Last night sirens rang out. A tornado was spotted nearby.

Eek.

It was all over by 8 pm so I walked across the parking lot for second dinner. I was HUNGRY.

I brought the fast food back to my room and hoovered it.

I slept in and left the motel after the usual motel breakfast.

After a few miles I came across something I’d missed this spring back home. Goslings! These were oddly all different ages but cute nonetheless. They wouldn’t pose for me do you’ll have to enjoy them from behind.

Heart

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My legs were weary but the first few miles were on level ground. Once the road left the side of the interstate (Route 66 is mostly a frontage road these days) I saw a figure walking toward me.

It was a Tibetan monk in a straw cowboy hat. I kid you not. Warren Zevon could not have thought this up. He beamed a big smile at me as I waved and said “Have a nice day.” (I considered “namaste” but the moment was already beyond surreal.)

Temperatures were pleasant and the wind was calm for a couple of hours. My legs were not having a good time. The last two monster hills yesterday took a lot out of them.

I couldn’t find any real food so made do with gas station junk for 40 miles.

Then I ran into the Dubois, Fay and Rob, who were coming east from Santa Monica. We talked a bit and they offered to put me up if I decide to go through Sacramento. Nice!

Their blog is fayrobepicjourney4.home.blog. I can’t wait to check it out.

They both wore wide yellow brims on their helmets, just as my friend Marie does. They said they were indispensable in the Mojave desert.

We traded info. I told them about the mud along the river, the scary neighborhoods in St. Louis, and the nasty hills ahead. They later told me by text that a bridge outage I’m going to encounter soon is passable by bike. Yay, no hilly 11 mile detour.

By this time temperatures had risen into the 80s and I had a 10 mph headwind.

Oh, I forgot to mention that it was hilly. Dozens of hills that were just a bit too steep or too long for me to avoid using my granny gear.

I arrived in Bourbon. It’s a town. I went by Bourbon high school. I’ll bet there are some stories there.

It was 4 pm. I’d ridden 47 miles and hadn’t had lunch. So I ate a massive sub sandwich and drank a gallon of Diet Coke.

The meal revived me so I continued on to Cuba to shave a few miles off tomorrow when rain is expected.

Cuba is the Mural City. Having missed photos of the monk and the Dubois, I give you the mural from the offices of the local newspaper.

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The Mule is holding up, but it’s making a ticking noise that I can’t find. I broke a toe clip strap today. And my front brake cable is stretched. (It’s new.) so I have some bike business to attend to this evening. There’s a bike shop in a town down the road too.

So my first week on the road is done.

59.5 miles. Total mileage: 440