Day 46 North Kansas City, MO to Lexington, MO

2532.8 miles

Well, there go our days of early starts. It was nice while it lasted. We bummed around Natalie's apartment for a couple hours, and then we bummed around NKC for a while - vitamin store, coffee, farmer's market. We tried to find a low traffic way out of town, and failed. We ended up taking 210 out, but it turned out to be a major thoroughfare that didn't really slow down until we got well past 435.

I blew a tube on riding through a pool of broken glass, and that rather set the tone for the day. It turned into a hot day into the wind, drudgery. We took lunch in Missouri City. There were, maybe six people and at least 12 dogs. The dogs gathered around us lounging in the grass, curious but not invasive.

We made Henrietta early in the afternoon with no food in our bags. We searched the city in vain for the promised grocery, and then again for the promised cafe, only to realize that the Casey's gas station functioned as gas station, grocery, and cafe. We ordered a pizza and bought a couple tall boys of High Life, all of which we strapped to my bike and rode over the hill to what no longer seemed a very promising prospect for camping.

Our fears were confirmed. The "campsite" was in fact an RV Park. No, no, that doesn't quite describe it. It was a bare spot in the endless fields of corn where a few RV's were parked, permanently. The water was the color of mud and the bathroom facilities were back at the Casey's (closes at 10pm).

This was not promising. There was no camping within riding distance, but this was not promising. We ate our pizza, and washed it down with a cold one. Decided to try our luck in the yard of the B&B's in Lexington.

Lexington wasn't open for business though. No one would answer the phone at any of the towns Bed and Breakfasts. However, as we were trying to reach the proprietor of one establishment, the neighbors came out and saw us looking like we could use a hand. They helped us try to reach the other inns, but no luck, so Gale let us crash in her backyard and take a shower. Rescued again by the kindness of strangers.