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!