What a fantastic day! After abandoning the challenging Bicycle Route 66, we discovered a delightful alternate path. Our ride started with an exhilarating, roller-coaster journey through a forest, transitioned into a serene, car-free tour of Battlefield Park, and concluded with a trip down quiet farm roads to Spencer Station. There, we found a perfectly preserved mini ghost town—a Route 66 gem. Here, we find the last bit of undisturbed Route 66 pavement, which I disturb by laying down on it for a photo. 

At Spencer Station, we had the pleasure of meeting Gaylen and Lance, the motorcycling “Two Lane Life – Highwaymen.” These two cowboys, who host a regular YouTube podcast about life on the road with their Harleys, filmed us for a segment on their show.

Later, we rejoined Route 66 and were pleasantly surprised to find that a shoulder had been added for a portion of it. Greg and I decided to ride the remaining distance into Carthage, our destination for the night.

Completely famished, Bill managed to sweet-talk a BBQ restaurant into staying open just for our hungry group. We descended upon our dinner with the ferocity of Turkey Vultures on an armadillo carcass—a sight we’ve become all too familiar with recently.

Still energized, Bill, Jett, and I decided against calling it an early night and headed to a bar with pool tables for an unofficial “Canada/US billiards summit.” We were surprised to find the place deserted, save for one patron. We mentioned that the unlit “open” sign had led us to believe they were closed, which turned out to be a revelation for the staff. They promptly switched on the light, and people instantly flocked to the bar like moths.

Ultimately, the lesson of the day was simple: a little bit of cycling is all you need for a truly happy cycling trip.