6/10 Alley Spring, MO

Today the route entered the real Ozark Mountain zone. For much of the latter part of day of the 73 mile ride, the route followed a relative quiet road through the hardwood forests typical of the region. There were plenty of those steep Ozark ups and downs. Did you know that the Ozarks are the only rugged mountain like terrain between the Appalachians and the Rockies? The mountains are made out of granite that has eroded in places. Underground the material is limestone and that has created a number of natural springs. Alley Spring, for example, has a daily flow of 81 million gallons of water a day. There is a restored mill at the site where grain was ground for the local population using the outflow of the spring. The largest in the area, Big Spring, has a daily flow of 450 million gallons of water a day. The Mark Twain National Forest is in the area along with the Jacks Fork Ozark National Scenic Riverway. The rivers all have a very blue color from the minerals. There are lots of companies offering float trips. This is also a big area for horseback trail riding. So the region is a major Missouri outdoor destination, like our Adirondacks.

For the first time on the trip we are camping tonight at the camp ground at Alley Spring. Rain and thunder storms are forecast. I am writing a draft of this post offline under a nearby picnic pavilion as the rain is coming down. The nearest town is 5 miles east, Eminence, where we had a nice dinner. Earlier in the afternoon while she was waiting for me, Sally did not scout out the fact that there was indeed a motel in town. Actually several resorts, cabins, B&B's,etc. Oh well. She did meet up with another cross country rider, James. He is riding to Oregon and riding about 50 miles a day, a pace to allow him to reach the West Coast in time to be in a wedding. He told Sally that so far he had not spent anything on lodging. He goes to the local volunteer fire stations, and so far they have allowed him to camp and sometimes to get showers. We on the other hand have spent a tad bit more on lodging.