Day 30 of riding!

Riding began just after 7:00 am under cloudless but slightly hazy skies with a temperature of 73 degrees.  Our motel didn't serve breakfast, so Russ fueled up on peanut butter and a banana.  Once again, we headed east on US Hwy 60 out of Van Buren, Missouri.  There were lots of hills and trees, but still a great 4 lane road with a wide shoulder.  Russ just kept pedalling and didn't stop for a break until we reached Poplar Bluff 41 miles down the road!

Cool mornings are especially enjoyable, driving with the windows down you can hear all the sounds of nature.  Lately, we have noticed a LOT of dragonflies swarming along the roads.  This morning we heard roosters crow and lots of insects chirping and clicking.  The colors along the road are especially beautiful, too.  There are so many shades of green with all the trees, shrubbery and grasses and today the yellows, pinks, oranges, blues and purples of wildflowers along the road were beautiful.  Today there was a new type of flower along the roadside, it looked like a cross of a hollyhock and a hibiscus flower.  The picture doesn't do it justice.

"Consider how the lilies grow.  They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!"
Luke 12:27-28
I love to read the "DO NOT WORRY" section in Luke 12 that begins just before this in verse 22 and continues after. It always puts things in perspective for me.  There have been so many times during this trip that there were places in the road where highways separate and we need to cross traffic to go left. Or when exit ramps happen on busy roads and somehow, the traffic just separates or no one is around!  Then I think about that God parted the Red Sea for the Israelites, He can part the traffic for us! 

As we continued on Hwy 60, we came down from the hills onto the river valley where we began to see farmland with crops. Some corn, some we couldn't identify.

 We saw a BIG tractor with sprayer arms.

 By the time we neared Dexter, our ending point for today, the shoulder was patchy and rough. 

After 68 miles, we reached Dexter, Missouri ate lunch at Burger King and called it a day!  When we were finishing our lunch, a man walked over and gave us a donation and said, "next time, your lunch can me on me!"  Another blessing of the day!

We drove to Sikeston to stay at the Comfort Inn there, but mostly to pay a visit to Lambert's Cafe for supper, the only home of "throwed rolls".  Yes, they throw rolls and they are warm and DELICIOUS!

 Russ going for the catch!

 They were HUGE rolls!

 Some kids next to us ready to catch their rolls!

 Gene got a chef salad.

 I got meatloaf, mashed potatoes, sliced beets and fried apples.

 Russ got a vegetable plate: baked beans, sweet potatoes, cucumbers & onions, and sliced beets.

They also serve all you can eat "pass arounds" family style: fried potatoes, fried okra, black-eyed peas, macaroni and tomatoes, apple butter, sorghum, and they will keep throwing rolls at you as long as you hold up your hands!  It was fun and I'm still full!

It was another great day! Tomorrow we will be riding out of Missouri, our fifth state...hard to believe!  Today at one point Russ raised his right hand and put up 2 fingers.  I knew he probably wasn't giving me the peace sign, so I tried to figure out what he was trying to say.  Later he told us that's when he hit 2000 miles for the trip!  WOW!  What a guy!  We are so thankful to God for his guidance, protection, blessings and grace!  Thank you for praying for us, we appreciate you!
Until tomorrow,
Russ & Carol