July 18th Wednesday evening...

This is my last posting for awhile. We had a very relaxing yet productive day. Matt picked up whistles for the boys to use against dog attacks, and pepper spray for us. I did laundry and bought groceries at WalMart (second time in my life...an uncomfortable trend). The boys ate, swam and tried to drown each other in the pool, but mostly watched TV...well, Solly did anyway. He LOVES it like only a child forbidden from actually having one could. When he first opens the door to any of these musty old hotels, the first thing he does is look around to make sure they have one. Then his eyes get sort of glassy and he starts acting all goofy like he is in love or something. It is really pathetic.
Matt also sent our warm clothes home. I really hope we aren't going to need them. We are very, very streamlined now, ultra-light.
Tomorrow we ride to Pittsburgh, KS and then the next day......dreaded Missouri!!!!! We have just heard so many horror stories of the people along the route, and the dogs, and the bad roads, and the nasty drivers.....oh my!
The hills are going to be much steeper than we thought so we won't be able to do quite as many miles as we had planned.......But, I also heard it is exquisitely beautiful.
Don't worry though, if you don't hear from us for a few days. We may not get any internet for awhile.
We got lucky here. Not only did we get the last room in what, we were subsequently told by more than one local, was the "best hotel in the city", it also had a computer with internet in the lobby, a fridge, microwave, AND best of all....a flyswatter! You know you are in a nice hotel when they provide you with a flyswatter. It was instrumental in keeping the substantial fly population down, AND it kept Solomon occupied when I finally made him turn the TV off.
We managed to avoid restaurants all day! Here is a sample menu from a very good dinner; frozen peas-heated in the microwave and seasoned with butter and salt, Morningstar faux meat things-heated in the microwave and surprisingly delicious, Cesar Salad-that whole kit thing I wrote about earlier, but with avocado and tomatoes added, cherries-huge, firm, and sweet...jess like I like 'em., lentil soup-from a can and heated up in the microwave, and Klondike ice cream bars for dessert. We ate on a picnic table outside. There were more flies than we've ever seen before.
One thing this trip has really done for me is given me a much clearer insight into my friends who have left their childhood homes in the midwest to reside permanently in California.
I think if I hear some guy say "sic 'em" to his dog as we ride by, I'm going to get off my bike, march right over to the guy, spray his dog with pepper spray, and then ask him if he wants to sign our petition to stop global warming. I think that might be just the right tact to take with these guys.
The pictures, by the way, aren't going up for about two more weeks. I wasn't able to make a seperate file of ones I wanted Ken to put up and I know if I just send him the whole CD and leave it up to him to pick the photos there will be a lot of pictures of me with bad hair, or looking weird. So, I'm just going to wait 'till he comes to Kentucky with his computer.
Anyone else want to come to Kentucky...or Virginia for that matter? Ride a bit...or just hang out? We'll pay for the carbon offsets!
OK, time to read to the boys and go to bed.
I miss and love you all.....
Djina