I had a really great time with Scott on Paducca Kentucky. I can't thank Scott his wife and mother enough. I was treated like a king in Kentucky!

Paducca

Images painted on paduccas flood wall

Images from paduccas flood wall kentucky

The floodwall on Paducca is very special. Not only does it protect the town from flooding but it has been decorated with the most amazing artwork along its entire length almost. I took pictures of several works that I liked.

Scott at the Paducca floodwall kentucky

Shinto and the American queen on the Ohio Tenessee rivers

Being interviewd by a local journalist in padduca today about my trip.

The paddle steam ship American Queen at Paducca port today where the Ohio river meets the Tenessee river

This is the vs planet dollar bill signed by my friends on vs planet I have met along the way. Mark I will mail this to you as I forgot to ask you to sign it when we met. This is a special bill and I wouldn't spend it if it were my last.

Today is my birthday...and what a great way to spend it! My friend Scott from cap picked me up from Marion and we drove to Paducca Kentucky. Scott took time to show me around town..Paducca is a nice town with lots of history. I really liked the cool muriels painted on the flood wall which was built by German pows.

The town was badly flooded in 1938 and in Scotts shoe shop there is a high water mark.from that flood. It must have been one hell of a time for the people here back.then.

It was good to.pick.up some of Scotts guitars and make some noise...its been a while since I played and Scott has a cool scalloped ne k.Stratocaster.

We went out ans had a hug steak for dinner and then to.a local.bar where I got a surprise birthday cheescake...that wad so nice of Scott and his wife Lisa.

I really like paducca..its a nice clean.and green town.

Scott outside his shop

Playing with some cool toys and sharing a huge steak

The flood wall in paducca is covered with amazing muriels. Here the Ohio and tenesse rivers meet.

This Adam who is riding to Virginia from Astoria

Larry kindly sent this pic of me outside the bike hovel..hostel in Chester a few days ago. The maps are the current section of the transam route I am riding.

Larry kindly sent this pic of me outside the bike hovel..hostel in Chester a few days ago. The maps are the current section of the transam route I am riding.

Tonights room at the church in Marion Kentucky. I've met back up with Larry whom I met in Chester a few days ago...he said he followed me for 15 miles today but I didn't hear him call or see him...I need to open my eyes and ears a bit more on the rides I guess I do tend to be a.bit blinkered.
Also a guy called Adam is staying here as well who is riding east and said he'd been following me for about three weeks now...there are visitors books in some places and I like to sign them. It's really good to know there are other guys as crazy as me out there lol!

I've been told the apalacians are a tough ride as the climbs are very steep and long. I think Shinto may need a new chain and cassette before then...ill see.

Todays sub from subway was full of so much fresh stuff the girl couldn't shut it lol! I thought is make the most of it lol!

In town today I was warned about drug addicts by a guy...apparently meth is an issue here.

Tomorrow I'm meeting my friend from cap and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm so lucky to have friends here in the USA who have been so supportive and welcoming to me.

I can't over emphasize just how hospitable the American people have been to me on this trip.

Tonight I am sleeping in the united Methodist church in Marion Kentucky. I spent time this afternoon in town stuffing my face at subway then over the road to McDonalds to get some free WiFi to update the blog etc.
Then over to check in at the church. I wasn't sure what to expect as this is my first night in Kentucky but I was welcomed nicely and shown around and made to feel at home. This church has been welcoming transam cyclists for over 13 years and they have a visitors book. The photo is my page in it.

So...I made it to Kentucky today!

Shinto crossing the Ohio river this afternoon to kentucky

The ride to cave in rock was humid and hilly again. Elizabethtown was very run down and I took a video because its such a shame this place right on the Ohio river is so poor and deprived. Most of the town is shut or for sale and I left the store because it had nothing I could buy. I headed onto cave on rock hoping for better things and a cellphone signal or wi fi so I could contact my mate from cap on Kentucky. At cave in rock there was still no signal and I decided to ride onto onto Kentucky as cleaelybthis part of Illinois is still in the 1940's lol!
At cave on rock I got the ferry across the Ohio river to Kentucky and rode to Marion.

The fields here in Illinois look very my h like Sussex fields...apart from the odd wig wam lol!

The lake at devils kitchen

The ride from Chester tool me along country lanes and the Missisipi levee to devils kitchen Lake where I decided to camp and get out of the rain. Mosquitos are a real pita here! The ride was the usual rollercoaster of steep hills over mostly poor road surfaces. Humid today. The camp site was right on the lake but I was so tired I just climbed into the tent and fell asleep. This part of Illinois seems to be pretty poor..some if the towns are very run down. The trees are starting to look like they will drop there leaves.

The Missisipi river

I rode along the Missisipi levee

A couple.of shots from Chester Illinois.

Last night was a blast! I was taking a napp when there wad a knock on my free hovel...erm..hostel door and were Tim And Bill my.friends from vs planet! We drove up to st. Louis and I got to see the archway to the west...and then we hit the steak house for what has to be the.best steak I ever ate! We chatted like old mates and then moved onto a bar where the barmaids skimpy clothes left nothing to the imagination...the guys had to drag me in the bar you understand...kicking and screaming. Ha ha! ..next it wad off to a local gig to see a band...Tim and Bill are so cool guys and obviously famous locally as everyone knew them and thier band cardboard room which has been getting airplay on local radio and tv and they are boomed to play a gig at Busch stadium st Louis soon...that is a big baseball team over here so its a really cool gig!

It was a perfect night and I'm so happy we met and got to hang out after all these years on the planet! :)))

St. Louis is the biggest and busiest town I have seen since Portland .

Thanks again guys for everything!

St.Louis skyline last night

The coolest plate in America for sure!

Live band...pretty loud so we hung outside so we could hear ourselves talk mostly :)

This is Larry who is riding the transam from sanfransisco.

Shinto in the town Popeye was 'born'...

The Illinois state flag

The ride today was pleasant enough and started late as I had been out on the town on st.Louis the night before...and a great time I had to!
The weather was humid and cooler than of late. The grey skies dominated the day and the sun didn't break through allday. I rode from Chester along the misissipi levee ...here the land is totally flat and mostly covered incorn. I wanted to swim in the river but the current looked pretty strong so I chose against it.
NVigating the rest of the day became harder and harder...I was glad I had pre loaded the routes to my Garmin which dug me out of the merde a few times.
I decided to skip around murphysboro as no doubt it is just another town full of cars and bad road surfaces and I headed to Carbondale instead...here I found the entire town shut. All I could find for food wad mc donalds...I bit my tongue and went in because it wad the only food option until tomorrow lunchtime earliest.
By now heavy drops of rain were falling and I raced along to devils kitchen lake to the campsite. Here I am now in the tent hiding from a deluge of bugs and.mosquitos. the place has showers and water at least so I can rest here.
Shintos chain is still slipping even though the bike shop serviced him. A new chain will mean a new cassette as well and I had a new o.e fitted before the trip...to expensive so ill soldier on.

There is definatly a different vibe about things now I am getting more east. Today there were parts where it was like Sussex or Surrey commuter belt almost...until.I got to the towns and it all went pear shaped lol!

As I type the dad in the tent next to me is failing to tune a guitar and impress his kids...mom has decided enuff is enuff and taken the truck to hunt for chips..and all on all things are good even though riding in cat ondale today had its stressfull moments I enjoyed the ride!

Devils kitchen lake Illinois tonight