Tag Archives: Springfield

Monday 17th June

After yesterday’s inconvenience of having to cycle a further 15 miles, it left us with a choice of mileage today. Do we stick to plan and go to the KOA the over side of Springfield now only 10 miles away, or do we go to the following campsite that we highlighted for tomorrow 60 miles. There is nothing in between.

We wake up early with every intention to go to the second site it’s cheaper and if nice maybe stay 2 nights to have a rest day. Bugger torrential rain it’s hammering it down. The weather forecast says it will clear over at 10 am. Change of plan 10 miles it is we don’t need to check out until 1. I turn over and go back to sleep. 10:58 am we checked out and cycled 3 miles to a diner for brunch.

So we’re still in Springfield not where Homer Simpson lives. Simpsons creator Matt Groening was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. He commented that the fictional Springfield is based on Springfield, Oregon, located south of Portland. Like the Simpson family, the Groenings lived on Evergreen Terrace.

Springfield that is the Birthplace of Route 66. … It was on April 30, 1926 at the Colonial Hotel via telegram that Springfield businessman John T. Woodruff and Oklahoma businessman Cy Avery first proposed U.S. 66 as the name of the new Chicago-to-Los Angeles highway.

It took us about 30 minutes after our long brunch to cycle to the campsite. We spent the rest of the day relaxing. Catching up on washing and routine bike maintenance. We even relaxed in the pool as like the forecast predicted it turned out nice.

After all that cycling and swimming we had built up a appetite so had a pizza delivered to our site. It must of been a holy pizza if the box was anything to go by.

Very nice it was to. So tomorrow we will do the 50 miles let’s hope the weather will be kind.

Sunday 16th June

A comfortable night spent in the motel with the occasional loud thunder clap disturbing our sleep reinforcing the decision to be inside.

Next to the motel is the rocking chair restaurant offering a breakfast buffet. We don’t have far to cycle to the next campsite so decided on a lie in and late breakfast in the restaurant. As to be expected in a buffet we both over eat that should keep us going for the 20 miles to the campsite.

On the road for 11am silly really it’s now in the heat of the day. We used up the last of our sun cream yesterday so first priority is to buy some more. We’ve got through 2 bottles of factor 50 already, but still have really dodgy tan lines. The 1st shop was in Marshfield.

Whilst we were at the shop we met a cycle tourist from Poland he was cycling Route 66 in 6 weeks and using mainly warm showers. Today was his first day back on the bike after a car had hit him a week ago he was covered in grazes and bruises but nothing broken.

Time to say our good byes we buy a subway to eat at the campsite later as it’s a RV park and has no shops nearby. 9 miles to go and the hills are getting less steep

We made it to the RV park just gone 3. We had checked on their web site and it said that they except tents. It’s a big site, lots of open green spaces, picnic benches and has a swimming pool with new toilet/ shower block perfect. Problem we go to the office and ask for 1 night 2 adults in a small tent only to be told that they didn’t except tents. We said to the girl that we had checked on the website so she checked to and agreed but the owners had decided not to except tents anymore. Darn the next campsite along is a kOA 25 miles away. It was going to be our destination tomorrow! It’s going to take us over 3 hours to get there with these hills. We would of got up early if we knew it was going to be a 50 miler.

Ok we’re going to have to find a cheep motel again. The plaza inn Springfield 15 miles away that will do.

The road took us past a camping shop In Strafford. I still haven’t found a replacement pillow so we go in no luck. I’m going to be pillow less for ever. Why can’t I find a inflatable pillow!

The lad I asked was interested in our trip and came out side to look at our bikes. He finished work in 30 minutes and offered us a lift in his truck to the motel bless him. We declined and luckily the last 10 miles seemed to be flat or even slightly down hill. Arrived at the motel 5:30. Not to bad.

Friday 7th June

Today we were planning to do 40 miles. We checked the weather forecast and it was going to be another hot day, so a early start was in order. Packed and ready for 6:30 am of we cycle we would have breakfast in Elkhart. A nice easy ride on old Route 66 taken us past a sign to tell us it’s the site of pig hip restaurant 1937- 1991 not sure why we needed a sign in the middle of nowhere for that!

Breakfast in Elkhart small town population of 400 and a early settlers cemetery. Only 1 restaurant open. Breakfast was good scrambled eggs and toast it’s a really friendly town if you can judge it by the ladies loo at least your friend can pass the paper!

After breakfast we carry on we had 30 miles more to do and it was getting hot. We check our guide book and couldn’t see anything really worth stopping for so decided to push on to get to the motel early and hopefully we could check in early.

On we go stopping briefly for drinks, suntan lotion and bug spray breaks. We were headed to a motel 6 in Springfield and had to leave Route 66 as that turned into interstate 55. Not a problem following the back roads but it meant that we missed giant man statue number 3 the lauderbach giant 7 miles out of our way.

Other places of interest here include Lincoln’s tomb and a historical town.

We arrived at the motel 12:30 pm and they allowed us to check in early. 45 miles in total today done before the heat and a relaxing afternoon great. The weather still looks hot tomorrow so hopefully we wake up early and get our asses in gear and go.