Many people had a rough night last night. The heat didn’t really let up all night. The humidity remained high as we were camped in a park by the Missouri River. In addition, the mosquitoes found us and were waiting for the slightest crack in a tent netting or that midnight trip to the loo. Particularly this morning, we were getting bitten, so clearing camp out was an easy affair.
We rode out of the river valley to the east (naturally) but the expected weather change to a west wind from an easterly wind never materialized. The winds themselves, however, showed up right on time. Our second day in a row with heavy headwinds.
We were out of the deep valley after eight miles, but continued to climb through the Missouri River watershed much of the day. The farms were quite green for this time of year, and there was much harvesting and spraying activity.
Unfortunately, the roadwork people were out as well. They were chewing up a 6-mile long section of road in preparation for a new surface. For a time, we had the left hand shoulder of old road to ride on, but then, the entire road surface consisted of the ruts and bumps left with the asphalt eating machine goes to work. Scott and I were blessing our Softride bikes as they gave some relief to our seats, but our hands and feet still suffered.
Partway through, Scott observed that we’d had high winds, hills, pestilence (the bugs in camp) and miles of rough road. He wondered when the locusts were scheduled.
Sure enough, a few miles later, grasshoppers (a.k.a. locusts) covered the road and crunched under our bike tires. We started to get worried as to floods and our first-born children.
In mid afternoon, we made it into Midland, still fighting that headwind. It was only a 74-mile ride today, but we earned it. We may not be trying to escape from Egypt, but we are riding away from something. The mystery is in what lies ahead. Each pedal stroke takes us closer, one hill at a time.

Katie had this most excellent bug in her helmet this morning. I don't know bugs, but this one appeared to have left this shell behind for a better form or time. (My friend Michael now reports that it is a Cicada shell).