For up nice and early and was having my breakfast just as dawn was approaching. I like getting up early like this, as long as I'm able to get enough sleep. I headed off onto the trail in my sweater and long pants, first time I've considered wearing something like that so it must be pretty chilly.

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It was a really nice morning to be riding. After a few towns I saw some cyclists stopped who were heading the opposite way. They had packaged up some pizza from a few towns over and offered me a slice. They'd driven down from Michigan and we're enjoying the remarkably mild weather Missouri was having at the moment. They told me that Boonville will be a good stop with real restaurants and grocery stores.

A few hours later I was there. Boonville is where the Katy Trail turns more towards the South, away from the Missouri River and a little bit more hilly. I grabbed a packet of pastrami and so many tortillas at the grocery store and devoured them in the car park like an animal. Also found peanut butter in a big squeeze pouch, which saves weight and is a bit easier than spooning it out of the tub onto my tortillas. I also grabbed some blueberry muffins but could hardly touch them, so every trailhead I came across I was offering them to people.

Heading out of Boonville was one long uphill. It wasn't particularly steep but the last few days have been dead flat. It was enough to wear me out a little but only because it was so long. At the first stop I had a chat with some people leading a camp. They coached me that the dominant plants along the trail are poison ivy. I'm sure I've been rubbing against it every time I stop so I don't seem to be too affected by it.

It was nice chatting with people, and I stopped every time I had the chance to. Today I was getting tired, and missing home a bit. The long tunnels of trees that make up the Katy Trail are pleasant but they get a bit dull when that's all you see for hours. I'm looking forward to seeing something new.

Just as I had stopped outside Sedalia to find my campsite and have a moment to myself a Canadian bikepacker showed up. We were both heading to the same place so we rode together into town. We were staying in the Missouri State Fairgrounds, and there was apparently one of the world's biggest sheep sales on. It felt just like a mini A&P show happening, but our campsite was almost completely empty. 

As we were setting up our tents, one of the kids from a nearby RV came over and offered us to come join them and eat some leftovers. We gladly accepted the food and company, and headed over after cleaning up.

I headed into bed, promising not to get up too early tomorrow since I clearly needed a bit of rest.