I had the best sleep in my tent camping at Coopers landing with my rainfly off looking up at the stars and feeling a cool breeze rolling off the Missouri river all night. Ryan's tire patch didn't work and I knew we would be lingering at camp in the morning until we could figure out another plan. I was quite happy with the predicament as I got up early and leisurely enjoyed breakfast on the river bank, talking to folks starting their day. A camper loaned Ryan his car to drive to columbia to pick up a new tire and the morning turned into a lazy afternoon.
The heat broke leaving behind a cool sunny day. I felt like could have stayed another week at Coopers, but by 2pm we were back on the trail planning to ride 70 miles to Sedalia.
I was full of energy and feeling great from our stay at camp. As I rode along the trial I marveled at all of its natural beauty, the caves along the cliffside, the trees shading the path, the large expanses of the river.
Only a few miles into the ride I came across an enticing sign for another camp and decided to have a look. I pulled in to find a cobbled together stage right on the river with an ecclectic group of 8 or so musicians playing a slow swampy rendition of "Can't you see". Two men were wheeling a Hammond organ off the back of a pickup truck off to the side. 30 or so people where out in tank tops and shorts drinking beers and enjoying what I learned was a weekly blues jam at camp Catfish Katy. A woman approached me and offered me a beer, she was happy to hear about my trip and that took me past the most beautiful and weird stretch of the Missouri river.
The rest of the day was spent cruising along the trail passing people out for Sunday rides. I pulled into Sedalia at around 8 pm after 70 miles and began looking for the camping option the map had promised. No information was on the board and the police had no info. After some digging I got a text from Ryan about camping at the fair grounds. I was able to pitch my tent just before dark.
Camping next to us where three raggedy 25 year olds riding from Cross country from San Francisco. They had no tent sleeping out on the grass and happioy telling us the have so far been able to avoid Mosquitos. They had were riding 100+ mile days with no rest days plowing down route 50 all the way into MO. They planned to make it to the east coast in 35 days. I couldn't think of a more radical experience, but one I wouldn't trade for my own.
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Location:Main St,Kansas City,United States
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