Jacque and I had appointments with our local chiropractor this morning, so after our early morning seminary class, we rested a bit, changed to more casual clothes, and saddled up our trikes for the "trip".
I list it as "trip" since the doc's office is maybe 1/2 mile away, and an easy ride.
Unfortunately, as we pedaled over to the railroad crossing at Wall Street (Yas, Mountain Grove actually has a Wall Street, with no millionaires or office buildings along it), we encountered big sawhorses and warnings with signs indicating the street crossing was closed for maintenance. I even rode around the barricades to see if we could sneak the trikes across somehow, but it looked pretty dicey. Thus we turned around to go back up to the Route 95 crossing closer to our home, which added maybe another half mile to the trip. No Matter.
We slogged up to the doc's parking lot right at 9 AM, about 10 minutes later than we'd planned for, but they let us in and worked on us anyway.
After getting my neck popped and my joints re-aligned, Jacque rode for home and I, wanting to do more miles, of course, took off for La-La Land.
The weather here in Missouri has been quite warm recently, with some saying it's the warmest fall on record for the area. The last couple of days I've been comparing the temperatures in Yuma AZ with our temps here and Yuma has repeatedly been several degrees COOLER than here. How unfair. Yuma is farther south and even lower in altitude than anywhere in MO, so it's kinda funny to see them desert rats enjoying cooler temperatures. We spent the winter in Yuma a couple years ago and enjoyed the WARMER temperatures and milder weather than we were used to in NM. I'm interested to see how the comparisons progress as fall turns into winter. Yuma is supposed to be unlivable in the summertime with temps well above 100. I just had no prior notion that their fall weather could be milder than Missouri, for crying out loud.
Back to Mountain Grove. In spite of the rapidly elevating temperature here, it was a breezy and sunny day, with the breeze providing some cooling effect. I detoured around town a bit, to add miles as well as peek at neighborhoods not yet seen. I eventually got thirsty and decided to go across Route 60 at the middle on/off ramp into Mountain Grove and guzzle one of WalMart's cheap 50 cent machine sodas. As I sat in the shade and enjoyed resting my feets, snacking and drinking my fizzy soda, I got several comments from passers - by, including one fellow who wanted to know "Where can I get one of those trikes?" I told him they were great machines, but not at all cheap when new or even used, normally. I paid $800 for my Catrike a few years ago when a ham radio guy in Albuquerque was clearing out his garage as he was getting ready for a nursing home. Since the model I got from him cost a bit over $2000 new, I considered it a screaming bargain. I've certainly gotten my $800 worth of enjoyment out of it years ago. I told THIS fellow to do searches on the internet in such places as Ebay and Facebook Marketplace, and he walked away saying he was going to do just that. I wish him well, and hope we bump into each other again.... on recumbent trikes, heh.
My rest break there at Wally World lasted a lot longer than I planned, since it was in the shade and my feet were tired and sore already. I finally got going again, deciding to take Hiway 60 westbound the couple of miles to the westernmost on/off ramp into Mountain Grove.
I love Route 60 with it's wide and smooth shoulders I and the horse-drawn Amish use for commuting.
(Speaking of Horse Drawn Amish, they seem to be a fading breed hereabouts. Occasionally we see some riding in horse drawn rigs, but most ride in trailers of various sizes and shapes pulled by the family gas or diesel powered farm tractor. Evidently the local customs allow mechanized farm equipment, and many families ride en masse in the trailer behind the tractor driven by Pa all the way to Walmart as well as other facilities.)
Anyway, back to trike travel. The shoulders are great but they tend to accumulate lots of debris, including dead animal road kill, here and there and everywhere. I neglected to take pictures of the dead raccoons, squirrels, armadillos, and even a big black SNAKE. The snake was in a parking lot which I refuse to name for fear Jacque, with her phobia about snakes, would never patronize that particular business again. I often have to veer a wide berth around these unfortunate flattened critters to minimize the smell I must breathe through.
At one rest stop, a black flying critter resembling a wasp kept dive-bombing me, even after I swatted him 2 or 3 times. I finally crippled him enough I could take his mug shot, though still partially mobile.
 |
| Wasp or Not, Very Irritating! |
I arrived at the desired intersection without incident, and was again hot, tired, and sore-footed. So I looked for a shady spot to take a break in. I found a nice spot just off the Bell Crossing road in a long driveway leading to a house back in the woods. I rested for maybe 10 minutes before realizing I was hearing a dog barking near the driveway's house. The dawg sounded a lot like our dogs do when strangers are noticed nearby, and it wasn't running toward me or getting closer. I finally put away the water bottle, reattached the helmet and gear, and rode away. I don't know what all transpired, but suddenly the barks were getting closer and I could see this pit bull rapidly approaching in my rear view mirror, howling for all he was worth. I've never been bitten or even attacked by a dog, but I didn't know this mutt and wasn't all that crazy about GETTING to know him, so I poured on the coal and quickly shifted into my higher gears, adrenaline providing some additional "juice".
On came Doggy-Poo, still gaining on me. I was level or slightly downhill, and not lacking acceleration, but the faster I pedaled, the more excited the dog ran and HIS adrenaline seemed to be helping him too. I was just barely ahead of him as I neared 20 MPH, and stayed that way for an unknown distance. He finally dropped back, but only after being right at my back fender for an uncomfortable time. I'm thinking if he'd really wanted me, he'd have gotten me.
As usual, the rest of the ride was enjoyable except for the heat in the feet. It was great to get home and sit back in the recliner and get the sore feet elevated and rested.
Ride Started: 8:40 AM Ride Ended: 12:24 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.0 Ending Battery Voltage: 13.0 Lowest Voltage: 13.0
Beginning Blood Glucose: 122 Ending BG: 82
Lowest Temp: 75 F Highest Temp: 84 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 11.31
Distance Walked: 1 mile
Overall Average Speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.1 MPH 6.5 MPH 21.1 MPH
Distance Walked: 1 mile
Overall Average Speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.1 MPH 6.5 MPH 21.1 MPH
Total Trip Time Moving Time Stopped Time
3 hours 39 mins 1 hour 45 mins 1 hour 54 mins
3 hours 39 mins 1 hour 45 mins 1 hour 54 mins
