Day Seventeen (59.9 miles, 655.1 total): Flight of the Bumblebee

THUMP! A paw hits my face. THUMP! Ella slaps me again! She starts pouncing around on the bunk ready to go out for the morning. I slip out of the comfy sheets and drag myself to the door. Ella bounds down the stairs and out on to the lawn. She runs around like a mini cheetah till I get to the bottom. After a few minutes of bounding around the building, she is ready to go back up.

Bill is making his hot chocolate/coffee and Celia is making her coffee. I pack up my gear and grab some quick food for the road. Goodbyes are said, and I carry my gear down the steps. Celia is starting to pack her gear as well. A few minutes later, Ella and I head for the hills. The heat is already filling the morning air, but thankfully I have a lot of tree cover. Soon the hills start ascending higher and higher. Steeper and Steeper they go. My speed turns to a crawl and I slowly work my way up the mountains. The sun is beating down, boiling the humid air. My skin was turning red as I huffed and puffed on. A little butter and I'd probably go good in a bisque at this point.

The cliff face roads went up and up, followed by very short downhills. Speed wasn't my friend today. As I cruised on through the Missouri hills, these absurd black bugs started to swarm my head. I tried riding faster but they kept up. I hit a big downhill and built some major speed. For a moment, I thought I had lost them, but as soon as I started to slow, they swarmed again. I pedaled faster and faster, as I could see their little shadows following me on the pavement. The swarm started to bite my back. I could feel them bite right through my jersey like it was a tissue. I started to wave my arm around like a maniac to get them away. They dove around my head even faster.

Ella sat in her basket confused by the little creatures circling my head. I needed to get away from them. I pedaled as fast as my legs could take me. The hills weren't even there in my panic. I pedaled like a madman through the narrow mountain roads. Wide eyed and full of adrenaline, I tore through the asphalt. My lungs were burning and I could feel the blood pumping in my ears as I raced on. After about five miles of insanity, I started to slow down. A quarter of a mile later, the bugs from hell were back. Once they started biting again, adrenaline kicked back in and I shot off down the road. My legs became numb as I powered up and down the hills. Six miles later, I came barreling into the town of  Centerville and bolted through the door of the only convenient store in town. Hardly able to breath, I shot back out for my inhaler and ran back in. Finally free from the buzzing little bastards.

After a few moments to calm myself, I guzzled some water and bought a massive amount of Gatorade. I felt the blood rush from my head and started to feel the exhaustion set in. I started to regain my senses after resting for awhile in the shade. It felt like I had just been completely drained of energy. I ate some food and drank my Gatorade so I could ride on to Ellington. After about an hour of rest, I was feeling much better and ready for the last 15 miles. Celia had just arrived at the gas station, so I rode over to say hello before I took off.

Clouds covered the sky for a little while as I pressed on. Winds had started to pick up and I struggled on. Today was not a great day so far. I stopped every once in awhile to drink water and keep snacking on power bars. The cloud cover disappeared and I was stuck under the beating sun again. The waves of humid air washed over me like a sauna. Hill after hill, it seemed like I was never going to get there. About three miles away from Ellington, the little black shadows appeared on the asphalt. Bite! Bite! Panic and I was off like lightning. There may have been a new record set, but I guess we'll never know. My legs felt like turbines as I flew down the road. I wasn't going to get bit again! In Ellington, I jumped off my bike and and ran into a gas station with my inhaler. Once again, I was beat and struggling to breath. What a day, what a day!

A kind man inside the gas station told me about a biker hostel I didn't know about beforehand and initially I was going to be sleeping in the city park! I called Bob to let him know there was a hostel in town. I headed down to City Hall where a cop saw how beat I looked, and went to get the code for the hostel for me. Grateful beyond belief, I headed into the pavilion where the hostel was located. I got inside and cranked the air conditioning to Arctic Tundra. I settled down onto a cot and caught my breath for a little while. About an hour or so later, Bill, Bob, and Celia all showed up at the hostel. Hot showers, a cool place to sleep, and the struggle was worth it. If i had stayed in Centerville, I would have camped on the front lawn of the Court House. Now I have a cot to sleep on and glorious air conditioning. We are all about to head out for food and I will be signing off! Ella and I hope you continue to follow us as we climb our way across the Ozarks!