The lake at devils kitchen Illinois after the storm this morning

The countryside in this part of Illinois is much like southern England...except for the wigwam lol!

The community centre where I was invited to stay at tonight. My tent is drying out on the porch after the soaking it got this morning. This is a tiny village of just 109 people...a gas station and a church...and one crazy English cyclist tonight!

Inside the community centre here in eddysville Illinois are photos of guys from this tiny place who fought ans died in various wars...mostly ww2.
I think its an honour to see this ...these guys from this tiny place ..so far away from Europe and the pacific gave their lives so we could be free...and here in an old wooden house on a hill in Illinois they once called home I get to see them. Not many Brits can say that.

Drying my wet tent in the sun at the community centre in eddysville Illinois.

What a facinating little place the community hall at edysville is. To many it would simply be a wooden hut with lights that don't work ..a place to.get out of the rain. I see more..the place is a little shrine to the people from the villages past..there are pictures of Scholl classes from 1916...a biker from the thirties...the village school teachers in the 50's...family portriats...all of past village life is here to see in what I suspect is a 'nothing' village in a nothing place to most.
I wonder what powers of the universe or life events got me here..eating m & m's and learning about the people who lived in this tiny village in Illinois all those years ago. I'm guessing this is.just one of thousands of such halls across the united states...the stories that these places could tell would be amazing I am sure.

Hi Scott...I'm in Marion Kentucky.have left messgw on your voice mail mate. Hope to hook up soon.

Today I rode a bicycle to the Missisipi river!

The last few hills of the Ozarks were steep as expected but they soon gave way to flatter land ad I left Missouri and entered the state of Illinois.

My legs were tired..even Free two days rest! I think I've been eating junk for so long that last nights home cooked meal was a shock to them!

Crossing the Missisipi river was very cool. It's such a monumental global landmark and I reached it by bicycle! I'm actually proud of myself!

The rider I met this morning from Boston was heading to Oregon...he wad worried he had left to late for the weather in the Rockies and was doing 100 miles a day to get there in time. If he can do that across the Rockies he will need to be superman!

In Chester Illinois I met Cindy at the visitor.centre . She kindly took a picture of.me.and wad.interested I'm my trip as she may do it herself one day. I'm sure she could do it easily.

Chester seems to be the home of Popeye the cartoon charachter. His statue.greets you as you ride into town. Olive oil doesn't appear anywhere though lol!

I got a subway and then found this ice cream bar with WiFi.

Tonight I have a free bed for the night at the fraternity of eagles ...they have a bar and a biker room with air con and a shower room all for free because I am riding the transam.

Tonight I'm meeting two friends from vs planet . I'm looking forward to that a lot.

Crossing the state line into Illinois land of Popeye the sailor man!

Me and Shinto at the Missisipi river in Chester Illinois .

Popeye and the ice cream place I am posting this from

As I left missouri this morning the roadside was lined with these blue flowers made a change from dead armadillos lol!

I've just been talking to the head of the parks dept here on Farmington who said this is the hottest driest summer since the dustbowl years of the 1930's. I have never seen so many dry river beds as I have in Kansas and Missouri...and here I am riding a bicycle through it all..ha ha..no wonder I've spent so much on Gatorade!

Well as today is slicing off the bike day I thought is treat myself to some real food...so tonight ill cook myself pasta a la transam..with a cycle salad ..with strawberry ice cream for desert and cherries for the sofa time. Wallmart here is huge and although I have navigated myself across 7 states on a bicycle I got lost in wallmart lol!
It's cooler an cloudy here today and talking to people here there is a sense of relief that the heat is less at least for a day or two.
This hostel comes with a free ticket to the waterpark here..I may go later..or just check out the guitar shop on the corner and hit the sofa again...mustn't overdo it today ha ha!
Anything or anyone to do with London is instantly popular here at the moment...as soon as people hear I am from near London they are very interested and friendly. I tell them I am a prince and 4th in line to become king...ha ha ;)

It's strange not riding today...my legs are used to hauling a loaded tour bike 70 miles or more up hills ...they feel as if they are still turning even though they arnt!

And this me in a recent band playing some deep purple, ozzy Osbourne and some rainbow classic tunes.

http://m.soundcloud.com/greenshredman/3-track-demo

What I sound like on a guitar for those who asked.

A few kind people I've met whilst riding here in the USA have been interested to hear me play guitar. Well I can't carry one with me on the bike but here is a link to a you tube video of me improvising some lead guitar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xpEE071KVM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The jailbreak from the hostel I am at tonight...how cool is this...have to ask how they got dynamite in the jailhouse...lucky they didn't eat the cake I suppose !

Cyclists from all over the globe stay here as they ride across America. This map on the wall has pins in from where they all come from.

The jersey is from the tour de Missouri which just had to be a very tough tour knowing the hills ghey have here!

Inside als place there is everything for a tired trsnsam cyclist...its a superb example of what a cycle or backpacker hostel should be. If you are riding the trsnsam make sure you stay here.

Tonight I'm sleeping in the jailhouse that is now called als place in Farmington Missouri. Shinto is in the bike shop over the road getting a tune up.

The moat that surrounded the fort at the centre of the battle. The tens were trying to take it from the outnumbered unipn forces. They could have just shot it up with cannon from the surrounding hi ground but noooo...they had to charge it head on and get cut to ribbons.

Shinto on the battlefield at pilot knob Missouri

The Missouri state flag flying on the black river today

Oh really...I'm not so sure my god requires either..just that I live the life I have been given well and make the.most of the chances I make for myself and don't puss others off too much along the way.

Todays ride from Ellington to Farmington Missouri was another hilly ride. But after a night in the motel I felt better and even with no breakfast or lunch and just two pepsis my legs got me to farmington easily over some really steep hills. On the way I was again attacked by a dog running free ..the owners are a danger to cyclists and should be made to keep their mutts off the highway.
I stopped at the usual run down gas stations here for a couple of cokes , a few friendly people and rode on to pilot knob...which isn't a condition affecting airline captains but a civil war battlefield in Missouri. Here I was lost in the past..I like all the history and the story of what happened here. The old fort is still visable and the ammo dump that blew up and left a crator...I think the union guys were in the fort and the rebels were attacking it. I could have stayed longer but wanted to get to the bike shop in Farmington before it closed to get Shinto patched up.
I passed the usual deluge of churches with weird messages from god outside..past placards asking me to vote Michael Jackson to the senate..or was it Sherrif...and into farminton. Here I was welcomed by no less than bud the head of parks in his truck...I found the bike shop and it looks like they will do a good job. Opposite the bike shop is als place..a purpose built bike hostel for riders of the trsnsam route..how cool!

The place is built in the old jailhouse and inside it is home..clean, tidy, lounge kitchen beds showers laundry computers all I want..air con..the works. I will rest here.
Whoever made this place happen is a star!
There should be mote places like this on the route..who knows maybe I could set one up.
Todays roadkill count was three armadillos one snake two dogs (hopefully the ones who attack cyclists) one cat one owl and several small rodent like things with black and white tails..
...back to als place...there is a map here of where cyclists come from all over the world to ride the trsnsam..very cool hostel...and there wad a jail break from here and they used dynamite to escape..to cool!!

Elevation profile for yesterday and today.

Current river Missouri...one of the few rivers with water in this summer..and this one was less than half full.

Hills like this one look harmless in a photo but trust me they are killer hills and go on forever, mile after mile of steep sharp hills with the last ten metres always getting even steeper just as your legs ate screaming out for amputation lol!

Jacks fork river at ally spring missouri

Today I went to church...well..the ride from Houston to Ellington Missouri was hot..long..tough..and a rollercoaster ride of steep sharp climbs I'd guess at about 20% grade for the mostpart. The frustrating thing was that as soon as you get to the top you go down again and have to climb it all over again. Here whoever built the roads didn't want to follow rivers...they just built roads straight up and down any hill in their path...even the FedEx truck had a problem on one hill. I stopped in eminence and my ice cream radar took me directly to a pint of soft ice...then a second..oops ;)
I have to be honest and say that Ellington is not a nice town. It seems very rundown and looks like many places are out of business and people seem pretty hard up here. I went to the Jesus is lord bike hostel on my map but Jesus was pissed that he was still on the cycle map.
...on the ride I'd ran out of water again..its so hot...just then a miracles from the almighty himself...a pentocostal baptist vhucrch of faith god and all things holy appeared with a tap and a watering can...to a hot cyclist like me this is called a free shower!
I tried the warm shower host in town but he said he needed three days notice and e mail confirmation...erm..mate that's not really any good to a cycle tourist...so I tried the city park...shitsville is a term I don't use often but here it is justified...so I headed for the only.motel in town mostly so I would feel safe around here. Expensive few days.
The Ozarks are ok I guess but the Rockies were more scenic and fun to ride. Maybe I've been spoilt lol!
I was only chRged twice by hlbilly dogs today and both backed down when I discussed their life expectancy if they continued to behave that way with them.
Why don't people here keep their dogs under control
??

Shinto is on teal need of a service..the gears are slipping on the hills making riding really tough..I tightened the cable but it makes no real difference so I guess it needs a new cable...the map shows a bike shop I'm farmington...I'm going to church first thing tomorrow to pray for it to be open lol! I swear there seem to be two churches for every one person here..but I've not yet seen anybody at church. I don't want to offend anyone...but to my.mind around here religion seems to be taken to extremes...but...I thank thew lord for todays free shower..amen ;)

Shinto in the Ozark mountains today

Man my body is stiff after those hills yesterday...could sleep here alll day if it weren't so expensive. I've lost and forgotton my cell number..if anyone has it please let me have it back lol!
Right...its time to ride up some hills called Ozarks..due to an impromtu basketball game outside my room last last night I didn't get much sleep...ill find a tree somewhere and sleep sometime.

I have the added plus of smelling good today ha ha ha!

Tonight I am back in air con heaven ..a motel in houston Missouri...it was a must as I was on the edge of being sick from the heat and drinking hot water all day. I also saw cows passing out with my body odour as I rode past and birds of prey circling overhead..I smelt B A D. Time to shower, shave, wash my kit, eat some real food, and above all give Shinto some TLC. As I checked into the motel the Indian guy behind the desk was from Bradford...well of course lol!

The drivers here outside the towns pass wide and slow right down. The hills and blind bends make head on smashes likely I guess when passing..But here the car drivers also wave goof luck as they pass. Cool.

There sent many big trucks becduse of the hills..yay!

I'm still amazed at how many churches I see..and endless placards for elections.

The roadkill situation has changed...I'm seeing mostly armadillos, snakes , turtles, and what I think are skunks...or maybe racoons?

I saw a huge owl today washing its feathers in one of the few rivers with water in it...pretty cool I thouht.

All in all missouri do far is a good state to ride...very tough hills and hot but green and there is shade. The small gas stations seem to be the social centre for the local farmers on cowboy hats to hang out all day discussing the radius of fence posts. Here you can buy plastic ear tags for your cows in the gas station...hmm lol!

I have a feeling I'm not in Kansas anymore lol!

Missouris never ending roller coaster has started. Still got the headwinds to deal with but today was a bit cooler although still in the mid 90f. The trees Herr are deciduos and the fields greener. I slept in late to make max use of the air con and only rode 30 miles to golden city...which is not golden or a city..but a small town of 600 people ish huddled around the usual gas station store. I was going to ride on to Everton but there is no city path there to sleep in so golden city park is home for tonight.
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.

Home for tonight..the coveted basketball court at golden city park...hmm..bet that tin roof sounds great on a storm lol!

Today was a day of rollercoaster hills heat hillbillys dog attacks two cyclists subway and that was just before lunch lol!

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!

A better kept house here in Missouri...

Missouri moos and me in missouri

Highway 71 to Kansas City this morning. I rode ahead to golden city ...big nasty highways..bah ...ha ha;)

I know there are several cyclists following this blog . One of the questions any cycle router needs to ask is what gear to take. So as the sun sets here in Missouri I will try to give an idea of what is or is not working for me on this tour.
The bike..a 2007 daws galaxy has been perfect. I fitted a new brooks b17 saddle in montannA when the old one developed a split...my panniers are carradice overlanders..they do the job but need waterproof sacks inside. If I could afford ortliebs I would ride with those. My arckit sleep mat failed ..it should not have. I bought a thermrest replacement in pueblo. I have gone through three cheapo water bottles that split when I squeeze them..tbh I may S well just ride with soda bottles and replace them every few days. My tent is a quecha t2 pro from decathlon. Cheap and at 2kg for a two person tent its perfect. It's to hot to use the tent at lower elevation states but it was invaluable at higher altitudes. I ditched the trangia cookset early in the ride. I just didn't need it and it was just extra weight. I have had two bottle cages fail on me..no big deal as I now carry most of my water in a front pannier to try to keep it cooler. I went through one set of brake pads on the downhills on the mountains earlier in the ride. Carry a spare set as bike shops ate few and far between on this route.
Schwalbe marathon plus tyres are holding up.well..although the rear one hS a side wall tear its not showing any signs of bulging.
High vis triangle is a.must...truck drivers all over the world are dam dangerous and the USA is no exception.
Waterproof clothing...I used it in Oregon and not once since. I live in my cycle shorts and shirt. Sunglasses from liddle finally died on me so replacements are on shoppi.g.list. bri.g an.inflatable.pillow. I carry a simple foam sleep mat as well as the thermosest..I use it to sit on on the daytimes and put under the thermorest as some campsites have rough ground.
Icarry basic tools but haven't needed any of th yet thankfully.
Sleepi.g bag is just a 40 quid blacks.basic 2 season bag and that is fine here. The colder nights at altitude had me sleeping clothed in the bag but here I haven't used the sleep bag I. A week or two its so hot.
ShimNo touring spd shoes..do the job on and off the bike..but after about 50 miles they hurt my feet. I carry a pair of crock shoes for campsite use.
I have 2 pairs of socks in constant wash rotation..two cycle shirts..one cycle bib shorts..bib longs..overshoes..alturs nigh vision hi vis jacket..waterproof gloves..fingerless gloves...and tbh I could ship all that home in this heat and ride with just a barbag a tent and sleep mat and I'd be fine. But I needed those items in the mountains and there are more mountains coming so I'm holding on to.them.
Maps are aca trsnsam maps...also I.have the dame.maps loaded into my.Harmon gpsmap 60 with USA citymaps. I only.use the GPS.in.towns or to pinpoint my position if.I.feel the need.
I carry sunscreen and Insect repellant on a combined spray.
Basic toiletry kit..bog roll..razor etc. And some hand disinfectant. Tootbrush..co.tact lens stuff etc.
I double taped my bars for comfort..not sure it makes much difference though.
I've had one.broken spoke..so far.
I think the trsnsam is a tour that can.be done with minimal gear. As lo.g as your bike is sound and you have cash.and sleeping kit u will be good. I've seen riders struggling with all kinds of crap on the bike and those with just barbag and tent. Doing this tour self supported is totally possible..totally fun and best with only essential gear I think..but each of us is different I guess :)