Ellington to Farmington, MO - July 26

We had kind of a lousy night in the city park in Ellington. It was a long, hot afternoon and evening, not getting below 90 degrees until midnight or so.

I was sweating in my tent. Plus, the parking lot next to the pavilion we were at is apparently the local spot for youths to come in their pickup trucks to talk and carry on. When it gets too dark, the lights from the tennis courts help them to see.

I was glad when morning came and we could get back to biking. We had our packs on for the first time in a couple days, so the bike was just more sluggish. Fortunately, the hills weren't as steep and we actually had some cloud cover for the first time in what seems like a month.

We made it to Farmington after 64 miles and are staying at a bicycle hostel we've been hearing about from other cyclists since almost the beginning of our trip. It is a former jail that they remade into a hostel. Really, It is more like a large apartment with three rooms filled with bunks. It has tv, wifi, a laundry and nice leather couches. They suggest a $20 donation.

We are the only ones here and we've really been enjoying just lounging around.

Tomorrow, we plan to have another fairly short day to Chester, Ill., which is just across the Mississippi River.