Back on the road again. I could have been sent to a lot worse places. Nestled in the Ozark Plateau, Springfield, Missouri is a city with a population of 167,000. Small in stature, but rich in cycling culture. Technically in the South, Springfield is a bit warmer than Pennsylvania.

On Sunday, I pedaled right out of the hotel and onto Glenstone Avenue. Busy, but rideable, I took Glenstone to Division Street. and climbed up passed the airport to S. Farm Road. A couple of miles off the main thoroughfare and I was transported to farm country. Honestly, it got pretty rural. Once I passed the Kansas Expressway, traffic was almost non existent, which made for a sweet morning ride.

Monday morning was more of the same. with little time to ride, I jumped out on Glenstone and turned on Commercial Street (C-Street), a trendy restaurant district that has seen better days. I picked up Division Street and again, climbed passed the airport and out to S. Farm Road. A loop over to E. Farm Road and back into town.

Today, I decided to sample the local culture. During the week, I saw a flyer for the Tour de Crawdad, a charity ride that starts and finishes in downtown Springfield. They offer rides to suit any ability. 25 miles, with very little elevation. 40 Miles with about 1,600 feet of elevation and 60 miles with 2,700 feet. I opted for the 40 mile ride. At 7am it was 40 degrees with a light rain. The host, Mother’s Brewery, was the perfect staging area for the event.

The rain did not hamper the ride. Traffic was light and as soon as we left downtown, I was back in farm country. I did not pay attention to the well marked course and ended up a little further out on W. Farm Road. About 8 extra miles. Oh, well, I needed the additional work. Once I figured out that I was lost and found my way back on course, I started to see riders again.

The trip down to town was relaxing. I enjoyed the gentle decline all the way to the finish line. At Mother’s, the feast began. All you can eat Crawdads and 2 free Mother’s beers were included. You can’t ask for more. If your in town in April, this is a fun ride with lot’s of local culture.

What’s Playing (What am I listening to while writing or what dancing around in my head while riding), today – The Ozark Mountain Daredevils – It’ll Shine When It Shines