Marshfield, MO to Chester, IL
Updated: May 6, 2020
We thought we could get a snack here but it looks like they closed - a very long time ago Kevin taking a break after one of many steep hills in the Ozarks So many dreaded steep hills A view of the dense Ozark mountains from one of the summits Alley Springs State Park Grist Mill - over 81 million gallons flow per day An underground spring feeds water to the grist mill Shut-Ins refers to the naturally restricted flow of water through this area The cabin had a great view of the woods in the Ozarks Our cabin for the night in Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park Many rivers and streams through the Ozarks - canoe and raft trips are really popular Crossing the Current River The 1870 county jail in Farmington, MO which was converted into a hostel for cyclist A bit of history posted on a plaque outside the former jail Inside the renovated jail - it was a plush apartment style hostel We stopped here for a few bike adjustments A pleasant greeting from the TransAm Cyclery dog - We usually get chased by them on the country roads The bridge from Missouri to Illinois over the Big Muddy Crossing the bridge over the Mississippi River in the pouring rain Gay, Ximena and Kevin crossing into our eighth state out of 10 This is the town where Popeye was created Blow Me Down - The museum and store has everything Popeye you can imagine
Bicycling through the Ozarks turned out to be some of the most difficult terrain yet. These were some of the steepest hills we have ever ridden. Even the locals said they didn't like driving them. It would be wrong not to mention how beautiful and lush these mountains are. Southern Missouri also has lots of opossums and armadillos wandering the back country roads at night. We learned that logging and canoe/rafting tours are the biggest industry in the Ozarks. We left the Ozarks 10 miles before crossing the Mississippi River into Chester, Illinois, the home of Popeye. There are statues and wall painting of Popeye, Olive Oil, Sweetpea, Wimpy, Brutus and other characters all around town. Kevin enjoyed entertaining some locals with his Popeye impressions. Until next time.....
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