Tuesday, 7 August 2012
Leaving Kansas was almost emotional as the people have been so nice to me..but I won't be sorry to see the end of the winds.
The lady who serves pizza in the gas station thought I was from Belgium...and told me my accent was a dream...hmmm...that and the girl who said she liked my helmet in also earlier ...I think I shall keep my mouth shut from now on lol!
The park tonight is alive with locusts singing again..no pool though...will have to have strong words with the town Sherrif or someone!
Every house here has at least 3 election boards in the garden..seems everyone wants to be sherrif or sit on the senate or something.
Also there are churches everywhere..all different types and all locked up.
I am now getting into civil war territory..and will more so as I ride east. I find all that very interesting.
As I came out of the gas station store there was a guy on a horse at the pumps ..I think the horse could drink from the bu key there but it looked so funny.
I haven't seen another cyclist for several days now..I think most westbound riders have passed me now and I them..Although the pizza lady did say she had fallen in lurve with a Greek accent on a bike going east a week ago lol!
I am pretty tired out and could do with a day off the bike just sleeping in sitcom heaven..but its expensive and not always available..besides I just had a stint of that so its time to rough it again like a real cyclist...lol!
I'm going to try to find some dry ice to keep my water cool on the bike...Mark suggested it last nigght so I will see.if I can find some...on the next 'big' town.
The Ozarks are coming so there will be more climbing soon..I hope my knee holds out..it will..because it has to.
Now the question right now is do I bed down on the covered basketball court or pitch a tent...I'm tempted by the basketball court as it looks more likely to survive a deluge of rain like last nights...just bet ill wake up on the middle of a game ha ha!
There is a different feel to Missouri..I can sense I am getting east now and like each state I have crossed so far I am sure this one will bring both challenges and wonders.
I stopped for a Gatorade fix at some gas station just out of walnut grove ...there I got involved in a conversation about UFO landings, the CIA and of course the heat with three guys. One of them told me the reason his last three marriages to English women ended on divorce was that they didn't understand hillbilly!
Then met two young girls riding from Virginia to California. They were suffering from malnutition caused by gas station food I think as they asked me where they can get real food instead of junk.
I got attacked by some huge dog...no doubt its owner thinks it is cute but the dam thing should be on a lleash. As I was climbing a sharp hill with a truck up my arse this dumb animal charges me..bites my front pannier and only let go when o kicked it hard on its head.
There ate churches everywhere here..and adverts for churches..more adverts than for junkfood even. Seems that here god is everywhere...churches on every road it seems. I guess this is the start of the bible belt. Well I have a message...' And verily I say unto you...yay though mete hillbillys thou art...put thy fucking dumb ass dawgs on a dam leash...for verily I still hath bear spray from the holy land up in Yellowstone and I'm dam well gonna use it on your mutts'...amen.
Oh man you would would cry if you could see the size of this woman who just wobbled onto subway and ordered everything they sell with triple cheese...oh my...may her god help her lol!
This afternoon saw the hills getting steeper as I approach the Ozarks. The real climbs will come soon. Missouri is like a roller coaster as the roads tKs no notice of natural contours and simple go right up and over. I met a guy from Germany riding to san Francisco ..he had a plane to catch and had to ride 150 miles a day to get it...good luck with that plan in Colorado mate!
I ended up in Marshfield...another bicycle hell of a town...bad road surfaces..busy hot a traffic accident waiting to happen for a cyclist. Only one motel and that was a rip off. The city park here is dirty and run down compared to other towns. The sooner I'm gone in the morning the better.
I'm seeing a lot of poverty and run down places as I go east. Lots of shops shut down and old cars etc just left to rust in front gardens . It's a shame. In some ways the vegetation here reminds me of a very hot English summer where the leaves fall early. It's strange isn't it how people are much nicer to each other when they don't live in big towns. Shinto needs a tune up...I've done what I can but its not perfect. The lady in the gas stTion here is very friendly to me and said she would keep open later tonight so I can use the restrooms as those in the park here are what I can only describe as worse than anything I have seen in France!
I am extremely tired and want to get a room for two nights...not as eSt as it sounds here though.
The German guy said I would be at the coast in three weeks...at the speed he rides maybe but I'm strictly a 70 miles a day man nowadays.
I am going to try even harder to avoid big towns...this one really sucks. I passed a town called Brighton today...and Springfield ..isn't that where homer Simpson lives?
I can feel a slight temp drop as I climb again but I am told the heat in the Ozarks makes them pretty tough riding.
I haven't found WiFi for a while so all the updates will probably upload at once and maybe wrong order again...oh well..at least we have WiFi these days.
I forgot to get Mark to sign the vs planet dollar bill...Mark ill see if I cam mIl it to you.
Tonight I sleep next to the football pitch...I'm hoping soccer remains unpopular here for at least tonight so I can sleep lol!
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