Update #22 - July 23rd, 2001
Hannibal, MO - 4874 miles

The ride from Lebanon to Hannibal went okay. The heat was a bit of a factor also. For the past three days, temperatures in the afternoon have been above ninety degrees Fahrenheit with heat indexes creeping up to one hundred five degrees.

The terrain went from rolling hills to flatland next to the Missouri River. The ride went really well. For about 40 miles, I cycled along the Katy Trail, which is the country's longest Rails-to-Trails bike path. The path is crushed stone. The ride along the path was okay except that there was no water along the trail. In the area, were signs that said that Lewis and Clark went through that area.

I got to meet a lot of nice people from Lebanon to Hannibal. I was able to speak at two churches along the way in Big Springs and Vandalia. The miles I traveled were pretty long. Last Saturday, I cranked out 91 miles even with the high heat. Today, I cycled around 50 miles from Vandalia to Hannibal.

I'm staying in Hannibal for the night with some friends. Tommorow, I'll be crossing the Mississippi River into Illinois. I hope to be in the Chicago area a week from today.