Missouri---"Don't say that. Maggie walked through that door with nothing but guts. No chance in the world of being what she needed to be. It was because of you that she was fighting the championship of the world. You did that. People die everyday, Frankie - mopping floors, washing dishes and you know what their last thought is? I never got my shot. Because of you, Maggie got her shot. If she dies today you know what her last thought would be? I think I did alright."

Everybody should have friends like Pat and Clyde. Their mutual respect and trust in each other has made their marriage a model for others and their love of family...their love of people...warms my heart more than I can say. Pat fixed us an amazing meal...Parmesan chicken, cheesy baked potatoes, home-grown roasted vegetables, homemade cornbread, and fresh fruit. We were stuffed and after catching up on each other's lives, we went to bed reveling in the feel of clean, fresh sheets.


Everyone slept well. Pat fixed us a breakfast that you may want to try. I'll post the recipe when I get it...pancakes made of cottage cheese, eggs, a little flour and a little oil. They turn out like crepes and you can reheat them in the microwave. Spread them with butter and syrup. So yummy. We left West Plains around 6:45 and headed south to Brandsville and then east on Highway M. Pat had warned us about Highway M...curvy...hilly. In Missouri? Surely not...why, MapMyRide has the elevation for the entire day at just over 1800'. But Highway M WAS hilly...and all of us loved the riding. There were few cars...maybe one every five minutes or so, and soon we were riding beside tall oaks and pastures that held cows and horses who looked up curiously when we rode past. There were dogs too...they came running and barking and my defense is to act like a wild woman and yell "Go home!". I've always wanted to try "Get off the sofa!" and see if it makes any difference, but in the heat of the moment, I forget.









We passed Eleven Points Scenic Wilderness and what few vehicles passed us often had canoes strapped to the top. Pretty soon we were in the Mark Twain National forest. The weather conditions were perfect for cycling...low 70's, no wind (what a concept...) and the added bonus of a good road surface. Perhaps we could have ridden faster, but it was so beautiful, we wanted to bask in it...drink it all in. Well...that and the fact that there was a whole lot more elevation gain...at the end of the day I was at 4860' with an average of 13.6. I had gone 100.4 miles and my maximum speed was 37.29.


We saw so many Baptist churches in Missouri that Karen thought we ought to make Flat Stanley an honorary member.


I ended my day just east of Neelyville and we headed north and east towards Poplar Bluff. At one point in the drive we crossed a long bridge across the mighty Mississipi and within a few seconds, crossed a second bridge across the Ohio river. We pulled into the Columbus-Belmont State Park in Columbia, Kentucky. This was a campground that requires a 2-night stay on the weekend, but since we drove in and weren't reserving, we could stay for just one night. It is a beautiful park with spotless bathrooms and laundry facilities. They even have a snack bar that serves a fried bologna sandwich. When Karen said, "Fried bologna? Really?". The woman looked at her and said, "I can tell you're not from Kentucky."








Maybe you can't...because you won't...