Days 15-20 - Across big rivers and deep into Missouri

I would like to say I entered into some kind of rhytm but it's a pretty erratic one at most. Every 3-4 days one comes when energy levels are low, plus my back & butt hurts. Coincidence or not these are the days I also resent the front wind the most. I stretch at every stop to keep the pain in the muscles around the shoulder blades at bay. A massage would not hurt (actually in the real sense it would, a lot).

The scenery is pretty much the same since the Appalachians , forests, farms, pastures, fields, little towns. The two big rivers I crossed, Ohio and Mississippi were a welcoming change, especially because it meant crossing into Illinois, then into Missouri, which made me feel I actually make pretty good progress.
On the other hand there are times when crossing exposed fields and fighting the wind, or slowly climbing a hill when I feel I might as well walk.

But it's always a smell, the forest after the rain, cut grass, flowers, cows watching me carefully, a deer running, colorful birds singing that remind me to stay in the moment and enjoy it all. Even dogs chasing me, which happened a lot since I entered Kentucky, has its fun and remind me a little of home. Except when I am going uphill and when the dog is a bulldog or a german sheperd. Since people have no fences, many times the dogs are free to keep themselves in good shape by chasing cyclists.

Speaking of cyclists they have been a rare sighting in Kentucky, southern Illinois and now Missouri. While I was fixing another flat tire (happened when crossing over some object on a descent) two guys with loaded bikes coming from the opposite direction passed by. They just asked me if I need something but did not stop and seemed in a hurry to get to the Atlantic ocean, which hurt my feelings a little. I thought we are brothers in this! Plus I was really curious what experiences they had coming from the same road I had in front of me.

Although more rare because no major roads or towns, I usually manage to find motels. I had to camp one night behind an abandoned gas station, in Hodgenville, the town near which Abraham Lincoln was born and raised, which is such a major touristic attraction that it has no motel or hotel.
I am very unpretentious when it comes to motels. Usually they are pretty clean. But this one in Anna,IL, was horrific. Stinky smoking room, sheets with cigarette holes in them, roaches in the bathroom. And close to rail road, trains passing all night at 30 minute intervals. Barely slept.
Now I always ask to check the room before paying it.

Weather changes almost each day. Hot, hot and humid, stormy or cloudy with showers. Few days ago I passed through a severe storm front which swept the southern states going from west to east. I was lucky to find a gas station right before a very bad one. It got almost dark (was only 6PM), and rained like nothing I've ever seen. And kept going making me wonder how the hell I would reach the nearest B&B on my route some 20 miles away. Luckily a young man Frank offered to drive me there. The combination of heavy rain, dark, narrow roads and Kentucky trucks exceed my appetite for risk so I accepted. Plus I had the chance to get to know Frank, ATV racer, and his little daughter Presley. Once the rain slowed down a little we got in Frank's old truck and he made a small detour for me. He even showed me his workshop and his race machines. Thanks again Frank!

Damn, midnight catches me again  concluding a blog post :)
I'm a little hungry since there was nothing open around, and tomorrow is another rainy day in the isolated hills of southern Missouri. Thinking more and more about a taking a break day to give my butt a break. Either I find a nice place to explore by foot for a day, a little unlikely around here, or just sit and avoid a rainy day.
Tomorrow rain is announced all day and there's nothing but forests for many miles ahead so it's a good candidate. Let's see what morning looks like.