Up with the sun, back past the tourist zone of Lake Ozark, up Hwy 54 through rolling countryside

 to Jefferson City, capitol of Missouri.

Walked through a nice little museum in the wings, discovered that glaciers covered Missouri to the Missouri River, which may explain the river's course.  Also saw a  geologic map which confirmed that Missouri south of the river is pretty much Ozark land.

Caught up with Lewis and Clark

drove through the couple blocks of downtown near the capitol, then crossed the river and drove east on Hwy 94.   In the floodplain, corn and soybeans,

 reminded me that it is amazing a combine can pick up six foot tall dried out corn stalks, remove the kernels and spit the rest out the back and auger a stream of golden corn into a truck.

Stopped at Portland to ride a stretch of the Katy Trail, a rails to trails conversion that runs from St Charles almost to Kansas City.

Hard packed sand, a very nice ride, this stretch along the river through trees

wildlife!

away from the river and along fields, hot and windy.  Passed a man on his way from New York to Los Angeles, caught up with him on the way back patching two flat tires.  The life of a bike tourer.
Finished riding, I drove up to Hermann, an old German town trying without  a lot of success to do Bavarian Village.  South on 19 through rolling country, mostly pasture

through Cuba, south through Steelville and up into the Mark Twain National Forest, oak pine forest,

former and still some mining going on.  Through Viburnum, lead mining town, the east on Hwy 32 down out of the forest to gentle valley at Belleview, hills close to being mountains to the east

 through Bismarck to St Joe State Park, choice between the off road vehicle loop and the horse loop, but all quiet, and other nice night, and a WiFi hotspot on the shower building!