Big BAM Final Day: Perry to Columbia

We left around 6:15am from the “Resort” and headed back on the same course we had on Day 1. The BAM route was initially planned as a circular route but due to flooding the last days ride into Columbia from the west was impassible.  I finished up (last ☹️)  the 69 mile ride at 1pm to a marching band and cheering Pom Pom girls (not really). 

Riding off into the rising sun I brilliantly led Team Amos & Friends into the beautiful dawn of the day.  My moment of brilliance didn’t last long...

At about mile 7 in the little town of Perry Team Amos and Friends begins to crumble under the multi-day pressure of Tour de Big BAM.  Bill W. and Dan had lost their pep. We thought about putting them down but then we’d have to clean up a bloody mess so our wonderful Sherpa Sheri packed them and their bikes carefully in the car and entertained them for the day with “I Spy” and other family road trip games from our childhoods.  

You may recall these flags at The Missouri Military Academy from Day 1 photo earlier in this blog.  If you have keen observation skills you’ll remember they were blowing the opposite direction, the day of the “Terrible Headwind”.  So yea, we faced a 10 to 20mph headwind today again, of course!

33 miles in at Mexico, around 9:30am, I was beginning to dream of being Bill W. and Dan, playing games in Sheri’s Sherpa car all day. I needed to do something drastic so I stopped at the McDonalds and got 2 breakfast burritos with hot sauce and a black coffee. I knew the Gods of the Second Wind would smile on me when I became the “Number 1” customer waiting for my morning sustenance. 

How cute is this little dog laying patiently by the side of the road waiting for a worthy cyclist to chase and bark at.  Like almost all women that I encounter, I was invisible to him too. 

Meet Dan and Alvin, two good ‘ol boys from Columbia, the city,  not the country.  I had passed them a few times today and we had exchanged pleasantries but this time I decided to chat them up and understand what long distance journey they were on.  Turns out they were just riding today’s leg of the BAM!  However Dan actually did have an actual cycle-touring pedigree having biked from Key West to Fairbanks, AK for one example. He said he was about to turn 70!

Nice guys, I wish them well. 

At Mile 60 I’ve used up all of my second wind from McDonalds but I have 9 miles to go still and everyone is waiting on me so they can eat and have a beer(s)!!  I summon up all my strength, put my butt pains out of mind and push on with even more urgency, not wanting to let down interesting and nice people who might actually be friends with me some day. 

In spite of the angry and disappointed faces of Team Amos & Friends who had been standing in the parking lot by their cars for some time now, I raise my arm in victory.  I came, I saw, and I BAMMED!!  I am victory!

Finally at Flat Branch Brewing the real winners sit and celebrate their efforts and camaraderie....

While I sit at the kids table where we make fun of each other’s faults and weaknesses. At least I had one moment of exhultance today. 

😕

Seriously, it was a great ride with really great people and I’m very glad I BAMMED with the BEST!