Stage 2 TOM and other ramblings.....

Day number 2 of the race and day number 4 being on the road....the socks and underwear are just about out! Looks like our stay Wednesday night in Springfield will yield a laundry visit....lovely, just lovely.

The race today took us 125 miles through more farmland and rolling hills from Clinton down to Springfield. The day was quite a contrast to yesterday's rain and cold...today we enjoyed mid 70's and full on sun.

The day started this morning with a 95 mile jaunt from Kansas City to Clinton....got there a little early and enjoyed some local breakfast fare....I just dig the local stuff...not too big on the chains. On the court square in downtown Clinton population 10,000, I found by... local recommendation Huey's. With a name like that...gotta try it....glad I did!

After our morning drivers meeting I was diddling around the bike sorting out all my stuff and Jono came over for a visit and I could tell 20 yards away something was not right. He didn't have his usual "let's get it on" race face, but more of the I ain't feeling so good Ralph face. After some discussion he decided to try and tough it out on the bike...maybe the air would feel good?

Jonathan left to go prepare for the day and a young man came up to me and ask for my autograph...Jeremy was his name. As we begin to talk, he shared with me his passion for collecting basketballs and footballs. His collection is just over 700 and he searches on Ebay for most of the vintage balls. He told me he could replace and repair the components of a ball...even re-lace one! I really enjoyed listening to the passion this young man had for his hobby and some of his goals....you know....you just never know what each day might bring...and Jeremy brought some sunshine into mine!

You just never know when you say something, how it will be received. Last weekend working the US PRO race in Greenville, I told Jono that for all the work we do and as many pictures as he takes during a race....why is it we only see just a few. He thought about that question apparently quite a bit if you have read his blog! To summarize, yesterday he took just over 900 photos in a 75 mile stage race and roughly 4% made the cut because of different things. We spent some time Sunday evening looking at last weeks race talking about where I was putting the moto and where I could put the moto for optimum shots. It was a learning experience and we are communicating at a different level this week. That question initiated a call for him to help me understand a photographer's world a little better and what it is that he is filtering for an artistic result.

The crowds in Springfield were fantastic and lined both sides of the streets. There was a 3 lap finish with Cavendish taking the win. Post race we headed south to Branson for Stage 3 and the time trial tomorrow.

Driving into Branson is quite the experience....everybody has a show theatre! We are staying tonight at the Days Inn and for dinner enjoyed some Mexican fare just in front of the hotel. I gotta tell ya....never have I been to a Mexican restaurant with an 8 year old Elvis impersonator singing at the mike.....but after tonight...welcome to Branson baby!

Ok it has been a long day, our bellies are full, we've had a margarita...even heard Jailhouse Rock and Blue Suede Shoes....let's go Go-Kart racing! Yep, there is a track right across the street and the trash talking started soon after we had eatin' our first chip! There were two guys running the track from another country....let's say...Pakistan?....and the most used phrase for the 46 times we rode was..."you bump to much" (in accent of course)! After a while, they just gave up and let us race....and some Earnhardtn' went on let me tell ya but a great time had by all!

TT in the am....forcast is good and it's almost midnight by my watch...I'm outta here!