Gimme Shelter...Day 18...Cameron to Kirksville...Weds 11/05/11

I set-off last from our motel and knew that thunderstorms were on the cards...joy. And unease, quite frankly: although you probably know that the lightning strikes are miles away, they don't half look a bit too close, especially when you are perched on a load of metal...

Sense prevailed after 15 miles or so as our boss called us in to take shelter in a truck-stop. Not sure what the correct collective for a load of lycra is...a shower?

And here is Mike (doing well for 253) consulting the weather gods/Apple apps and trying to decide when he can release us back into the wilds of MO...after 30 minutes, as it happens.

Slight navigational pfaff by myself after our first scheduled stop in Chilliclothe (great name)...I managed to get myself temporarily situationally-confused (thus giving myself a couple of bonus miles) and was pleased to find the support team who gave me a lead out of town.
"Follow that van...".

This meant a from-then-on solo day as I was too far behind most of the other riders to catch-up, and indeed lacking in either speed or inclination to do so. Sight-seeing it was then, and a long day in the saddle...

Made in the shade...by the 100 mile-mark I was glad of the occasional shelter from the sun...it was warm enough at a high of 93F but nowhere near as bad as the past two days. Still went through over 10 litres of water though.
We climbed over a mile today, and certainly now we all respect the state of Missouri- not one to be taken lightly.

Was I glad to see the Crossroads Motel? Hell yes!

Althoug I did take an aeon to finish, I actually wasn't that far behind the chaps that I usually cycle with/near...it's a funny old game, this bike nonsense.

Tomorrow...The Mississippi, Illinois and adventure awaits.

Stats...stats...stats...nothing to hurry about down here...