Day 2

10th May 2006

Springfield to Rolla MO

27105 – 27323 (218 miles)

Briefing for the days ride at 7am after breakfast, cases taken to the support vehicle and a briefing at 7.30 before we are off at 7.40. First stop was for fuel to ensure a full tank of gas, then on the road, it is very foggy or misty this morning it has cleared up since I first woke at 5am this morning. It stayed very gray and misty all morning and just hanging over the ground above traffic. We had our first encounter with the wildlife this morning we had two deer run out in front of us, one slipped half way across the road as soon as they got clear we continued riding. Riding through Middle America’s small communities, small houses made of wood on wide streets, we meander through side streets following the historic road, and this is old America. We stop for coffee at a small town built in the late 1800’s of Carlinville. Stop off in the town squares coffee shop and have a chat with the owner who points out the Court House to the rear of the shop which cost $1,000,000 to build in the 1800’s and was the idea of the local judge of the time to try and win state capitol status rivalling Springfield. The town square it self has a band stage and small grass area in the middle which tends to make it a large roundabout. It really has not changed much since the town came into existence. We mounted up and were on the road again and around 10.30 the rain started to fall and never stopped. Following the route we enter into Missouri on Interstate 55 the chain of Rocks Bridge is to our right one of the famous landmarks of the route but no longer stable to take traffic. We are crossing the Mississippi river as we look out to our left, the lighthouses guard the bridge and the river is flowing roughly over hidden rocks. Somewhere in the murk would be the St. Louis gateway an impressive archway over the city symbolising the gateway to the West, but cannot see a thing. Shortly after, we stop for lunch and a break from the weather. After lunch, the rain has eased a little and we carry on our way to another historic site, which is now a state park, the rain is starting to fall heavier now. We arrive at The Bridgehead Inn, the visitor centre for the state park, built in 1935, as we dismount the heavens open and the rain is bouncing off the road it was bad enough riding in as you could see very little because of the spray, lucky we can now have a break. We are given a brief talk about the history of the place and the surrounding area by one of the staff, Michelle, we can then explore around the museum with it history steeped in Route 66 and Times Beach a nearby ghost town.

The rain is still falling and Don our group leader gathers us together in a room and gives us some options due to the weather. One is straight down the Highway 55 and into the hotel at Rolla about 2 hours away, must admit I did not fancy riding down the highway in this rain would be like riding blind. Two riding Route 66 again and stopping off at a Harley Davidson franchise about 2 hours away, or three stopping off at the Meramec Caverns on route which is part of 66, my vote and that of the Swedes was for the Caverns as who knows if we will ever pass this way again and we are already wet. The vote tends to go against us with the British voting to go to the hotel the Hungarians I do not think understood the vote and did not vote. Well the rain has eased off and we are on our way, along the route, we see signs for the caverns. However, as we rode the weather cleared slightly the rain eased and we did go to the caverns. What a ride in, twist turns and tree-covered roads what riding is all about! Half of the group did a tour of the caverns, famous for Jessie and Frank James and the hole in the wall gang for hiding out and escaping from a pursuing posse. The caverns are huge and the two brothers went to the back while the posse waited outside for three days before going in after them, the deputies got the blame for them escaping from the cave the sheriff said they got drunk one night and they slipped past. In fact, it was not until the 1930’s when the water level dropped that they found that the cavern was not a dead end but a short underwater swim took you into another cavern. Here they found the strong box and a few other items that indicate that the James brothers had in fact swam through to the second cavern and left by way of an underground stream that left the hillside further down the way. The water level has remained low and you can now walk around the caverns they estimate them to be some 26 miles long. There are stalagmites and dolomites galore in the passageways well worth the visit and lasts around 80 minutes. As we leave the caverns, the heavens open again and we finish with a wet ride into Rolla. Luckily the rooms have heat and after ringing out my gloves in the sink hang them over the hear along with my boots, jacket and trousers, fortunately my rain gear kept most of that dry it was just a bit damp around the edges. Off to the steak house opposite the hotel for dinner for an all you can eat steak buffet food excellent and cheap only $11 including tip. One of our parties fancied some fruit after dinner and came back to the table with a lovely red apple. She sat down to tuck into it but then had a thought and discovered that it was in fact a bit of display fruit what a laugh we had, even the waitress was unaware that there was display fruit at the desert stand. Most people seemed in a better mood tonight after all that rain today a bit of food and heat can make all the difference. There are some strange liquor laws here, the restaurant cannot sell alcohol so our van driver offered to go to the local liquor store and get what anybody wanted. For me it was bed as it was another early start and long day, but the bike is still comfortable. Oklahoma here we come.