Marshfield had an ice cream shop which yielded a great breakfast (that, unfortunately, didn’t include ice cream), then I was on the road thirty minutes later. “On the road” at this point means back on the interstate. 

When the sheriff’s car passed, then braked, I suspected he'd be turning around because I was on the interstate, so I started running down a list of possible defenses. Ultimately, I landed on what I thought was my best shot:  If I get caught, I’d just plead ignorance…  I mean, seriously, how smart can a guy be if he’s riding a bike across the country?  Plus, anyone looking at me could clearly see “ignorant” written all over me…  I’m very believable in the Looking Ignorant Department. In fact, I’m practically the Manager.  Fortunately, he didn’t stop.

I noted it in my journal, but even without rereading it I remember the long, gradual ups and downs in Missouri, and ever since that time I’ve associated them with the Show Me state.  They weren’t particularly steep either way, just long. 

In Buckhorn I stopped to eat at a restaurant and it was the first time I ate the entire baked potato, skin and all. I found it to be delicious. Growing up, I was always a really picky eater. My tastes were so unimaginative that I never even TASTED Chinese food until I was in my twenties, much less any other type of ethnic food (with the exception of Mexican food, which is ubiquitous in Texas). However, on this trip, I gained an entirely new perspective on what’s acceptable to eat. 

Specifically, what’s “acceptable'' is anything with calories, and especially if it was free. Over the course of these 77 days, there would be many foods I'd try for the first time, not only the entire baked potato but oysters on the half shell, spumoni, and a host of others. 

My palate has since completely changed and I now enjoy all kinds of foods, partly as a result of this trip.

While I was at the restaurant, a middle-aged lady was quite intent on telling me about Ted Williams and his only son. I won’t relay the stories here, but much of it WAS interesting… cryogenics, forgeries, poor baseball stats, early death.