Almost a Disaster...

I have just gotten back from making up the ground I missed because of the storm. I set out yesterday at noon in the direction of the town Warsaw around 50kms away. I felt good yesterday after a good nights rest in the hotel and covered around 35kms in 6 or 7 hours. The road I was on was almost unused so when the sun had left me for the night, I was able to just pitch my tent just to the side of the road. The forecast (I did check it this time) had predicted a cold night at around -3c and again tonight. They were not wrong about last night, as I awoke this morning I was to find my whole tent covered in ice, both inside and out. After forcing myself out of the tent to get changed and stuff a quick breakfast in my mouth, I was back on the move again as quick as possible as it was the best way to regain feeling in my face and hands.

After a good day yesterday on the road I only had around 15kms to walk this morning and covered it quite quickly with almost no issues. I was around 3kms out of the small city of Quincy wheh I felt the tummy begin to grumble. The people that know me know that when I need to go to the toilet, thats it, I have to go, no exceptions. I must admit, due to nessecity, I have improved this in the last 6 weeks on the trek and have learned more control when the issue arises. Unfortunately, last nights meal of macaroni in a creamy sauce was not real keen on helping me out with this. With my tummy doing backflips I managed to see just down the road a public park with what looked like public toilets, yes, my problem solved, if I could just hold on a little longer. With cheeks clenched, I shuffled along as fast as Icould, trying not to do any sudden movements to entice the macaroni. I got to around 50 meters of the toilets and began to relax, I had made it. I grabbed the handle of the door.. you would not beleive it, the bloody thing was locked. Panicking, I shuffled at a record speed around to the womens side, No, locked also. After letting my body and mind relax there was no stopping it now, quickly scanning the park for witnesses, I was forced to drop the strides then and there and let nature take its course. How bloody embarrasing. Thank God I had brought a little paper just in case of this type of emergency. After organizing myself again, I set back on to the task at hand, and just in time too. As I took my first step away from the crime scene, a car pulled into the park. What a lovely start to the family picnic at the park that would have been for them. Thank God he saved both of us the humiliation of that!

Now I am about to head off south again. The next main town I will be reaching will be Hannibal, the home town of writer, Mark Twain. Known for his famous tales of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer and thier adventures along the Mississippi River, it will be a nice place to check out on the way, with a little connection to where I am these days, with an adventure of my own down the Mississippi...