Saturday, 16th June 2012
Day 28 - Farmington to Lesterville

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MP4 Quick Time
Should have saved Bon Jovi till half way through ride. Fast short video today.
Length - 8min 22
Download MP4, quicker than streaming when downloaded - (right click and Save As)

Start time: 06.52
Start location: Farmington
Start State: Missouri
Start weather: warm
Total millage so far: 1403.16

Finish time: 10.58
Finish location: Lesterville
Finish State: Missouri
Finish weather: Hot
Miles today: 43.25
Total millage so far: 1446.41
Today's top speed: 42.6
Today's average speed: 15.0

Music played:
James Brown - 40th Anniversary Collection
Jazzie B Presents Soul II Soul At The Africa Centre
Jean Michel Jarre – Equinoxe
Jean Michel Jarre – Oxygene

Blog for the day: (Monday, 18 June 2012)
So here I am again, another camp ground, another small town writing yet another blog entry. We have a lovely river just across the track a few meters away from my tent. Problems with the tent though, one pole has snapped and it seems like we are camping on solid rock an inch below the soil as all the pegs are now bent! I wish I had the energy to go down to the river, but all I wanted to do is sleep. I wonder how I will look back on this in say, another 40yrs time. I wonder how other people are interpreting this too. Are there people, who like me last year, were following and reading other peoples blogs to give me inspiration and the courage to take on a trip like this? I do hope Jack & Alfie are reading it, laughing at the things which happen and taking an interest in where I am and the things I see and do.

So what did I see and do today then. Well, we all thought the dogs were behind us in Kentucky, but no. There were loads today coming out and barking at us with many still trying to chase us down. Some respond to simple shouts, while one pack of 3-4 were much more aggressive and had to be tooted at by a oncoming which nearly hit them and squirts of water from the water bottle, which really worked! Lots of wild tortoise too slowly crossing the road, some really small babies, others looked much older. I wonder how many make it across to the other side safely. Lots more road kill on the roads, perhaps I should run a competition by taking photos of them and asking you to work out what it was before it meant its sudden death. Some are split up into many pieces though.

So we set off early at about 7am again as it is getting so hot now, even before 10am it was in the 80s in the shade. Not sure what it is now and its only 1pm. The real heat seems to hit at 4pm though. Just woken up after a little nap, 14.22. So so hot, sweating like a pig in the tent. Not much happening. At the service station where I picked up some more crazy junk food was a guy who had been fishing in the Mississippi earlier. He had caught a load of catfish, one of them he pulled out was over 50lbs! Next door was a hunting type shop, check the pics. There doesn’t seem to be as much poverty here as what we saw in Kentucky either, still, there are loads of yard sales, more today as it is Saturday. Also loads of antique shops and flea markets. Not sure if they are real antiques as the few I have been in have been more antique style! I’ve touched on the “style” thing before. Still, I am doing very well at not stopping at every single one as I would back home, or if I were not on a bike! Dam that bike, still, it is saving me a fortune. Maybe I am learning something here! All these yard sales are maybe showing me that its not worth buying more and more tat! That we don’t really need all that crap, just the basics. That way you wont get in debt like so many people here seem to be in. All these adverts trying to sale you crap, just resist. I saw some bad adverts the other day at the hotel. Reverse mortgages, basically taking out equirty out of your house. The advert was pushing this by saying you can spend more!!! Amazing, go on more holidays, buy more junk etc etc. Why the heck do that! Arghghg it drives me made. So, maybe I wont be buying more tatt because of this trip. I may become tighter then a tight Scotsman lol.

So, now, I am sitting on the rocks with my feet in the river, very cooling indeed. Sweated tons in the tent, so this is much better. Could do with some lucazade though as not feeling 100% with his heat and all the exercise I’ve been doing. Maybe some jam donuts instead would help. Is there a DQ around here??? The hills have been pretty tough, but not overally hard, more fun and enjoyable as there are some nice rollers! Some really steep drops like a roller coaster, great fun indeed. Again, the last day or so of riding is very much like going down to Brighton. I know I bang on about it, but that and the ride to Whitestable are pretty much the only training rides I do, but yeah, the terrain is pretty similar. Lots of steep climbs and fast downhills. Lots of fat Americans floating past and setting up camp on the other bank, fab. Just listening in now so give me ten mins lol.

That’s better, a nice afternoon sitting in the water and reading. I missed out on the rubber ring rafting thingy, which sounds like it would have been a good laugh, what with the drunks, loud music, fighting and water moccasin, lovely! Lol. Nah, it sounds like it was a right laugh. Still VERY hot here, but thunder is promised. If the tent will stay up, is another question altogether. Time for another nap before dinner I think!

The scenery is definitely changing, it is very noticeable to what we have seen lately, the trees and general ground is different, very rocky.
   
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