"POLITICS HAS BECOME SO EXPENSIVE THAT IT TAKES A LOT OF MONEY EVEN TO BE DEFEATED". (Will Rogers) Speaking of money....how much does it cost to ride across country on a fully supported ride. Tour price, single room supplement, trip insurance and airfare home comes to $3.00 per mile. This includes everything except evening meals. There are times during the day when I think I should be getting paid $3.00 per mile to ride. Today was easier than yesterday. The rollers were softer and so was the wind. The rain still has not caught up with us. McAlester (population 18,363) is the county seat of Pittsburg county. The McAlester army ammunition plant makes almost all of the bombs used by the USA military. East west, north south roads and railroads and coal were early draws to the area. Carl Albert ( former speaker of the US house) and Reba McEntire are from here. Tomorrow we enter Arkansas on our way to Talimena Lodge. I will notch Arkansas on my quest to ride 50 miles in all 50 states. I've done about 36.