If I'd taken my good bike lock, I probably would have stopped at the casino in Boonville. I'm glad I didn't! Did any of the slot machine zombies even notice your bike jersey and/or shorts? Bet not.

Most of the people who ride the trail (like you) live in the midwest, so you have a pretty good idea of the scenery. I live in western Colorado, and I was frankly amazed at the tranquil beauty of the farmland, the prairie, and wooded jungle near the river. I was also pleasantly surprised by the friendliness of the people we met. More than once the scenery reminded me of "Deliverance," but the experience was totally different. When I tell my non-biking friends that we spent a weeks' vacation in rural Missouri not visiting Branson or family, and how beautiful it was, they give me a "you must be nuts" stare.

I'm glad that the benefactors, trail volunteers and taxpayers of Missouri had the foresight to create and maintain this magnificent resource. Thank you.

Then we drove back on I-70. Ugh.