Day 9: Ogallala, NE to Mound City, MO

This will be a short post - even though it was a long day. 400 miles through HOT weather. It was mid-90's the whole way and we need to make some time so we are on the Interstate. Interstates are flat, and straight, and pretty boring other than all the other cars trying to kill you. Suffice it to say that certain products are extremely valuable on a hot motorcycle ride.

Interstate driving on a bike is scary - there are LOTS of trucks and they all want to go 80-85 minimum. The wind blast as the pass you or you pass them is pretty extreme. My whole bike shakes from the buffeting. There all also lots of tornados in the area that we've been lucky enough to miss, though the cross winds have been steady at around 30mph. After 8 hours you get tired.

The area we're passing through is farmland. Corn, lots and lots of corn. All kinds of farm equipment, much of which I can't identify. Did I mention all the corn?

We got pictures coming into Iowa and Missouri, and some of the sunset last night.

We were supposed to camp last night at a place called Big Lake State Park. When we pulled in there were about 6 state cops, ambulances, and fire trucks in the parking lot. Turns out the river was flooding and the park was closed. It crested at 8 feet over the high water level. According to the fireman in lobby of the motel this morning the park is underwater.

We are heading East and South this morning, trying to stay away from the storms and tornados that are throughout the midwest. With luck we'll stay between the fronts.