Day 20 – Friday 6/17/22

Sullivan, Missouri to Washington, Missouri – 35.5 Miles

Today wasn’t a high mileage day, but it was a significant one. My ride to the Oregon coast begins on the Katy Trail, just north of Washington, Missouri. At the start of the day, I was 29 miles from Washington and just a little farther from the Katy Trail, so there was no motivation to leave the hotel early. After finishing up the blog from the day before, I got going about 10:15.

For the first several miles of any day I’m gathering and processing information about weather, road conditions, Ishmael’s performance and how I’m feeling on the bike. This typically means a warmup period of several miles to get settled in or attend to anything that needs immediate attention. This morning Ishmael was chirping like a flock of birds due to the chain needing lubrication, so we pulled over after a half-mile and fixed the problem. He was his normal, unobtrusive self for the rest ride.

Beginning In 1926, Route 66 was one of the original numbered highways in the U.S. highway system. Running from Chicago to Santa Monica, it helped make travel by car over long distances possible for millions of Americans. Even though it was superseded by the Interstate Highway System, and removed from the list of highways by 1985, it still exists in places and evokes a sense of adventure in those who still follow it. The lure of unique motels, local restaurants and roadside attractions that aren’t run by corporations are a draw for travelers of any era, and finding a gem is rewarding. I spent part of the day following the Route 66 Byway and saw the remnants and reality of the road today.

I wasn’t on Route 66 long before I met up with one of Missouri’s famous citizens. Though he’s been dead for 140 years, he’s still earning a profit for present day Missourians, who are happy to tell you about him for cash. While I didn’t get a picture of the “Jesse James Wax Museum”, that promised to tell the “Untold Story”, there was a sign advertising his hideout nearby.

These types of attractions have always impressed me. The “homemade” appearance of some of them, combined with the hyperbole common to their advertising, always makes me think “Is this going to be worth it?” But, whether there’s $10 of value in seeing Elvis’s shoelaces (Worn by the King!!!) or World’s Largest “Anything”, is asking the wrong question. When Disney can drain thousands from a bank account in just one visit, consider your roadside attraction fee a donation to keeping this bit of Americana alive for future travelers.

A little further down the road, wild animals appeared. I thought it was closed at first, but several cars pulled in as I approached. I hope those people left happy.

As I’ve seen in other places, when people no longer pass by like they used to, things literally start to fall apart. I’m intrigued by the story behind abandoned buildings. They served a purpose at one time but allowing them to decay in place means their value to whoever owned them has fallen to nothing. Here’s a house that’s been left to rot with the Ghost of Christmas Past still inside.

Some buildings are beyond the “Handyman Special” classification. Firewood or termite food might be a better description.

I kept rolling down the Byway hoping to see more. Here’s a sample.

Roadside architecture used to be designed to pull people towards it. One method might be to create a motel that looked like a teepee village, still a classic in my opinion. Another way was to just build something nice and hope people appreciated it. This is an old motel that’s been repurposed into a VFW hall.

If you’re in politics, having an easily remembered name can be an asset. I don’t know what this guy’s qualifications are, but his name is cool enough that I wouldn’t have trouble voting for him.

There were still sights to see as I got near Washington. This bucolic scene features a trailer park in the background.

This old building was inside the city limits, purpose unknown.

Finally, the Missouri River was spotted about 3:00. For me, this begins the next part of the trip, moving westward. Lewis and Clark passed by here 218 years ago, and I’ll be following the same river to Montana.

Lewis and Clark’s names are beginning to appear more frequently. This is my first sighting along the Missouri River.

Downtown Washington had the same look that Cape Girardeau had a few days earlier: Vacant. It’s a pretty downtown and gets busier on weekends.

Cycling to the hotel, I stopped at a place called the “Dairy Bar” for food. It’s a highly rated local restaurant serving meals and ice cream at decent prices. A single cheeseburger (excellent), large vanilla malt and large iced tea was $11. That took away the desire for dinner later, but it was worth it. In the morning I’ll be on the Katy Trail heading towards Jefferson City. Thanks for reading!