Sunday was a very mixed up day. Right out of camp in eminence, mo we rode what seemed like straight up hill for seven mile in the pouring rain. There’s a couple of pictures taken along the ridgeline just as the storm was dissipating. The rest of the 42 miles was mostly flat with gentle rollers. Great second breakfast at just the right time in a little café and no rain the rest of the way into Houston, mo. I discovered a great drink at mcdonald’s. iced mocha. We camped in our first town park(see picture). I rolled out my pad and sleeping bag under a pavilion so no tent erection was necessary which made the morning organizing a bit quicker. There were tennis courts and a swimming pool. Unfortunately the pool is closed on Sunday I guess so as not to interfere with church. Of course the showers were in the locked pool area thus unavailable to us. Sleeping on the ground, so shower, we’ll probably be eating road kill soon. I’m also starting to identify with the carl hiassen character the former governor of florida but I can’t think of his name. just before dark a group of six young riders pulled into camp. Almost every day we meet up with other cyclists going both east and west. Mostly solo riders but a few couples and one father/son. The group that joined us in camp last four different groups of riders that joined up all early twenties. One girl. The guys were all buffed and studly not that I was interested. Two solos, one brother team, and one boy friend/ girl friend. They lit up there little camp stoves and ate all the really healthy crunchy type food. Then after dinner all but one started smoking cigarettes. I simply couldn’t help myself. I went ballistic and started lecturing them. I had to be pulled off by a couple of guys in our group. Some of them actually admitted to smoking while riding. So much for the illusion of a healthy life style. Today we are pretty much out of the Ozarks. 64 miles of gentle rollers through pretty farm land. The soil does grow much more than grass so this is cattle country. The next few weeks should be flat to gently rising as we go through Kansas and then start the big stuff in Colorado and Wyoming. Tonight is another town park in Marshfield, mo. Great showers!!!