Day 10: Goats Jumping around Food Mountains

The morning after the skunky-wet night found us huddled under the roof of the garage overhang, groggy and hungry. We grumbled awake and stared at the farm’s baby jumping goat for a few minutes, hoping the kid would rock us into an awestruck stupor (Aerial the goat pictured above). It just stared back so we moseyed over to breakfast. Sharon, Gary and Angie did throw us into some awestruck excitement however, as they treated us to an enormous breakfast of ham and eggs that bested our remarkably ravenous appetites. Eating so much threw us into sleep mode and we didn’t make it out until 11am (breakfast in picture).

We parted the organic/farm fireworks house, and set off to Springfield (to our first Warm Showers host) loaded with fireworks, bags of ham, prayer and good feelings (The organic farming fireworks family, and bikers pictured below).

The roads into Springfield were as gorgeous as the rest of South-Central Illinois…wheat, corn, soybeans, yaay…and we eventually found our way onto a great bike path that led us from Rochester to Springfield (Picture of Nick and Sam enjoying shady bike path).

Upon arrival to Joe, Mary and Paul’s house we were greeted with mountains of spaghetti and meatballs (which we quickly engulfed) and the chronicles of Joe and Paul. Both have a wall full of medals. Joe is an expert marksman, retired engineer and gunsmith (upon this realization we decided to postpone our pirating by bicycle plan to later in the trip). Paul is a 24 years old, in the US Air Force, has already made two cross country bicycle tours, and is a bike mechanic. The combined forces of Joe’s engineering know-how, Paul’s bike expertise and Mary’s (the most energetic wife and mother to have ever existed) mean cookin’ got us through the night with full bellies, a newly furbished tent junction piece (made by Joe) and finely tuned bicycle touring machines (thanks to Paul). The picture below is of Luke showing off the new tent piece.

And below Luke is a picture of Sam working hard on his bicycle

a

We crashed into our beds exhausted and ready to head off to the Mississippi, and not having a clue as to how we were to cross the flooded mess of the Midwest. (Sam pictured below, working hard on his bike)

Special thanks to Sharron, Gary, Angie, and Dave for the feasts, fireworks, showers and company!

Miles: 30

Morale: Baffled by good fortune and eager to get to Springfield

no storms

no flats