July 8: Good ride to Independence

Nice Farm near Independence MO

Another early start in order to beat the heat of he day. Today I rode highway FF from Higginsville to Independence MO.  The toad is a backroad, what we would call a. Country Trunk Road in Wisconsin.  I stocked up on fluids before I left which was a good thing as there was none along the entire route.  This is a prime agriculture area; all of the crops appear to be corn or soy beans. A lot more cornfields, and all of them appear to be in great shape.

As I got closer to Independence which is a suburb of Kansas City, the road turned into Truman Road, which turns into the Main Street of Independence where the Presidential Truman Library and home, and other historical sites are located.  

I have now completed my trek following the track of the Missouri River across the state.  I am now in the Kansas City area, at which the river takes a more northerly course (Yay!) and becomes the border between Kansas and Missouri.  I’m not sure  if I will be traveling in either Kansas or Missouri for the next part of the trip. Probably looking at maps each day to see which state offers the better looking route.

Hotel tonight is a very nice place. Stoney Creek Resort and Conference Center.  There is another one in Wausau WI. Three of the last four hotels have been on I-70 (Boonville, Higginsville,  and today).  My bike routes have not been along I-70, but that is where I always seem to end up at the end of the day. In reality, that is where the hotels are.

Today my elevation high was 953, so I’m getting back close to the thousand foot mark. I’ve noticed that the daily high elevations have been slowly increasing, which of course I expect as I make my way west.  The 953 elevation is the highest elevation I have had in all of Missouri. The highest point in all of Missouri is Taum Sauk at 1775 feet. 

Miles:47

Elevations: High 953, near Independence: Low  696

Max speed: 34.4

Highway FF becomes Truman Road

Farm  area along Truman Road