Days

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I am still alive but badly behind with the blog!  So:

Wed/Thur/Fri - The Man On The Hill

We rode through the Ozarks in Missouri.  It was hilly.  To expand:

For 300 miles we have been grinding up and down in the sodding Ozarks.  Climbs are seldom more than half a mile and often only a hundred yards but gradiants are up to 15% and there is seldom more than 1 mile between them.  One was 80 miles and 5500 feet of climb!

Fri - Mississippi Mud

The day was forecast to be wet but we somehow managed to avoid all the showers and finally cleared Missouri by crossing the Mississippi into Chester, Illinois.  The Mississippi drains more than 40% of the USA and is an impressive thing to cross.

Chester is the birthplace of Popeye....if cartoon characters have a birth....and it was the weekend of the annual Popeye festival.  Our hotel was full of Popeye fanatics, including some dressed as their favourite characters.  Twats.  

Sat - Here Comes The Rain Again

We may have missed the rain on Friday, but sure as hell didn't on Saturday.  It pissed down.  Luckily it was a shortish day and we got into Carbondale (home of the University of Southern Illinois) by early afternoon to dry out.

Sun - Workin' For A Livin'

We got up, we rode 63 miles.  End of.  It turns out that southern Illinois is nearly as hilly as Missouri.  Bugger.




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