Week 9

Three days have passed since I was last updating the blog but as we are taking a rest day in Pittsburg, Kansas, and I have access to a computer, I will add a little more. The weather has been getting unbearably hot and very high humidity too which makes it feel much hotter still! The last 3 days have been very hard because of the heat (over 100 degrees every day) and also we did eleven days straight through without a break and all with relatively high milage,70+,60+ and 50+.. Yesterday I definitely had a touch of sunstroke... After five hours or so we reached a town called Girard and went straight into a Subway restaurant. I was literally on my last legs and kind Joanne who works there offered to get me a ride to Pittsburg, 14 miles away (our destination) Iwas sweating and boiling hot and shivering all at the same time but after some iced tea, a sandwich and lots of water and the benefits of air conditioning, I felt I could continue. However 9 miles later it got to me again and I resorted to hitching a lift the last 5 miles.Dermot cycled it!!! I was beat!! We booked into a great motel, Lamplighter Inn and suites and now I am feeling fine again! The pool, air conditioning and just resting is pure luxury! Dermot is suffering with his back and is walking like an old man and refusing all my medical advice!! We're gettin a bit rough round the edges at this stage.
Yesterday morning we had a difficult time getting through miles of roadworks, luckily I only fell off once! (see photos)
Dermot has ridden with a broken spoke for the past 3 days and could do nothing about it as there was no bike shop. He has gone now to have it fixed in Pittsburg.
We have a new cycling friend called Heidi. Our other mate Russell had an accident, a car overtaking on the inside clipped him and he now has a broken finger so isn't riding for a few days!
Will continue with this as week goes on....

Continuation of week 9

After two days rest in pittsburg, in the best motel ever, we set off once again to cover some miles. Missouri is like a continuous roller coaster, hills, hills and more hills! A big chcnge from flat Kansas! It is more difficult also for cycling as there is no hard shoulder and its hard for the cars to see us when we are down in the dips. We had two drivers shout at us to get off the road....not so friendly. On the other hand we have had drivers stop and ask us where we're from and then welcome us to America! Mixed reception!
Both in Kansas and in Missouri we have seen huge numbers of armadillos killed on the roads. Anyone who is interested and doesn't know what they look like, then google them as they are the most amazing looking creatures. There are millions of turtles here too. The first one I saw on the road I picked up and took it to safety but I no longer do that as there are so many of them.

Another interesting sight here is groups of wild turkeys! Never seen wild ones before!
Dogs are a nuisance in this state and there was me thinking I was safe till I got to Kentucky!! Our friend Heidi was pulled down by one but luckily was rescued by drivers passing by!Since her encounter I have invested in a pepper spray which is supposed to keep them at bay! I just hope I never have to use it.
For over a week now there have been warnings on the TV about the heat and telling people not to take excessive exercise and to keep their coolants at the ready!!! Temperatures have dropped from the 100's to the high 90's....