Farmington, MO to Murphysboro, IL 88 Miles, Armadillo

7/14/11
We've left the hills of MO and are taking on the hills of IL, KY, and VA.  Looking ahead, we see nothing but ups and downs, but they are still shorter than MO.  The Mississippi is still flooding.  This area had a four inch rain storm a few days ago. The river at Chester is only about a mile wide. We were told that the river was 1.5 miles across today. The route today took us atop some Mississippi levees.  There were large areas of flooding along the way.  I saw a house with sand bags around the foundation. In fact there was water over the road in one area.  The route reminded me of the areas we rode in the Netherlands last year.  Water was higher on the river side of the levee than the fields on the other side.  There were a bunch of egrets along the way - beautiful.

Road Kill.   What animal did we see as road kill the most through MO.  A hint.  I have never seen this animal as road kill in Michigan.  I don't think there are any in MI.  Pete and I were hoping to see a live one, but the ---------- was a no show.

The roads in MO were very narrow.  No shoulder at all. The bikers knew it, but I experienced it in the car too.  The speed limit was 55 most of the time on roads that should not have been more than 35. There were very limited sight lines too.  Since I did not have to get anywhere fast I held up traffic once in a whole.   I hope IL has done better.

Pete's fan club wondering why the crazy guy is out in that sun.

Eastern MO has many winery s

The saints gathered by the River, the beautiful, the beautiful River.

Isn't that guy on the left ever going to change that orange shirt?

Pete is happy to be in his home State.

Relaxing in Murphysboro IL

Bike Trouble/Flats.  Phil & Pete have had one flat each.  Dave has had two plus one tire with a big hole in it.Pete has had two broken spokes and one tire out of round.  Pete also replaced back wheel because it had a crack in it.  Dave's crank needed lubrication by a professional. Otherwise they are working well.

Since we could not find a suitable camp ground  near Murphysboro- there was one with pit toilets and no showers - we are in a motel again.  The guys are welcoming the AC after 88 hot miles.

I'm reading  West of Here, by Jonathan Evison.  My daughter-in-law Kristy recommended it.  It's about some folks whose whole life is an adventure.  I have been calling this trip an adventure but I am wondering if what we are doing is in the same category as Evison describes it.  "Only in adventure were the senses fully engaged, the life force fully harnessed, the intellect fully immersed.  Only then could one feel the magnetic forces of chaos pulling them toward the true nature of all things. And only when these forces dragged you by  the collar to the very precipice of terrible understanding, and forced you to look down into the abyss, only then did the fighting begin in earnest, only then were you truly alive."    We are having an adventure, but not exactly looking into the abyss.

Phil