Illinois and Missouri

So I dont think I will be uploading pictures untill probably july while I am in colorado. But I am alive and well and deep in Missouri.
     On the 8th of June I set out on my own into the state of Illinois, I wont be getting into to much detail about everything thats happened between now and then because I am typing on my phone and its frustrating.  But it really has been pretty great.
      Illinois is flat. Very flat. This made for a few terribly hard days with head winds and killer heat but also three days of smooth riding, wind on my back, and lots of mileage put in.
     It took me five days total to get from Chicago to St. Louis Missouri. Some nights were real buggy others I was able to just roll out my pad and sleeping back and just sleep outside.  I saw more stars in that state then I have in quite a long time.
     I got a bunk at a hostel in St. Louis. I don't know anyone there or much about the area so after my initial afternoon of exploring I felt content going to sleep early and ridinng out in the morning.
     Missouri has been a hell of a ride. The.ozark mountains are no joke on a bicycle. They never get all that high but the roads are just constent hills. Up and down. I am also now officially on The "TransAmerica Bicycle Route" the oldest cross country bicycle route here in the usa. This makes things way different. For one, any local that lives in the small towns im going through are well aware of the yearly flow of cyclist that show up on their roads from spring to fall. On that note... There are others. This is the most ridden route to cross the country. So i've met other people already and am aware of a group behinde me and a few people ahead of me through word of mouth.  I rode the past two and a half days with an guy named ray. We didnt so much ride together but we started and ended our days in the same places. Also since this is a well established and old running route, a lot of the towns have park space that you are aloud to use to camp on for free. Its a beautful thing.  Im doing the same stuff I did while traveling with ryan bryan and kyler but now I dont worry about sneaking around. At least for missouri and kansas as im told.
     Another amazing thing happened yesterday.. Well, to start. Anyone that knew me while vanessa and I rode from.san diego to ny has probably heard me make mention of Huey. Huey is a guy we.befriended day two out of san diego and then continued to see randomly here and there all the way to austin, tx. He too was bike touring , riding the same roads but sleeping each night in hotels. In austin he droped out due to spending to much and the poor planning of not having camping gear. He later that year went on to complete the ride with a group tour. And then called me in october while doing a group tour of the pacific coast. And what do u know, when I start telling ray about this crazy guy I once knew, he stops me and says" hueys just three days behinde us right now riding the trans.am with a tour group! I was riding with them for a few days last week"
     I called huey that night and sure enough. He is about 150 miles east of me. Here we are two years later 2500 miles from where we met and were this close. Its too much. The world gets smaller and smaller. Or at least america. We are going to try and link up somewhere around colorado.
     Which brings me to my main reason for posting. I will be able to recieve mail in colorado, and a few times after colorado. But for the sake of time and planning my first mail pick up spot will be at my good friends Erin and Rob Debono's house you can send me a letter or a photo or a snack. Whatever but plan acordingly because I believe I will be ariving sometime around the 4th of july and will probably stick around for 4-5 days.   The address is

9854-B Grove st.
Westminster, CO 80031

Just address it to me L
"Ross Munroe" or " the Debono residence(Ross)"

Whatever works for you.

I will be in the state of Kansas by tomorrow evening. Hitting a bike shop tuesday morning to deal with spoke issuses then a good week or so of exploring the southern great plains.
I can only hope for tail winds.
So long friends, unless things change Ill be posting photos around.the 4th ishh