Day 6 - Joplin, MO to Marshfield, MO - 116.8 miles

Well, another day is in the books.  I originally thought it was only 106 or 107 miles, but that's tomorrow.  It was 116.8 miles from Joplin. MO to Marshfield, MO.

Today was a much better day!

The day started with a conversation with an older Harley rider.  I didn't get his name, but he said he was 71 years old.  He came up to me as I was pumping up my tires and asked me where I was headed.  He's been all over the country on his Harley.  It was great talking with him.  He wished me well and I did him too and then we were both off.

A little ways out of Joplin, I came across this park in Webb City.  Apparently they are the Zinc City.

Almost all of today's route was along old Route 66.  Somewhere along the way I found this old drive-in theatre.  They're planing the Incredibles and Avengers this weekend if you're interested!

The route was much more country roads today which was a welcome change from yesterday.  All along the roads were fields of hay or corn or just places for cows and horses to graze.  For a while, I was in some serious back country farm land.  In fact, about 50 miles in, I was still out in the boonies and was getting low on water.  Luckily, I came around a corner and saw a lady and her dog doing some things in the garden by her house.  I stopped and asked how far the nearest town was and if I could have some water.  I didn't get her name, but her dog's name is Ivan.  She was super nice and we talked a little about the trip and I learned that a group of 400 cyclists are planning to ride from Joplin to St. Louis next weekend.

After getting some water, I started off again.  It was more country roads and farm land.  I took a few pictures and some video.

(The cows seemed interested in what I was doing.)

(I haven't seen a harvester like that in many years.)

(An old Philips 66 gas station)

Randomly along the route, I'd come to something from the past.  Out of nowhere, I looked over and saw this Sinclair gas station museum of sorts.  I stopped to take a couple pictures and while I was there two cars and a motorcycle pulled up to do the same.  I got a chance to talk with a couple from one of the cars about my trip and they were amazed.  I think they were doing something similar only driving Route 66 and in a car.  They were really nice, even offered me water and wished me well.

(Every once in a while you'd see these painted on the road.)

Eventually, I made it to Springfield, MO and came over an overpass to see a truck stop and a Wendys.  A frostie sounded REALLY good right about then, so I stopped.

After the frostie and fries, I rode through Springfield and onward towards Marshfield.

About 10 miles from the end, I came across another cyclist stopped along the road having a snack.  I asked him if he was ok and we got to talking.  His name was Todd and he left LA April 30th.  He's ridden up the Pacific Coast Highway to San Francisco then over to Lake Tahoe and Yosemite before heading East and onto the Trans American Bike Route.  We talked for a while about his trip and my trip and it was really cool to meet my first bicycle tourer.  He's heading to St. Louis where he'll load up in a bus and head home.  We wished each other well and I headed off.

Now I'm just relaxing at a Holiday Inn Express.  I've had a shower, some pizza at Pizza Hut, and now I've got to look at what tomorrow holds for me.  I think it'll be 106.5 miles (unless I miss calculated again).

One thing that's really stuck out at me (if you haven't noticed it yet in these posts) is just how nice and awesome people have been.  Everyone has been super friendly and excited and just plain great.  As Erin put it, "Salt of the Earth" type people.  That lady this morning in the middle of nowhere or the bike shop owner who didn't charge me to fix my bike and then offered to drive me to my hotel.  Just great, great people.  I've read about it before, but it's amazing experiencing it first hand!