Sunday, June 22 – Rocheport to Hartsburg
Today is the day we had booked our tour at Warm Springs Farm in Boonville. It is the official breeding facility of the Budweiser Clydesdales. We met Don Meyers in the hotel lobby for coffee and conversation. Don was responsible for getting the hotel comped for us; thank you Don! Since we stayed with Don and Sharon last, in 2017, Sharon passed away and Don sold their country home, where we stayed, to his grandson who is happily raising his family there. Don is real pleased to have it stay in the family.
Just before 9:00 a.m. we parted company, Don going to church and the three of us off to see the Clydesdales. It’s already 76 degrees and sunny.
It was a special day at Warm Springs Ranch, as all three teams were there, having been brought in by nine semis. As a special bonus, all of the Dalmatians were there too. We learned about the history of how the tradition was started in 1933 to celebrate the end of prohibition. August Busch’s sons presented him with a six Clydesdale team and wagon. Soon the red, white & gold wagon began appearing at events around the country. The team has grown in popularity and size, now eight horses (and two Dalmatians) and are synonymous with the Budweiser company. We see them in parades, at rodeos and fairs and on TV commercials. We were treated to an excellent tour of the operation starting with a free beer and educated in everything “Clydesdale”. Interesting that all the horses pulling the wagons are males, each with a specific talent and training. I was pleased to learn that the best feed for those giant horses is a second cutting of Timothy hay from the Stanley Hay Company in Idaho, where I live. We were encouraged to wander, look, pet the horses and the dogs, take pictures and ask questions as we were guided through the barn and the outer area with an earpiece to hear the tour guide’s talk. After a visit to the gift shop, we continued down the road to start our bike ride.
Because we were running short on time, we drove to the Rocheport Trail Head and started riding at about 1:00 p.m. toward the North Jefferson Trail Head. Once there, the plan was to load the bikes and drive to Keith & Denise Ziegelbein’s home in Lohman, MO. Charlotte, Marie, and Evelyn Logan (RIP) first met Denise’s mom Del and dad Art in 1999. Denise took over hosting in the mid 2000’s. We have stayed with the Ziegelbeins numerous times during rides on the KATY Trail and also on return trips (driving back to Colorado). We have known them for over 25 years, all because her parents took in 3 travel weary bicyclists riding across America for HD (and the Year of the Bible) back in 1999.
The temperature got to 95 with a pretty strong wind, so riding any distance was difficult. We needed to take a few extended breaks. We were riding along the Missouri River most of the way and came to a place called Coopers Landing where there was a food truck a snack shack at the boat ramp and the promise of live music later in the evening. We stopped and ate at a picnic table and visited with a young lady vending hand-made trinkets, but had to leave long before the music started. We told our hosts we would be at their house by 5:00 p.m. so we had to end the ride at Hartsburg instead of North Jefferson. We rode 25 miles today, 10 miles short of our intended goal, just ran out of time.
We did get to Ziegelbeins by 5:00 p.m. Denise welcomed us in, showed us around the house & allowed us to settle in and take showers at our leisure. Keith was mowing some of their acreage. They live on a 300 acre family farm with Denise’s father owning most of the property, Denise & Keith have a custom home built into a hillside on 5 acres of the property, each of their 2 sons have a house on 5 acres and Denise’s sister Danielle has a house on 5 acres. After a wonderful dinner of barbecued pork steak, sweet potatoes & fresh green beans, Keith took us for a ride in his “Mule” for a tour of the property.
They lease a lot of it for crops, but their sons have some milk cows, beef cows, hogs & sheep. It’s interesting to see the work that goes into a farm and little overwhelming too. They’re a great family and we were fortunate to spend an overnight with them. What a blessing they have been over the years!
It was a really busy day. I’m sure I’ve forgotten some highlights, but that’s enough for now.
Thanks for following our journey.
Sherri