September 23 St Louis – Ste Genevieve, MO

Distance 63 miles, averaged 10.3 mph, ride time 6:05, actual time on road 7 hours 45 minutes.  Expenses $28.10

I had set my cell phone alarm for 6:00 AM and was up dressed, loaded my gear back onto Spirit and was ready to roll at 6:45 AM.  Larissa and James were still asleep upstairs and not wanting to wake them I quietly locked and shut the door to their home and quietly rode away.  Thank you Larissa for you hospitality it was and is greatly appreciated.  May we one day meet again, maybe crossing paths on a bicycle adventure?  Oh yea, don’t forget to send me that pasta recipe.

Whoa!  It feels like winter and I’m way under dressed.  The temperature I later learned was only 41 when I started today’s ride.  Thought my fingers were going to be frost bitten.  It took until ten o’clock before the temperature warmed up enough to thaw out my fingers.  At least I planned the right day, a Sunday, to resume my ride along the Mississippi.  Motor vehicle traffic was extremely light and I was able to cruise out of inner city South St Louis without difficulty.  Despite my limbs being frozen the going was relatively easy with gentle rolling hills.  Well the gentle hills gave way to more of what you expect in the foothills of the Ozarks by the time I reached Festus, Missouri.  Still it wasn’t all that tough a going despite I have mostly not ridden my bikes for the past six weeks.

Just after Festus, MO I began riding the foothills of the Ozarks, more fun to look at than to ride a bicycle over.

Gas Station Man sign for a auto repair shop

Mickey, not the mouse (that was her comment, not mine) phoned me to inquire when I’d be arriving at their home today.  I gave her my guess estimate to be between 3 and 4 PM.  She said they were helping Patrick, their bicycle enthusiast son, move into a new home down in Cape Girardeau and they wouldn’t be home until after 4:00 PM.  She would leave the back door to their home unlocked so I could go ahead in and make myself comfortable until they arrived.  Is it not amazing how trusting folks are of touring bicyclist?

Statue of a priest as a memorial I found in the yard of a home

Upon arriving in Ste Genevieve, I decided to ride around the historic downtown area checking out the many well-kept older homes, it was like stepping back in time a hundred years or so.  I had asked a passing motorist I met at a stop sign if there was a restaurant nearby, she quickly rattled off three of them so I asked which one she would eat at.  She said “The Old Brick House” was her favorite and the onion rings were a house specialty I should try.  Ok and I rode directly to it.  The sign on the outside the building read “First brick building west of the Mississippi 1785”.  The owners of this place have done well restoring it to near original inside and out but of course with modern conveniences such as running water, modern restrooms and such.  I ordered the onion rings as the young lady in the car had recommended and they were delicious.

First Brick Building West of the Mississppi 1785

About the time I was leaving the restaurant Mickey phoned again saying they would be a little later than anticipated.  I told her no problem as I would begin working on my journal which I did work on getting pictures ready but it’s taken me several days since to actually write this journal entry.  It was close to 6:30 before Mickey and husband Jack arrived home.  Once again I’m blown away with the hospitality of folks to a total stranger.  Jack and Mickey are an amazing couple.  Over the course of the evening l learned Jack is an accomplished piano player, plays the saxophone equally as well and sings.  He also is a pretty good cook as he prepared a pasta dinner while I got to visit with Mickey.  Mickey has a bubbly personality and a boundless amount of energy.  I’d name her “Mrs. Ste Genevieve” as don’t think there is an organization in this community which she is not involved in and not just for the short term as she’s been immersed in it for 38 plus years and still going strong.  She is also a walking, talking and dresses the part of an 18^th century French colonist.  I learned from Mickey Ste Genevieve was first settled by the French and was the largest colony west of the Mississippi.  Trivia for you, New Orleans the other French colony sits east of the Mississippi.  More history for you, this community has three of only five original French built log homes left in America.  Mickey is working hard to establish Ste Genevieve as a National Historical Park.  You know what?  I have no doubt in my mind she will accomplish that monumental task.  Jack and I also visited about his involvement with multi-level marketing companies.  Told him we’d have to get together after my trek down the Mississippi to see if any of them would help this Old Guy earn some money to supplement my meager Social Security check.  Enjoying the company of these two fun and interesting folks the evening vanished, it was after midnight before Jack thought to check the time.

If I haven’t said before or if you are new to reading my journal my adventures are not so much about the scenery along my routes but rather about the interesting folks I meet.  As someone once said, “It’s not about the destination it’s about the journey”.  My journey is meeting folks.

Jack and Mickey were great hosts and amazing folks for sure.

A neat little roadside park with a great view of the foothills of the Ozarks and it even had a fireplace for enjoying a nice little fire for roasting weenies, smores or just the hypnotic flames while sitting enjoying the night.

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