Sewers?

I had an uneventful day biking from Lebanon to Springfield. Seriously, no photos and nothing interesting to report. However, the day from Springfield to Cassville was filled with discoveries.

On my way out of Springfield, I discovered a little known landmark. Here, the Trail of Tears passes through a Wal-Mart and then is exposed for a stretch in a suburban neighborhood. I was thrilled to see that the trail was marked. The info on the sign here was quite helpful. I only wish that I had encountered it before I entered Springfield rather than after it.

After my morning prayers, I approached a crew of men that were working on some machinery that was on the trail. They indicated that they were testing a new sewer monitor that they installed last week. I asked if they knew that the Trail of Tears ran through here, and they indicated that the sewer ran right along it. I wondered if any archeological excavation was done as part of the sewer install. Then again, the sewer may have been put in decades ago.

They were curious about turkey feathers on the bike, so I told them about the feathers, the bike, and my journey. They were curious and one even commented on the paradox of having sewer line run through such a sacred place. Real people. I appreciated their level of authenticity in just a 5 minute conversation.