone had showered and settled in, the Nature Center had already closed for the day. But we’re special, or at least Ruth Hawkins is. They extended the hours so everyone could tour the center. They have a great interactive movie about the history of the area that is worth a visit on its own. As it told about the formation of the ridge, the seats vibrated along with the earthquake, the wind blew in our faces, lightning flashed across the room during the storms, and mist blew across our faces as the fog drifted over the mountains on the screen. Very impressive! We topped off this eventful day with a dinner at the park catered by the Olive Garden restaurant. Jeff really knows how to put on a bike ride!  

It was a long day for Brigette!

Back home in the Natural State.

The daily 9:00 a.m. departure time is working out well on the ride. It gives everyone time to sleep in a little. You also have time to sit back like Mark did, with a morning beverage in their hand, and watch the sun rise over the horizon. We rolled out of Piggott on Highway 62. I believe Brigette spoke for all of us on the ride as she sat up in her seat to gaze around at the beautiful countryside and say, “Now this is truly beautiful”. Highway 62 had a smooth shoulder and it took us over the gently rolling hills of Crowley’s Ridge Parkway.

After a short warm up ride, we came upon the support vehicles parked in front of a community church. Everyone stopped for a snack and to rest in the shade before turning onto Highway 141. We knew from the route profile Jeff had sent that the next stretch of road would be a challenge, so we welcomed the break.

Hills have a way of breaking up a bicycle ride into smaller groups of cyclists. Team CRR gradually began to spread out while everyone made their way over the multiple ridges at their own pace to the next scheduled stop in Lafe. We want to send out a special thanks to Reverend Curt Dwyer, the Pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Lafe, AR. When he found out that our support vehicles were looking for a place to set up our second break, he was kind enough to open the doors of his church to us. We were ahead of schedule so everyone took advantage of the good Reverend’s hospitality for a long rest.

After the break, it was another short ride of 11 miles into Paragould. As we rode past the high school there were cheerleaders alongside the road performing routines to cheer us along. When Team CRR rolled up to the town’s courthouse, we were greeted by the Chamber of Commerce, the Mayor, and a group of local firefighters. As we lunched on grapes, bananas, sandwiches, cookies, oranges and apples, the Mayor welcomed us to Paragould and shared a little bit of the area history with us. One of the volunteers told me that the restoration of the courthouse had just been completed and we were the first visitors to tour it.

As we departed Paragould, the traffic was heavy so Jeff tried to keep the group of riders together for safety reasons. Once we were out of town, everyone settled into a comfortable rhythm to finish the day’s ride to Crowley’s Ridge State Park at their own pace. It was a great end to another beautiful day in paradise. We had been following this geological formation for the past 2 days. We were looking forward to getting to the park and learning its history.

Park Superintendent, Gretchen Sacotnik, had several activities planned for us at the park, including dinner prepared in Dutch ovens. As we dined on biscuits, chicken in rice, corn, and chocolate cobbler to die for, the park interpreter shared with us the story of the area. Crowley’s Ridge is the most prominent geological feature in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, rising 250-550 feet above the surrounding delta flatland and with widths up to 12 miles. The formation was originally thought to have been an island between the Mississippi River and the Ohio River. Recent evidence, however, suggests that it may have been formed by an uplift associated with the nearby New Madrid Seismic Zone. Whatever its origin, it is a one-of-a-kind place to visit.

Got to go, it’s my turn at the showers.

See you down the road!

Enjoying a little R&R around the campground.

Mayor Santie leads the pack into Malden.

After a great plate of ribs at the Hickory Log Restaurant and a restful night’s sleep at the Stoddard County Fairgrounds, we bid the town of Dexter and their great hospitality farewell. But not before the local television station arrived and interviewed Jeff Owens. Once again our fearless leader enthusiastically promoted the MRT and the Crowley’s Ridge Ride.

The weather gods were smiling on us once again as everyone rolled out of Dexter wearing short sleeved jerseys. We began riding through open farm land with some of the fields freshly plowed while others still had leftover cotton stalks from last season’s harvest. Everyone had a chance to loosen up their tired legs on the short ride to the town of Bernie. In Bernie, Mayor Ray Santie of Malden joined Team CRR for the ride into his fine city. We were also joined by Ruth Hawkins. She joins her fellow MRT, Inc. board of directors Terry Whaley, Mark Ackelson, Mike Rewey, and Bill Waters, who are riding the tour. Ruth is planning to remain with the group all the way to Helena. She has helped Jeff with the coordination and promotion of the CRR.

Mayor Santie bicycled the 10 miles into Malden and brought a police escort with him. With the escort vehicle’s blue lights flashing and people alongside the highway waving, we felt like we were in a parade. Even though we were backing up traffic as our parade rode through downtown, people smiled and waved. At the city park, the Mayor and a group of local volunteers fed us thick barbeque sandwiches, chips, drinks, and homemade ice cream with fresh strawberries and peaches. Volunteers from the Bootheel Youth Museum presented scientific demonstrations to entertain us. It was difficult for us to climb back on our bikes after the feast.

The road was flat as we exited Malden, but everyone had heard about the upcoming hills. A few miles out of town we had a glimpse of the first climb up Crowley’s Ridge. We could see it 2 miles away so everyone had plenty of time to prepare for it, but just at the base of the climb our route turned left on County road WW. What a relief! Little did we know that our route took us along the backbone of the ridge and had us climbing the ridge on 3 separate occasions. It was still a nice ride and when we regrouped in Campbell everyone was talking about the beautiful views and the peach orchards the route took us through. The locals told us that the peach trees had been in full bloom just a week earlier.

We regrouped once again at the state line for a photo next to the Arkansas sign and then continued into Piggott. At the Welcome Center, we were greeted by volunteers who handed us cold drinks and directed us to a shady area to sit. As we drank our fill of cold water, Mayor Gerald Morris of Piggott gave us a brief history of the area and made us feel welcome. We continued our ride to the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum. The group of people at the museum rolled out the red carpet for us. There were tables set up on the lawn and burgers and hot dogs on the grill. Before the meal, they opened the Pfeiffer House, Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum, and the Matilda and Karl Pfeiffer Museum and Study Center and gave everyone tours of each place. The volunteers had a lot of interesting stories about Ernest Hemingway and the Pfeiffer family. The Study Center was the former home of Pauline’s sister Matilda. As I toured the house one of the hosts pointed to a small pond at the rear of the house. He explained the pond once was a large swimming pool. A scene from the movie A Face in the Crowd, with Andy Griffith, was filmed around the pool.

After we ate and toured the facilities, Ruth Hawkins told us several interesting stories about the history of the museum and Crowley’s Ridge. She was instrumental in the creation of the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and the Crowley’s Ridge Parkway. Ruth has written a book about Pauline Pfeiffer Hemingway which will be released in the coming year. Everyone enjoyed her stories. From the museum it was a short ride to an area park where Team CRR set up our tent city for another restful night’s sleep.

See you down the road!  

Dr. Ruth Hawkins tells us the Hemingway-Pfeiffer story.

Team CRR begins their Adventure!

The day finally arrived to begin the Crowley’s Ridge Ride (CRR). I plan to make a daily posting on the blog during the ride. When I return home I will update the blog with photos, so be sure to return to the blog after the ride has finished. Also, if anyone reading the blog is near the route we will be riding be sure to come on out and ride a few miles with us, or just come out to say hello.

Crowley’s Ridge Ride of 2010 officially began ahead of schedule and below budget! I’m just kidding about below budget, but 23 riders and 2 support vehicles rolled out of Cape Girardeau at 8:47 a.m. Team CRR had the honor of being the first official business for Mayor Harry Rediger who took office just last Friday. But if today’s work is any indication of the type of Mayor he will make, Cape Girardeau has itself a good man. The city was well represented.

Before the ride began, several of the riders were placing wagers on how many miles we would ride before we had our first flat tire. Nobody was even close! Just after mile 1 we heard a “phew” and we had our first flat. I’m not going to embarrass him by telling his name, but today is his 65^th birthday. Happy Birthday, Mark!

Terry Whaley and I waited for Mark to fix his flat so we were not with Team CRR when they arrived in the town of Chaffee. I was told there was a police escort routing them in to the town and to the Mayor Loretta Mohorc’s office. We arrived just in time to grab a drink and roll out with the group.

We left Chaffee together, however soon people got into their rhythms and began to spread out and form their own groups. This is generally the way it is on most organized tours. You ride with a group of riders until you stop for a break or a meal and then you may start out with a different group of people. It’s great to ride with everyone at sometime during the ride. You’ll have a new audience to tell your stories to and to hear their stories.

For those readers unfamiliar with the purpose of this ride, MRT, Inc. is seeking a route west of the Mississippi River through the state of Arkansas. This will provide cyclists the option of following a MRT route on either side of the river. Jeff Owens, the ride coordinator, selected the roads we will travel, with a priority on safety and scenery. His dad, Dan, helped him select the route through Missouri, because he was more familiar with that area. If you are interested in the roads used for the ride, visit www.mississippirivertrail.org.

When we stopped for lunch at Dearl’s Café in Bell City, a reporter for the North Stoddard County Newspaper came out to capture the moment. She said that the photos would be posted on the website of The Daily Statesman newspaper. With 23 riders and 4 support staff, we pretty much took over the little  café. They recruited help from some of the locals to provide our group with pretty good service. I had the daily special of pork chops, mashed potatoes, beans, coleslaw, and cobbler, all for only $5.00. Needless to say, I was pleased with my meal, as was everyone else pedaled off with full stomachs and smiles on their faces.

It was more riding through the beautiful countryside after lunch. No one appeared to be in a hurry so we just pedaled along and enjoyed the warm spring day. As we approached Dexter, the road turned into a divided highway. Officer Don Moore gave us a police escort into town and all the way to the fairgrounds, which was our home for the night. There was a welcoming committee waiting for us at the fairgrounds with Janet Coleman, City Commerce Director, telling us how pleased they were to have us there. The Daily Statesman had a reporter taking our pictures to post on the online version of the newspaper.

I have to go now. It’s my turn for the showers and then we are all loading up in the van the city of Dexter provided for us to drive in to town for a well deserved dinner.

See you down the road!

Mark and Terry with our first MRT sign of the tour.