The rain held off long enough yesterday to walk 15 miles to Rocheport. This morning in true Nick fashion i ended my 9 day relationship with Katy Trail. We had a good laugh but she was always going on and on and i wasn't ready to commit. Breakfast was in Boonville, another typically charming railroad town struggling to survive, with locals who say "how you doing?" and cafes that dont take travellers cheques. I spent 3 hours in town, partly because i've got 'cant be arsed' syndrome today and partly because i couldn't decide which route to take next. katy wouldn't take me back and she goes south, the most promising northwards route would add too much mileage for my liking, and the most direct route follows the noisy I-70. I asked a few people in the cafe, "i'd drive". Thanks guys, you're as helpful as Michael Jackson babysitting. Being a big believer in fate the local church billboard once again showed me the way. Not the one that said "how have you sinned today?", i already knew that one, rather the one that said "there is no easy path to anywhere worth going". North it is then towards Marshall.