LOBAA27/28 Running Spring Hunting Preserve & Inn, Everton, MO
Sally bike mileage/time 83.58 / 6:24:38
Sally Total 1824.05
Bill bike mileage/time 0
Bill Total 648.7
Jim mileage 103.9
Jim total 6175.6
Sally:
Awoke before dawn, had to wait for birds singing to know it was time
to get up. As we work our way westward in the time zone it's apparent
that it gets light later in the morning and stays light later in the
evening. Since we are on sun time it doesn't make any difference
really. It was a beautiful morning and stayed nice after the sun was
well up in the sky. Didn't get burning hot so quickly. My legs
certainly didn't have the spunk of earlier in the week, but once I got
10 or so miles in I was back into it. Had a couple nice rest breaks
with Bill before he headed to Springfield to get new bike tires. These
rests become very important on days when I'm tired; food, water and
stretching out. Somewhere along mid-morning the wind really picked up
and was howling by noon. Blowing from the South, it was mostly a cross-
wind which could gust and move me over unexpectedly. I didn't like it
much, but what are you going to do? One five mile section was all head-
wind, that was at the end of the day so I just buckled down and got
through it. I did finally walk up a hill at the very end of the day.
It came up when I thought I was done and I just couldn't stand to push
up one more hill. They have been steep, mostly short hills that stop
the bike cold. I think I'm pretty much through them, maybe another
half day worth. But all that doesn't matter now. We have decided to
stay put and take tomorrow off. I'll let Bill tell you about this
great spot we have found ourselves in since he's the SAG driver
extraordinaire who got us here!
Bill:
So we were looking for a place to camp for the evening and I called
one of the possibilities mentioned on the bike maps. The fellow that
answered said that normally he lets bicyclists camp outside his
hunting preserve lodge for $10 / person / night but he and his wife
were going out of town and no one was using the lodge so we could stay
in the lodge if we used our sleeping bags. "The doors are unlocked ...
just leave $20 in the cookie jar on the frig. We work on the honor
system here." said the owner. We jumped at the offer and when we
arrived we were surprised at how nice it was. The place sleeps about
10 folks with 3 bunk beds on one side and 2 twins and a queen size bed
on the other. There are 2 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, 2 of everything and
it is air-conditioned. Also has a TV so we can keep an eye on the
weather. What a difference a day makes! Anyway, we like it so much we
decided to take our day off one day early so we called the guy (Bill
is his name so of course he is nice!) and asked if we could put
another $20 in the cookie jar and stay another night. He says "Sure,
put as much money in the cookie jar as you like!" This is a real
hunter's cabin with stuffed birds and other critters hanging on the
wall. Bill also has some hunting dogs and judging from the ribbons on
the wall has some prize winning dogs. The kennel with some of the dogs
is attached to the house and they bark up a storm when we get near but
they are very friendly. There are a couple of hunting dog statues in
the yard and I brought Wally over and he was totally fooled and
started to smell all those disgusting places that dogs like to visit
on the statues ... cracked us up.
Sally, again:
OK so we definitely made the right choice. Woke this morning to
thunder, lightening and rain! So cozy here. Dry and warm and a coffee
pot and leftover donuts that Bill told us to eat! Then "my" Bill
cooked fried potatoes and eggs for breakfast. Now we have the day to
get organized and plan the next week. And the weather channel is
telling us there is a severe weather warning with the possibility of
tornadoes RIGHT HERE for today. I am so happy to be inside.
Wally here:
Boy am I glad it rained. It makes it so nice and cool and unlike my
trained feeders, I can't take my fur coat off. I slept better last
night than I have in a long time and my balding feeder even let me
sleep inside last night. I hope we have finally gotten to where we are
going because I really like it here. They even have some strange white
critters here that look like me but don't have any smell in the normal
places .... and they never move. I really am getting to like my new
feeder ... she walks me more than the old guy. I still have them both
fooled, too. They think I can't jump anymore so they give me elevator
rides into my mobile doghouse ... life is good.
Back to Bill:
OK, so this morning I needed tissue paper because my eyes were tearing
up .... from laughter. Everyone go out right now and buy this book "If
You Didn't Bring Jerky, What Did I Just Eat?". It's about the
misadventures in hunting, fishing, and the wilds of suburbia of the
author Bill Heavey. Hmmm, seems like everyone around here is named
Bill. The book was on a coffee table at the lodge. What a fun Friday
the 13th this has been so far and it is only 10 a.m.
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