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Published: January 10th 2012
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Monmouth
Wyatt Earps house Leaving our hotel we headed off for our 4th state Indiana - a Bible state. We had intended to visit more relatives and began to wonder if that was really a good idea but at this stage we couldnt change our plans. We drove towards Indianapolis through more and more dull and disinteresting scenery. On the way we thought we needed to stop for a coffee to break our journey. We saw what looked like a nice 50' s style diner and parked the car. Inside the tables were spread out and laid neatly with red and white gingham tableclothes. The waitress behind the counter was polite and friendly and we ordered a couple of coffees and found a quiet table in the corner.
What is it about being in a foreign country that makes you interested in what is going on around you. On the only table being used sat two men and one woman. The woman seemed fairly normal but the men had straw hats, baggy farming trousers held up with braces, checked shirts and long ZZ top beards. We sat and talked about the visit ahead and they seemed deep in conversation not really taking much notice
Monmouth
Wyatt Earps birthplace of us. We had been used to people reailising that we were not American and coming over to ask us if we came from London, England or if we knew the Queen. But these three seemed oblivious of us and carried on their conversation.
The conversation moved to a discussion on killing five foot rattlers on their farm and we felt that in the background we should be hearing the banjo music from the film Deliverance. We began to feel a bit uneasy - perhaps because of yesterday and the camera clicking story. The men continued looking at us and we overheard in an accent thick with Hardyesque Victorian Dorsetshire "Hers not wearing a ring". Being unmarried the ring was missing from my finger. "Hers not married to him". Being in Bible country we decided at this point to beat a hasty retreat, rush to the car and get in the car to drive away.
We arrived in Indianapolis and visited our relatives over the next two days. Not a place on the tourist trail and not one I would ever wish to go to again unless I could go to the Brickyard for MotoGP.
On leaving
we had a dilemma -go to Kansas or Oklahoma or head north to Iowa and Wisconsin. Iowa won and we headed out of town fast.
One of the interesting things we saw on our way to Iowa was one of the long trains that seem common in the States. We stopped on the side of the road at a railway crossing in the middle of nowhere, the bells ringing on the barrier. We waited and waited and nothing happened. No sign of a train coming either way. The long straight metal railway line shimmering in the sun. We were on our own in the middle of nowhere waiting but waiting for what.
Eventually the train turned up. Ten wagons passed, then another ten. These were followed by more and this continued for 10 mins. Seeing such a long train made us realise just how vast American is and how important the train network is to the movement of food and materials around the country.
We headed up through Monmouth, Illinois the birthplace of Wyatt Earp born in 1848. Known primarily for the Gunfight at the OK corral . Unfortunately the home was closed when we arrived so we had to move on to Iowa and Dubuque
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