Rain, rain everywhere. We had a rainy Day 80 off in Missouri and drove to the Jefferson City exchange point for an event and barbeque. The scenery improved dramatically as it became very green with rolling hills. The exchange was at a park and the weather cooperated. We astounded three bird hunters with the story of what we've been doing and why. They were excited to go home and check us out on the internet. In reviewing my descriptions of where we are, I reminded myself that I must not pre-judge or be judgmental as my German nature tends to be. Every place has its beauty and certainly there is beauty in people no matter how ugly the surroundings they live in. One of my goals on this trip has been to try and remove that tendency on my part to judge. Missouri was a reminder of that promise to myself and that it takes constant work given my inbreeding.

Nevertheless, we spent the night and most of Day 81 in the rain in a Super 8 in Staunton, just over the border into Illinois and it is pretty bleak. Laura, Jason and I rode up to Litchfield in the morning to get some running shoes. Our shoes have been biting the dust quickly. Not only because of the constant pavement pounding but also the temperatures. Mine have been housed between runs in the van and the high temperatures break down the materials so that the shock absorption gives out quicker than usual. I don't think I got 200 miles out of my last pair pulled out of the box in San Francisco. Of course add to that the fact that they've been wet several times.

We are all really tired. It shows. The humidity exaggerates the tiredness and the aches and pains. I never should have talked about our luck with the weather because now it appears we will be inundated because of storms like Erin and Dean acting up around us. Hopefully the storms will reach the wild fires taking place in the west in places like Sun Valley where Laura now lives. We get reports from her husband Lance. They've already ordered some evacuations. Certainly if the rains continue we will all lose our luscious tans and sit in very soggy vans for the next two weeks. The good news is we are unlikely to run head on into one of these storms and there is water falling on parts of the country, like Kansas, Missouri and Illinois, who need it desperately. Our hotel proprietor in Staunton is very excited about the rain. They need the water and they yenned for a break to the three digit temperatures they've been suffering of late. The other good news is that my dentist will be happy to hear I've stopped eating large cups of ice. She has two rules for me, both of which I always break, don't eat ice or popcorn.

I started Edward Abbey's "Desert Solitaire" which takes place around Moab, Utah and specifically in the Arches National Park. Having just been there I can place myself in his being as he talks about living there. Abbey cites a quote at the beginning of his book from Neruda (whoever that is) which I like, although I'm not quite sure where it is intended to go: "Give me silence, water, hope..... Give me struggle, iron, volcanoes......" Any thoughts Captain Fred???

There are some curiosities along the way. In Missouri they reap the grass and hay on the highway mediums and leave rolled bales between the interstate lanes to dry. Communities out here are built around Walmarts and lots of chain stores and restaurants. Along the way we could have bought fireworks, attended girlie shows and made a number of other stops that would never be permitted or possible in Vermont. I do miss Vermont. I just wish I could import to Vermont with me the dry sunny weather of the West. Many things function better: clothes dry quickly; muscles ache less; people smile more; colors appear more brilliant. So I wonder, is the West my calling???? It's where the seed for the Blue Planet Run was sown, at the convergence of the Colorado River with other waters of great importance to the southwestern states, keeping its cities and populations alive and its crops growing.

I will run at 1:30 am somewhere in Illinois as we head to Chicago, the home of the world's best deep dish pizza!!!!

Water is life. Pass it on!