Day 29 -- Topeka to St. Joseph (MO) -- 89 Miles

"I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." Check that, as you can see above, it's official -- we crossed state lines and entered Missouri this morning. We are one state closer to completing the challenge!

Overall, we had a great ride. It rained for the first hour, but we managed to avoid the scattered storms for the rest of the day. As a matter of fact, the stormy forecast actually kept the temperature in the mid 70's, and made the ride fairly comfortable. The roads, however, were pretty slick throughout the day, yet we still managed to conquer the rolling terrain that the ride had to offer.

I rode most of the day with Wild Thing Rob, and Sooner Rick. Although we moved along at a quick pace, the ride felt somewhat leisurely. We chatted quite a bit, and it really made our trip to St. Joseph an enjoyable one.

I arrived at the hotel before the luggage van, but it did not stop me from checking into the room, and subsequently falling asleep in my bike clothes. I dozed off as I was watched a replay of stage one of the Tour de France, and had a dream that I was as strong rider as the guys in the peloton. Sadly, in spite of my improvement on the bike since the start of this trip, that's probably going to remain a dream quite awhile.

I want to take an opportunity to apologize for the lack of pictures from the past week. I blame Kansas, really. I hope that the limited amount that I have shared give you a feel for what I saw as I pedaled. I realize that I was not able to capture the putrid aroma that permeates throughout the state of Kansas, but if you really want to experience that then I suggest you book a flight out there (after, of course, you consult a shrink).

Anyway, that's really it. It's nice to be in a new state, and even nicer to have a rest day tomorrow! Happy 4th of July to you all, and thank you for your continued support!