Today is my birthday! While biking across Saint Louis may not seem like the most fun way to spend the day, I’m perfectly content. Biking along Missouri’s Katy trail has been wonderful (see my previous post about how beautiful the trail is during the fall). I’m excited to cap off this portion of the trip by biking through the Gateway to the West and crossing the Mississippi River.
I was able to relax and properly celebrate my 36 years during our two-day rest stop in Hermann, Missouri. Hermann is a lovely little village on the banks of the Missouri River. The town is a little hotspot for viticulture with a strong Germanic influence. We stayed in a really nice cottage up on a bluff overlooking the river, complete with a hot tub on the back deck. This was a very nice treat for my achy joints and muscles. We also did a wine tasting at Stone Hill Winery. They had a very nice facility and tasting room. I enjoyed their Norton and Cross-J Norton wines. We learned that the Norton grape is the backbone of the Missouri wine industry and the official state grape.
Looking ahead, after crossing the Mississippi we’ll go across southern Illinois for three days before entering Kentucky. It’s exciting to finally be back in the eastern US almost two-thirds done. I’m starting to think I’ll actually finish!