Start time: 06.51
Start location: Lesterville
Start State: Missouri
Start weather: warm, overcast, damp
Total millage so far: 1446.41
Finish time: 12.00
Finish location: Eminence
Finish State: Missouri
Finish weather: Hot
Miles today: 52.65
Total millage so far: 1499.06
Today's top speed: 49.2!!!!!
Today's average speed: 13.6
Music played:
Jean Michel Jarre – Oxygene
Johnny Cash - Ring Of Fire - The Legend Of Johnny Cash
Kasabian – Empire
Kasabian – Kasabian
Kate Bush - The Whole Story
Start location: Lesterville
Start State: Missouri
Start weather: warm, overcast, damp
Total millage so far: 1446.41
Finish time: 12.00
Finish location: Eminence
Finish State: Missouri
Finish weather: Hot
Miles today: 52.65
Total millage so far: 1499.06
Today's top speed: 49.2!!!!!
Today's average speed: 13.6
Music played:
Jean Michel Jarre – Oxygene
Johnny Cash - Ring Of Fire - The Legend Of Johnny Cash
Kasabian – Empire
Kasabian – Kasabian
Kate Bush - The Whole Story
Blog:
Right then, a continuation on yesterdays
camping tales of the unexpected. As you
might remember I had trouble pitching the tent due to the solid rock below the
soil. It was very flappy and sagging all
over as I unable to make it taught. As
long as I could get in it and sleep, that was the main thing. There was the possibility of some storms that
night starting around midnight. Just
after midnight I was awoken by huge gushing, blowing, tornado style winds
which were increasing in strength by the second. The tent was flapping, the trees were
creaking, Ublad was frantically hammering down his tent pegs next door to
me. This is exciting I thought, deep
down I was sh*tting myself. Was it a
tornado, were the group leaders going to come round us up and put us in the
van? Had I missed this because of my earplugs?
Was I the only one left? Will the
tree fall and squash me? Ah, I’m sure I will be ok, there is no way my
tent can blow away with me in it. Can
it? That tent was flapping furiously
now, then the lightning started in earnest.
First I thought it was just Ublads torch light, which some of it was,
but then the whole sky was lighting up all around, here, there, left side,
right side, BRILLIANT!! This was going
to be a huge storm as the first cracks of thunder started, followed by huge
deep rumbles. I tried to imagine what
the Indians would have thought of it all.
Not even in Kansas yet and I thought I was off to see Toto it was that
bad. The ground was vibrating with the
huge rumbles which were getting louder and closer to the flashes of
lightning. The storm was fully overhead
for some time. The rain started lashing
down, will the river burst its banks and wash us all away before the wind takes
me off, or maybe I will be struck by lightning before that even happens. Of course, there is still the tree above me
which could be hit too, or just break in the wind. Oh the joys of camping. Note to self, no more camping. So, I managed to sleep in between mother
natures tantrums outside, when I awoke at gone 5am it was still going on with
flashes of lightning. (Must “loose” tent
when I get back home).
Anyway, that’s the dramatic opening to
today's blog. Just to let you know, I was
not drowned, struck by lightning, squashed by a falling tree or sucked off by a
tornado! You can rest easy for
now. Al;though there is a strong theme
running through our camping expedience that near enough every time we camp, it
rains. So the campground was ok, next
to the river which was ideal for kids to paddle in, the water was really warm
and I went and sat in it to read my book.
Got a little red in places too.
Think I’m putting on weight too, not good. So yeah it was very American, there were
huge pickups, trailers and mansions on wheels all pulled up. Tons of junk piled about, toys, BBQs, litter
and the like. All American weekend
camping. Many too lazy to even walk to
the bathrooms, drove their cars there!
There was one group who turned up, who as usual with them, have to have
their music turned up full blast, like as if everyone else camping wants to
hear your R&B bulsh*t music. Go back
to your ghetto, don’t bring it somewhere beautiful like this and ruin it for
everyone else. It didn’t last two long
as I think a couple of redneck local boys went over and had a word. Got to love that confederate flag!
I had a few problems with the bike this
morning and throughout the day, chain dropping off, gears spluttering,
generally a real pain the arse! The ride
was good though, glad it was short as there were a lot of steep hills. We left early to avoid the heat, which we did
– mostly, still, they were pretty tough.
The drivers, I thought, were pretty good today, giving me lots of room,
better then what it has been like recently.
Still lots of road kill, frogs and grasshoppers, or locast or crickets,
not idea which, but lots of them dead on the road. Also tons of litter too, see that a lot
during this trip. Heck of a lot of Bud
Light boxes strewn along the sides of roads.
Is that all they drink here? Ar
you considered weird if you don’t drink Bud Light? A commie maybe?? So the hills were great on the way down, I
hit 49.2mph today, highest yet on my BMC.
I chatted to a couple of ultra light TransAm cyclists today, but missed
out on the English and Scots guys who were cycling from China back to the
UK. Made good time today and made it
into a lovely camp, again by the river.
We have a day off again tomorrow, so that will be good.
We had a family outing earlier to town,
OMG how great was that! We went and had
ice cream at this place and I've never seen anything like it. Fat, redneck, hillbilly's, locals, trailer
trash, white trash, Jerry springer rejects, they were all here! I didn’t know where to look first. There was no way I was going to take photos
of them, even though I wanted to. If I
were in their place, I might be a bit pissed off. Although I'm glad everyone else did as I can
hopefully share some of their pics lol.
There we were ogling the locals, but I think the word got around that
some outsiders, fresh blood, cyclists freaks were in town, as well, the whole
town seem to appear and want ice cream this very night! All shapes and sizes, young and old turned
out. Eyes popping out I could hardly
keep up with the comings and goings. It
does seem that white trash the world over look and act the same. They all seem to have good skin and smooth,
usually with tattoos somewhere, but these ones had belly's too. Smoking in the no smoking areas, driving
around in their big pickup trucks, girls hanging out. How can I go back to my normal life of making
porn now! After our visit to the
wildlife park, we headed back. Not sure
if this is the norm’ or not, but Paul took down each of the markers he puts
out each day showing us the way to camp.
I like to think that he took them down so the locals didn’t know where we
were staying.
That’s about it folks. I'm in a cabin with all the girls this
time. Scary! I’ve locked the door in case they decide to
pin me down so they can dress me up and put makeup on their new “sister”! Must remember to keep leaving the toilet seat
up ;) lol
Should I be calling the locals rednecks or
hillbilly's? Not sure, this is their
lives which we are stumbling across, it might be unfair. They are probably really nice people with
good morals and lives. They are not real
rednecks in that, not that we can see, are playing banjos and making tourists
squeal like pigs!! Saying that though,
we call the people from different local towns up the road all different t kinds
of derogatory names, so maybe its just the way we are. So the jury is out, II will just write how
and what I think. Hopefully it doesn’t
offend too many people, mostly its all in jest and a bit of a laugh
Before the storm in Lestervilee
Nice place to have your makeover
Fast downhill today
Hot hot hot
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