I only took one picture today. This picture is from one of the top highlights of my journey so far. 18 miles into today’s ride, I came around a corner and saw a convenience store I wasn’t expecting. On closer inspection, it was on the map, but somehow I didn’t notice it. Anyway, I was happy, because I was a little hungry and wanted to fill my water bottles, so I stopped.
As soon as I stopped, a little boy came out of the store and walked right up to my bicycle and started asking questions about everything. I tried to answer him as directly as I could, but I didn’t know how to explain things like “solar panel” in ways he could grasp, but that didn’t stop him. He followed me into the store, and continued asking me questions. I picked a convenience store pastry and some Gatorade, and sat down to eat. Without missing a beat, he joined me, and then his sister and older brother also joined me.
I am usually not great with kids, but these kids were captivating. I showed them the pictures I’ve taken on the trip, and the oldest of the three brought the store’s guestbook for me to sign. He handed it to me solemnly, and, after I’d signed it, he showed me how the sections were separated into years, and he showed me the pages his younger siblings had scribbled in.
Eventually, we started talking about snakes (because I had some pictures of them) and turtles. They knew all about snakes, and brought some books about Missouri snakes to show me. They knew how to identify copperheads and rattlesnakes, and had lots of stories about catching them. I talked to them for at least 45 minutes.
When I was ready to leave, I asked their mom if I could take their picture, and she agreed, so they lined up in front of my bike, and the oldest grabbed his bike.
After I’d taken the picture, I mentioned their appreciation of snakes to their mom, and she said, “They get that from me.” Then she and I spent 15 minutes talking about snakes, and she had lots of great stories about catching ratsnakes and kingsnakes and re-homing them in places (like their barn) that needed rodent control. My favorite story was about a large boa constrictor escaping IN THEIR CHURCH. And also how the boys brought home some eggs in a bucket of sawdust that her husband eventually discovered (by accident) had hatched into black ratsnake babies when he dumped out the contents.
Earlier, the dad had told me that people around there run over box turtles on purpose, but that his family loves them.
I think this unexpected stop is going to make me smile for years to come!
You can find their facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/Bendavis-Store-555151554657743/
Later, when I was having dinner at the El Charro Mexican Restaurant in Marshfield, I met another family. Somehow, the dad could tell I was not from around there, and we talked about my tour. I love meeting people on this trip!
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