Fall Ride, Day 2
We departed the motel in Farmington at 9:00 and buzzed the highway north to Bonne Terre. It was sunny and 41 degrees. We toured the Bonne Terre Mine, which is an old lead mine.Inside the mine is a large subterranean lake. Besides providing short boat tours on the lake it is used for scuba diving. The water is crystal clear and a constant temperature.
After the mine tour we split up. Carl and Marge took off on a route to Hermann, MO where they would spend the night before returning home on Saturday. Chris and I went south to the St. Joe State Park. A lady at the Bonne Terre Mine said we might see some pretty fall foliage at this park. We didn’t. The main attractions at this park are a few small fishing lakes and a large off-road vehicle riding area.
At the south end of St. Joe State Park I checked the Garmin (we named her Gertie) for cafes in the area because we were ready for lunch. I found Sissy’s Corner Café - 9 miles away. Gertie took us to Sissy’s in Bismarck, MO on several back roads. It was an enjoyable 9 miles.Chris also enjoyed the train depot across the street from the café.
After a hearty lunch at Sissy’s we were off on a short run to Elephant Rocks State Park. Chris and I have been here numerous times but we really enjoy walking and climbing around on the rocks, though this time Chris thought I took us on a route through the rocks that was not meant for 62 year old geezers.
Our last stop for the day was the Old Village Mercantile in Caledonia, MO so Chris could do some shopping. She didn’t find anything she wanted to buy but she did have a pumpkin spice chai tea latte, which she special ordered (and enjoyed very much). The proprietor said she’d never made one before. I had a pumpkin pie smoothie, which was also good.
We returned to our motel in Farmington, arriving shortly after 4:00. It was a fun day with 104 miles in the saddle and a top temperature of 61.
GO ROYALS!
Click on this link if you want to see all the photos taken today: https://goo.gl/photos/r9uXjiwaLFBNTjeU8
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