Day 30 – St. Joseph, MO, Rest Day 30 Jun 2014

Map and Pics:  Click Here for Map and Pics.

Miles 2118 to 2118, 0 miles, 0 feet of climb, (but I did go on a 12 mile ride downtown and without trying found some of the steepest hills in the state)

One of the Churches for Sale

One of the elder statesmen of America by Bicycle came by the hotel today. This spry 80 year old is a veteran of many long distance rides, and is possibly Saint Joseph’s most energetic cheerleader. This morning he loaded up his car with as many bikers as could fit and took them around to the sights of the city, and there are many. The city has many parks, museums, historical sites, and great places to share some ale. A good time was had by all, and truly his excitement was contagious. Their stories inspired me to ride into town after I put in my telework hours. Before heading west, I detoured south through the very clean and modern Western MO State University and then directly downtown via Mitchel Ave. I delighted in seeing the Pony Express Stables, Jesse James Home, The Patee House (rityzzz hotel) and the parks. St. Joseph has all the earmarks of being ‘The Best Place in America to Live’ in the 1950s, but since then their big employers have left or been washed away by floods. The city suffers from a lack of new life and maintaining what remains. It has all the ingredients of success, such as roads, schools, infrastructure, but is desperate to bring the big employers back into town. It was sad to see magnificent churches boarded up decorated by for sale signs that had to have been ten years old. Many of the town’s majestic structures and homes seem to crumbling.

This is great artwork.

I had to be careful in my wanderings. The roads in St. Joseph rank second to Topeka as being the worst seen so far. I was forced to walk my bike or take the sidewalk rather than risk breaking a wheel or a frame. But in the midst of all this there was such beauty. The city loves its Victorian castles, its art in the park, its grand facades. As a city of 10,000 hills, there is never a spot where there isn’t something lovely to see. The item that caught my eye was the statue in front of the city hall. It is a monument to the pioneer mother that is just starting the journey west. There is such hope in her face, and the fountain bubbling underneath the art gives the image of living water as her spirit reflected that of the irrepressible American woman. I was really taken by it. It was almost haunting. Such were the many contrasts in this town.

This was a day of rest. I needed it. I still have a lot of things to do like clean the drive train on my bike. That can wait for later. The big things, like get my telework in, were accomplished, and finding time to see some of the local highlights was a bonus. Tonight I had dinner with Kevin, a semi-truck driver based out of Jefferson City, MO. He likes his job better now that he doesn’t crisscross the country anymore, but delivers furniture only within the state. He only stays away from home (and a whole herd of grandkids) one a night at a time. We started talking bikes, but ended up talking about crosswinds for a good piece of the evening. He had many stories to tell about his rig and loads being tossed around. For those who think driving a truck is easy, well, think again.

Bottom Line: Rest is a wonderful thing. Our next day of rest will be in Indianapolis, and my wife and daughter are coming up to visit. Now that is a good thought that trumps all others.