Lebanon – Ava, MO – via the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home & Museum
Yesterday’s ride finished on Highway 5. Ugly. Fast. Lots of semis. Divided highway. Just kind of depressing.
Today we started out thinking that we would avoid that yucky road by taking the biking directions route – which would hopefully take us on some quieter byways. But the byways turned out to be gravel. So – against our better judgement – we decided to check out 5 again.
Turned out it was really nice. Not a big shoulder, but no rumble strips and pretty quiet. And it went all the way to Ava – our destination – meaning that we could just turn off the maps feature on our phones and enjoy the day.
We promised Laura Ingalls Wilder – and we are here to deliver. We even biked out of our way – and up some pretty massive Ozark climbs – to bring you this special report.
Turns out that LIW and her husband Almanzo moved from some middle-of-nowhere town in South Dakota to Mansfield, Missouri, in 1894. They traveled by horse and buggy to get here. (Like the Amish types we saw at a gas station today – see below. Were they buying unleaded? Or diesel? More Amish mysteries . . .) I’m thinking LIW and Almanzo made about 30 miles per day – roughly half the distance that we travel on our bikes. Of course, they probably didn’t take a detour through St. Louis. So it was probably about a month of travel.
They would have had to cross Iowa – just like we did. You have to wonder whether they had the same problems with Dollar General that we did. Maybe they were happy to be on gravel roads – complaining only if they were stuck on the more primitive dirt roads of the time . . .
Guessing it wasn’t all corn at that point; the ethanol industry was presumably not a thing yet . . . Were there Amish people back then? I guess they wouldn’t have needed the horse and buggy signage – and without IPhones, was there really any difference between the Amish and everyone else? Maybe the Amish refused to use modern conveniences like outhouses or toilet paper? They had to do something to separate themselves from the rest of the world . . .
Oh, yes-yes – back to the LIW home. It was nice. I guess she wrote her first book – Little House in the Big Woods – there in 1932 – when she was 65. But it wasn’t exactly like this was one of the homes she grew up in. It wasn’t a sod hut. Or a crudely made cabin in the woods. So it was good to see – but I think Wisconsin and Minnesota can really claim the important LIW crowns . . . (Just don’t tell the Missouri folks this. They built a nice big museum and everything down here. I don’t want to burst their bubble . . .)
And just to show that no day is just about unicorns and lollipops, there were a few disturbing features to the day.
Biking along through some otherwise bucolic farmland we found a Trail of Tears sign. Apparently the Trail of Tears went right through this area. (For those that don’t know this was one of the truly low points of U.S. history. There was no interpretive signage, but as I recall Native Americans were forced to walk across half the country – starting out in Florida or Georgia and going all the way to, I think, Oklahoma. Many of them died along the way. Horrible.)
Shortly after that we arrived in Hartville, Missouri. Complete with a confederate flag on the Welcome to Town sign. I guess there was a battle in the town during the Civil War. A little confusing though, because in Ava – a few miles down the road – I read some interprative signage that said that Douglas County, where Ava is located, was on the Union side during the war. Missouri must have been pretty split.
Anyway, I didn’t even know that any part of the Civil War was fought this far West. I also didn’t fully comprehend just how close to Minnesota slavery happened. I guess trips like this can really bring things home in a way that a book can never do . . .
Last thing to comment on . . . The Hills!
My goodness there are some big hills around here. After we went to the LIW museum we ended up on Old Highway 5 as we made our way back to the main road. Wow. I think we did a two-mile descent. It was AMAZING. Of course, we had to go back up afterwards. And there were a few more like that later. But I was feeling good today (back getting better thanks to my new exercise regiment – thank you very much!) and actually enjoyed both the descents and the ascents – along with the amazing views that came with the undulating topogrophy.
Diana not so much. She is generally like a nuclear powered camel – doesn’t seem to need food or water. But it was hot again today and I think she might have fallen a little behind on her drinking – proving, for those wondering, that she is, indeed, human. She was suffering at the end of the day. Fortunately, this will be our last hotter day for a while. (I should note that Diana has recovered fine and is now practicing Spanish while I write this . . .)
So far, we have managed to dodge the rain. It rained early in the mornings the last two days – but then was pretty nice during riding time. I don’t think we will be so lucky tomorrow. Looks like it is supposed to rain on and off all day. We’ll see how that goes.
On to Mountain Home, Arkansas.
Missouri – you’ve been good to us. You’ve Show(ed) Me (us) a lot of good times.
We’ll miss you . . .
P.S. – It is our wonderful daughter Ellie’s 23rd birthday today. Ellie reads the blog and the comments. Please feel free to add a birthday greeting comment for her!
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Diana & John's Biking Adventures 
happy birthday to Ellie!
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Happy Birthday, Ellie! Glad to see your back pain has lessened. Hard to imagine taking NSAIDS daily for a year or more for that. I am enjoying your Rick Stueves version of your Biking Odyssey.
Charlie M
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I’m going to have to catch up on Rick Stueves. 😁
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Just catching up on your last 5 blogs. I was off the grid North of Munger-Land, thinking of you guys and the simple (note I didn’t say “easy”) life you are living, with your main tasks being to locate your route, find food, and nail down a place to rest your head. Thanks for fleshing out the complexities of those details.
Noah waxed about his visit with you guys in St Louis. You impressed an entire team of hearty, bright, and fit 19 – 24 year old young men. Not an easy task.
Keep the sad but true history lessons coming. I’m enjoying all aspects of the blog -except the part where Diana almost got swept away in the river. Yikes. Did the heat mess with her judgment? Beware of lurking elements in the water sources farther south. The doctor knows what I’m talking about. And lastly, Happy birthday Ellie! I hope you had a great day.
Rebecca
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Rebecca – Hope you had fun off the grid. Always good to drop off for a while and recharge. Glad to hear the little details of our daily lives have some interest to the wider world. St. Louis already feels like a long time ago. Crazy. By the way, more discussions with our daughters and their friends about the “cute guy” in our blog. 😁
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Hahaha. He’s single. Add some some match-making to your agenda. But I never said that. 😊
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Sounds like some good hill climbs and descents-keeping things interesting!
Happy Bday to Ellie-I should remember since she’s only a day before Kaitlin who’s Bday is tomorrow!
Looks like you’re making a beeline for Mexico-no western mountain states from the looks of it. Hope you can evade the rain today!
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Not a beeline, but you’re right, no mountain states for us. That super arid stuff is not my favorite. And we want to get to Mexico and beyond before too long. Happy Birthday to Kaitlin!
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Wow you guys are tough to travel those Ozark hills/mountains keep living the dream, Dave from StLouis
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Good to hear from you Dave. So pretty around here – great rewards for the hills!
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I was such a fan of all the Little House books! We had the hard bound set. And, I’m sure this has already been solved, but both the lads and ladies in the category “wild cattle” have horns, with the male’s being a bit more robust. Stay hydrated, everyone! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLIE!
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Thanks for siding the mystery of the cattle horns. Good to know as we proceed into more and more of cattle territory!
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Happy birthday, Ellie!
And thanks, John, for all the descriptions & updates! It’s especially interesting to compare distances/paces/modes of travel between your biking & LIW’s wagon. Re slavery being close to MN: I was in law school when I learned that Dred Scott was enslaved at Fort Snelling. !
Hope the rain misses you today!
Betsy
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We had a little drizzle this morning, but also one of the most beautiful days of biking ever. So who cares about a little rain…?
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Ironically, I was in Mountain Home Arkansas this past July. Add some John Denver “country roads” to your playlist as you travel on the outskirts of that town. I hope you take a stop to see the dam at lake Bull Shoals…I’m impressed that you managed those hills through the Ozarks! Enjoy!
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John Denver is always on my mind! West Virginia, mountain mama has been going through my mind all day…
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Ha!! Awesome ☺️ keep on enjoying the journey! From: Tracy Lynn I did not realize my last John Denver comment did not have my name on it.
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Yeah, I’m not sure how it works with names, but most of the time people show up as anonymous. Good to hear from you Tracy!
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Happy birthday, Ellie. I love reading the blog each day, John. Sometimes if I need a little encouragement to get out for my daily exercise in the Saint Croix Valley, I think of you guys and get inspired. Would John and Diane come home from work and sluff off? I don’t think so. I drove by your house yesterday and thought of you when I went to watch high school mountain bike races at Wirth. Keep up the great work on those hills down there.
-Torry
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Great to hear from you Torry. Exciting to hear about the races at Wirth. Did they go well? Keep getting out there. Need you in shape for our next run at the Vasaloppet!
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I have been enjoying your journal entries on these rides! Happy that you both are doing well.
Melissa
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Good to hear from you Melissa. We’re having a great time!
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happy birthday Ellie❤️❤️❤️
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What? Diana didn’t drink enough? This is shocking news. Can’t even believe it. You must be wrong.
HBD, Ellie!
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😁😳😁
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Yes. Legit climbs and yes, great day on the bikes!
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Happy bday Ellie!
John I’ve been tracking your progress and per calculations you guys are 0.5 days behind schedule to complete your global circumnavigation in time. Less fun more biking! You got this! Haha – just kidding of course. Really fun following your adventure. Thanks for blogging! Keep riding safe!! Chip
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Dang. If we’re already off we might as well quit now… 😁
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Hei Diana og John fra Norge! Happy birthday Ellie (gratulerer meg dagen is what they say around here!). You two continue to impress with your dogged perseverance through the heat, gravel, highways, and rivers (as for the river swim, oh my, thank goodness Diana is ok!). Thanks for bringing us along on your adventure. I love how Diana is smiling so cheerily in each photo. Ha en god tur og raise trygt! Sending you love and hugs!
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Happy Birthday Ellie! Enjoy your 20s as much as you can.
Also, John, not to add to your cargo, but I never travel without a tennis ball. Helps so much to massage your back against a wall (up and down wall sits) or floor. Glad your exercise regimen is helping!
Kang and John
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Happy Birthday, Ellie! I’ll miss seeing you and your mom and dad at the XC races that I officiate this year! Love the blog, John, you crack me up.
John Filander
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