Quarterly Newsletter and News Articles

Second in a series of three articles in the Park Hills Daily Journal, about bicycling in the Park Hills/Farmington area and the TransAmerica bicycle route, which runs through the area. Published in the Park Hills Daily Journal, July 2003.

Seeing the country from the saddle of a bike

By TERESA RESSEL\Daily Journal Staff Writer
FARMINGTON -- Dusty Ross strolled into Mineral Area Cyclery in downtown Farmington Thursday afternoon to get a new chain for his bike.

It was Day 25 of his cross-country bicycle ride from San Francisco to Virginia Beach, Va. He's cycling across the country to raise money for Camp Courageous, a year-round recreational and respite care facility for individuals with disabilities that is located near his hometown in Iowa. So far, he's raised $8,000 in pledges.

He was calling it quits for the day after only 90 miles because he needed to fix his bike and also wanted to meet up with a few of his friends who drove down from Iowa.

Ross usually averages 105 miles a day so he planned to ride 120 miles the next day to make up for the difference. He planned to camp out overnight in the one of Farmington's parks and head for Illinois the next day. He believes he will be on the road for two and half more weeks.

Talk to Ross and you'll find out the trip has been more than just hard on his knees. He's encountered wind storms, steep hills, and rude drivers.

"Missouri is the worst," he said. "I hate to say it but Missouri is terrible. Everybody I met that was going westward warned me about Missouri."

From San Francisco to Kansas, motorists passing by him cheered him on and gave him the peace sign. Those states had shoulders on their roads, he said. In Missouri, he estimates one out of 10 people passing by gave him the finger.

But what really upsets him is when someone with a handicapped tag drives past him and gives him the finger -- because they are the reason he is riding.

Ross said a motorist in a pick-up truck near Eminence threw firecrackers at him and a logging truck ran him off the road.

Ross, who just graduated from high school and plans to go to college this fall, said he will be glad when he gets out of Missouri.

It might come as a surprise to residents of the community that Farmington is part of the TransAmerica Bike Route. The cross- country route starts in Astoria, Ore. and ends in Virginia Beach, Va.

The bike route crosses over from Illinois at Chester. The route then hits St. Mary, Coffman, Farmington and Doe Run before going to Iron County via Route V.

The route was designed so that bicyclists could travel on scenic secondary roads all across the country. It was developed in 1976 to celebrate the nation's 200th birthday. Maps are available through Adventure Cycling's Web site for a fee of $8 or $11, depending on if you are a member.

Tim White has been operating the bicycle shop on Jefferson Street in Farmington for 32 months. He picked his location because it is on the bike route. He said most people don't know that a cross-country bike trail goes through downtown Farmington.

"It's amazing how many businesses don't cater to them," he said. He believes it would be beneficial for hotels, bed and breakfasts, churches, and tourist attractions, especially those with campsites, to make themselves attractive to these cyclists.

There is at least one home in Farmington that serves as an unofficial hostel for bicyclists.

The Farmington resident, who didn't wish to be identified, said he offers them a place to rest, and a place to do laundry and send e-mails. He helps them find out about different places they could stay and has even taken a few foreign tourists to St. Louis so they could see the sights.

"They are always courteous and interesting, they make for good company," he said. "They have all been amazingly wonderful people."

Over the years, a number of these cross-country cyclists have stopped in White's shop -- many of them needing a long- overdue repair. He said they start moving through the area by the third week of March and keep coming through September, when the weather gets cooler.

White said half of the bicyclists are foreigners -- many are Dutch. The Americans are either early retirees or college students. Most of the cyclists travel east to west to see the historical progression of the United States.

White said 50 to 60 percent of the cross-country bicyclists he has talked to have complained about the local route.

"They ask what is wrong with the people who drive here," he said.

A young woman who had an ashtray and a bottle of urine thrown at her came into White's shop hysterical. White said she quit riding and had her bike shipped to her home in North Carolina.

He said there is talk about rerouting it through somewhere other than Farmington and Iron County.

"The complaints have gone back to Adventure Cycling," he said. "It only takes a few apples like that to spoil a good thing."

Laura Raymer of the Farmington Chamber of Commerce office said several cyclists stop in their office to pick up maps and to get information about restaurants, attractions and hotels. Raymer said the people she has talked to have been pleased with the area. She said their only disappointment is the they only have one night in this area.

"It's pretty neat that we are able to be on the map for something like this," she said.

Local cyclists have had similar experiences to the young woman who got hit with a bottle and an ashtray.

Dave Rawls, a member of the Parkland Cyclists, recalled a time he was riding with a friend on Highway 32.

"Three teenagers went by and threw out two cans, hitting my companion," Rawls said.

Rawls said the cans could have gotten caught up in the tire and caused his companion to crash.

"We weren't even on the road," he said. "We were on the shoulder a good five feet from the lane."

Rawls recalled one time when he was riding on the road and was startled by a cement mixer truck blasting its horn.

"Why even do this?" Rawls said. "There's no reason to do this except to try to scare people."

What scared him the most is when he was riding on the shoulder of U.S. 67 and someone drove onto the shoulder. Rawls said the vehicle was traveling at full speed and came within a foot and a half of his bike.

"He made a very controlled slide back into the lane," Rawls said. "The only assumption I can draw is he thought it would be neat to scare me."

Rawls only knew that a section of Route W was a designated bike route.

"I wouldn't go out there is someone paid me to," he said. "It's not safe for bicyclists to be on. It's definitely not a good place to ride."

He doesn't know why the route was put where it is. He and a few other members of the bike club talked last week about finding out how to get the route changed.

He said the highway sometimes has too much traffic and it does not have a shoulder.

"If I was riding on any road out here I have no doubt someone would try to force me off the road because drivers think they own the road," Rawls said. "When I do ride on the road it's not without always looking over my shoulder to make sure a car isn't coming."

Rawls added it would be nice to ride on shoulders of highways that aren't covered with pieces of tires, rocks, and trash.

The local bicycle club has 48 current members but only 13 of them are "serious riders." They meet every weekend to ride inside St. Joe State Park.

One of the original members of the club was killed earlier this year while trying to cross U.S. 67. Highway patrol reports indicate Stanley Overall was struck by a vehicle while he was trying to negotiate his bicycle across the highway at Doubet Road.

Family members and members of the club had set up a roadside memorial near the site of the accident to honor Overall. The roadside memorial has since been taken down and Rawls said he doesn't know why.

Sheriff Dan Bullock said there have been many near accidents and a few accidents over the years.

Bullock said vehicle traffic on Routes F, W, and V, has increased over the years. He said there is an influx of people moving into the county or traveling to and from the county.

"A lot of people are using alternative routes to get in and out of the area," he said.

Bullock said he has seen a lot of bicyclists on these roads.

"It's seems there are a bunch of them this time of the year traveling through (the area)," he said.

He has received several calls from bicyclists and motorists complaining about the routes.

He is urging both motorists and bicyclists to be careful on bicycle routes, especially ones without shoulders.

"The main thing is to be careful, watch for each other and use a little common sense," he said.

Bullock said motorists should slow down when they are coming around a curve or over a hill. He said bicyclists should not stop to rest on a blind curve.
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