In Misery

Well, we're in Missouri.

So far the people have been very kind. Mike went to the library to ask about accommodations in Golden City, MO and got directed to our most excellent host Paul. Paul used to run a bike hostel in town. Cyclists would pick up keys, volunteers would help clean the rooms, they would lock the doors on their way out. It was all on the honor system. They'd ask for a 5 dollar donation to keep the lights on. Well they had to shut it down because they couldn't insure it without having someone in there running the place with the cyclists in it. The way it was being run, they just let the cyclists have the place to themselves.

So, Paul is on warm showers and is a most excellent host if anyone is ever going through the area.

His house has very cold air conditioning, it was fantastic.

Alright so we stayed in that First Baptist church and then made it here, we had finally caught up with Rich again. Rich was the same fellow who stayed with us in Telluride. He was in great spirits and took us up on a place to stay with air conditioning rather than in a park.

We found this super awesome Chinese Buffet. I think it was super awesome because I had been thinking about having Chinese food since San Fran.

Well alright so that was two days ago and then we get here and go to sleep planning on getting an early start, well when we got up it was to find that Pacella had been up all night sick and it was a no go for biking that day.

He looked pretty wretched. Mike and Jesse went to go get yet another meal and I eventually followed. I walked over to get some chicken noodle soup from the local store while Mike and Jesse went back to take a nap.

Man can Jesse sleep. You can't wake him up. He probably slept 14 hours yesterday.

Mike finally got out of the worst of his illness. At this point he was contorted in his sleeping bag and had managed to wind his way across the room and nearly under a table. Mike German of course thought the best thing for him was to eat a huge meal and get some energy in him. He balked at chicken noodle soup, which had nothing in it and which Jesse and I explained was the point.

I swear that boy can eat anything, Mike German that is.

Well alright we're guessing it was food poisoning because it came on so suddenly and severely. It did not go away quite so quickly. He managed to get from the floor to a chair for a bit and watch the tour de France. That's about it.

Paul invited us to watch a movie with him. It was a British mystery in a series which was really neat. I enjoyed having a chance to eat popcorn and watch a real movie. Mike joined us, but Jesse and our new cyclist friend Matt stayed out here talking about something. Who knows what. The nature of the universe? Actually I think that's what it may have been.

Matt, by the way is another cyclist we met going west. His friend was initially with him, but got something like 5 flats and one day and called it quits. Apparently he's very tall and muscular and was carrying 100 lbs worth of gear and the road bike wasn't liking it. It would have been like that all the way across America.

Well we introduced Matt to Paul and hooked him up with some air conditioning to sleep in, we figured we needed to replace Rich who had gone on his way that morning.

Oh! If you're ever in Golden City, there is pie. Lots and lots of award winning pie. Family's secret recipe award winning kind of pie. Stop in at Cooky's Cafe if you want some. They also have excellent dinner specials. Real good food.

So, Mike and I watched a movie with Paul and I get a text from Pacella asking where we were. Seems he couldn't seem to bring himself to claw his way off the floor. I can't blame him, the kid was looking pretty rough. We fed him some chicken noodle soup and some buttered bread and water while he protested he could make the soup and Mike German explained to him how being sick worked.

He checked his phone and saw a missed call from his parents. You didn't post that I was sick on-line? He asked. My parents read your blog, you know.

Oh, no I didn't. I told Elise because she's my texting buddy, but I didn't post it on-line.

Maybe Mike or Jesse? Mike did you post that Pacella was sick on-line?

No... well actually I did write a blog today and I talked about him being sick and us taking a day off.

Sorry Pacella.

Well, seeing as how his parents read this blog. He's fine. He was eating things and looking less like a survivor of a ship wreak this morning. They all set out late today after a long good night's sleep and were sticking close together. Mike German is actually a Papa Bear and will keep an eye on him. He's good about looking out for people.

They cut down how far they were riding today dramatically. We made sure he ate a full breakfast and drank lots of water before we set out and they're going very slow while he tests out his biking legs. We're going to ease back into the rhythm of riding and we're definitely not starting out with 100 mile days.

They're taking 8 hours to go 40 miles today with an idea of stopping in a closer town if it proves too much too soon.

It looks like we're not actually getting back on the 5th as initially planned and are now shooting for the 8th, so that I have time to get to my Americorps interview.

That's all. I didn't read Mike's blog. He probably already said everything I just said.

Signed in Missouri,
One Shelly Kessler