Day 26 - 484.1 Miles

When I started today I though it would be relatively uneventful. I knew that I would not be able to make it home today, so I broke away from the main highway and decided to take The Great River Road by the Mississippi. I had seen Alton Brown do this on his Food Network show “Feasting on Asphalt”. I had forgotten about the flooding. There was detour after detour routing me around the road. That was not my only problem. I had forgotten that today was the 4th of July. I was in the middle of America in small towns in Missouri. Every Main Street was having a parade! I called my wife because I thought this was hilarious. She said I could join the parade on my bike. At one point I had the Mississippi River to my left, water covered roads ahead of me and 4th of July patriotism on my right. What could I do. I decide to watch a parade. I was talking to a policeman about a possible route around the detours when I mentioned joining the parade on my bike. He said I should! I asked “Didn’t you see Easy Rider. The cops arrested them for that!” He thought that was funny! I decided that it was time to make some time, so I went back to the slab. I finished the day (with just a little rain) in Clarksville, Tennessee. Believe it or not, one thing I am looking forward to is changing oil in the bike. I last changed oil in Anchorage. I have been working this oil hard. I am looking forward to washing this bike and giving it some tender loving care. It has done everything I have asked of it and more. Tomorrow…home!