A Freezing Day in Missouri

Today was even colder than yesterday. The low today was in the 20s. When we started riding this morning, it was in the 30s. Luckily we had enough layers to keep warm while riding, but when we stopped to eat we got very cold very quickly.

We are spending the night in Hermann, a town with a strong German influence. It also appears to be very touristy. When we looked for lodging options in Hermann, it looked like the entire town was BnBs and inns. October in particular is a very busy time here, because they have a big Oktoberfest celebration all month long. We were told that if we happened to be cycling through Hermann on a weekend instead of mid-week, we wouldn’t be able to find a place to stay, as booking months in advance is required for a weekend in October.

We’re staying at a fabulous cottage associated with a BnB. It is a two bedroom suite. Each bedroom has two fireplaces and a massive tub which can fit two people. We’re up on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River, and we have a large balcony with a hot tub, firepit, grill, and table and chairs. The view is gorgeous.

After arriving in Hermann we did a bit of grocery shopping and then went to a coffee shop. They had a boozy affogato on the menu with coconut milk ice cream, so I didn’t really have a choice except to get one.

We’re all looking forward to a day off in Hermann tomorrow at this fabulous cottage.

Highlights

• amazing accommodations in Hermann tonight

Lowlights

• it was really quite cold today
• the grocery store had almost nothing I would eat. The store we stopped at last night in Jefferson City had tons of things. I should have thought ahead.

Julie’s food

• Breakfast: breakfast scramble with tofu, potatoes, shallot, snausage, chao cheese, and spinach
• First Snack: no cow bar
• Lunch: peanut butter banana sandwich
• Second Snack: boozy affogato
• Dinner: baked potato with baked beans, BBQ potato chips

Stats

• Total distance: 47.34 miles
• Elevation gain: 187 feet
• Weather: cold and dry, high of 51 degrees Fahrenheit (low of 27)