A Cold Ride in the Ozarks

We started out at noon today with the temperature at 34 degrees, but predicted to hit about 44 degrees. I dressed a little light based on the forecast, and I was cold the entire ride because it never made it above 36.

I got to the start a few minutes late and only John and Tom were there. I joked that I assumed the others had already left, and Tom joked back that they were on their way. John had a flat just a couple of mile from the start. He picked up two rock points that were driven into the tire even though he has Kevlar belts. This can be a problem when it is wet be cause the rock points stick to the wet tires.

Our route took us southeast to Rogersville via Turners Station, and then back west to Riverside Inn, in Ozark, before turning north back to Springfield. The damage to trees in the southeast from the recent ice storm appeared more severe than in north Springfield. There was also more snow still on the ground and the bridge where we crossed the Finley River east of Ozark. The bridge at the Riverside Inn was clear as it gets more traffic. We parted ways with John at the Finley because he had ridden up to Springfield from his home in Sparta. It was a cold, but successful, 56 miles.

Finley River Bridge