Today we crossed the Mississippi River and entered Illinois (our seventh state, for those of you counting at home). We rode straight through St Louis, stopping for photos at the Gateway Arch.
Mike and I added safety flags to our bikes when we were in Jefferson City, but hadn’t done much road riding since then until today. It might be in my head, but it felt like drivers were more conscientious while passing us today. We do make quite the sight, so I wonder if drivers think to themselves ”wow those two appear to be VERY concerned about being hit by a car. I wonder why? and then just naturally give us a wide berth. Maybe??
Highlights
- excellent food for lunch. We stopped at Seedz cafe.
- we found Mike’s favorite beer at the grocery store near Belleville. Dragons milk.
Lowlights
- we were chased briefly by a dog after we entered Illinois. Missouri has a bad reputation for loose dogs terrorizing cyclists, but I think I only had one properly chase me in Missouri. Probably because of how much time I spent on the Katy trail instead of on roads.
- once we crossed into Illinois the roads became just … crappy. Poorly paved. Lots of debris.
Julie’s food
- Breakfast: tofu scramble
- Lunch: veggie burger with cashew cheese and thousand island dressing
- First Snack: no cow bar
- Dinner: chick’n taquitos, pasta with impossible meatballs
Stats
- Total distance: 44.36 miles
- Elevation gain: 1,284 feet
- Weather: hot and dry, high of 82 degrees Fahrenheit