August 9, 2024 – Should I Go Back to the Missouri River?

    It's been just as tough as I thought it would be. Maybe a little more tough. This is the hilliest section of road that I have ever ridden via bicycle. From Boonville all the way to King City, it's been up and down. You summit a hill and then cruise to the valley; hill after hill after hill. You hope for relief. Instead, you are greeted by another hill. It's taking the life out of me and sapping my spirit/morale. I just talked with a man here in King City. He told me the land flattens out by the Missouri River. If I keep going the way I'm going, it's going to be wave upon wave of hills all the way to Omaha. So, I think I'm going to make my way back to the Missouri River. It may add quite a few miles to the trip to Omaha, but flatter roads will be totally worth it. The man that I talked with gave me a $20 bill and bought me a drink and candy from the convenient store. What a generous man! As far as the route goes, here is what I'm thinking:

King City-->Brownville-->Nebraska City-->Plattsmouth--Omaha/Council Bluffs

    This route will take me by the Missouri River, but it will add on 40-50 extra miles. It's about 180 miles via the river route. The route that I planned beforehand will be about 140 miles. So, it looks like I'm just going to bite the bullet. I'm already committed and too far from the river at this point. I'm sticking to the original route. No pain, no gain, right? It's going to be slow going; it will probably be another three days before I reach Omaha (at 50 miles per day). That's about the fastest I can go on this hilly terrain.

    God be with you guys! On the bright side, Google Cycling maps has kept me on roads with no traffic. I feel much safer on the ride now. Over and out.