October 22, 2004

October 22, 2004

Branson to St. James, Missouri

DAY 127

 

 

We left Turkey Creek RV Village late this morning. It was somewhat hard to get out of there. Escapees are a friendly bunch. While I was doing my daily preventative maintenance tasks, then preparing to leave, I had a steady stream of walk by visitors. First of all, when around Escapees, the quickest way to draw a crowd of old men, is to lift the hood of your truck. ZOOM ! Like moths to a flame. The next best way to draw a crowd, is to prepare to leave. "Where y'all headed ?" It took me about 3 hours to do about 45 minutes of work this morning.

We drove north from Branson, back towards Springfield, on Hwy. 65. Except for a few miles back from Flying J on I-55 after riding out the tornado earlier this week, this is the first time since we left Ottawa about 3 weeks ago that we've either back tracked, or travelled north. At Springfield, we picked up I-44 headed northeast towards St. Louis. I wonder if it’s pronounced St. Looee or St. Lewis ?

We stopped for lunch at a road side rest area and had an interesting experience. In the restrooms, were sinks with hoods over them. Neither of us was quite sure how to use them. I stuck my hands under the hood and peered in. As soon as my hands were under the hood, an electric eye was tripped. First, liquid soap was sprayed for a few seconds. Then warm water sprayed for 15 or 20 seconds. Finally, and this was the neatest part, hot air blew under the hood for about 20 or 30 seconds. Stick your hands in over the sink, under the hood, get sprayed with soap, then warm water, then hot air. Pull your hands out. You're done.

At Waynesville, we stopped at Wal-Mart to buy some vitamin C. Joanne's cold is still pretty bad, and we're both taking vitamin C. Her to try to battle the cold, and me to try to avoid it. Leaving Wal-Mart, right beside the entrance ramp to the Interstate, was a dead possum. I stopped and got out of the truck to take a look at it. Probably the only chance I’ll ever have to see a possum up close.

About 3/4 of the way from Springfield to St. Louis, we got off the Interstate and onto Hwy. 8. Just a few miles west on Hwy. 8, we stopped for the night at Pheasant Acres RV Park.

Tomorrow we have about an hour to travel east to get to YMCA Of The Ozarks Trout Lodge where we start our first "Workamping" job on Sunday, for 5 weeks.

DSK