4 States
6 Days
3,357 Miles
66 hours 28 minutes driving time
32.8 MPG
25 Restaurants
21 Bakeries
4 Ice cream shops
2 Drink stops
5 Sonics
Time to fill in more of the map! I was about to book a flight when I thought, “It’s not that far and if I drive I can go at my own pace with no concern of having to get back to an airport on such-and-such a day.”
Thursday, November 26th, 2009
Thanksgiving
Ellen and I were classmates from 6th to 12th grades (1982 to 1989) and haven’t seen or heard from each other for 20 plus years; only reestablishing contact weeks ago. When she learned of the trip she graciously invited me to her family’s home in SW Wisconsin if my route took me that way.
Caitlin, Lexi, David, Ellen, Samuel, Ivan and myself.
It was GREAT to spend some quality time with everyone.
The riverfront town of Bellevue, Iowa.
Thanksgiving dinner was beef jerky and an apple; consumed while heading south in Illinois
Friday, November 27th, 2009
What a great way to start the day! A Mocha Chip Java Chiller from Sonic in Godfrey, Illinois.
As the German sedan jostled over the brick street, St. Charles, Missouri struck me as a combination of a New England colonial village and riverfront town.
Off the beaten path Kimmswick is a pleasant little compilation among a few short and narrow roads.
Cape Girardeau: hometown of The Doctor of Democracy, the most listened to radio personality in history.
Among the sites related to Rush Limbaugh are his childhood home and the first radio station he broadcast from as a teenager.
A Sonic made patriotic by a neighboring Marine center.
Lambert’s Café in southeastern Missouri’s Sikeston is known for thrown rolls. Guys wheel around carts of dinner rolls hot from the oven tossing them to outstretched hands. Then more waitstaff come around and slather them with apple butter and/or sorghum.
I went southern with a Vegetable Platter choosing Turnip Greens (hearty), Cucumber and Onions (sweet with an acidic cut), Beets and White Beans (meaty). In addition were the free “Pass-Arounds” of Fried Okra, Black Eyed Peas and Fried Potatoes (sinful).
Saturday, November 28th, 2009
Got a scoop of Butter Pecan Ice Cream and walked around Branson’s small downtown.
Then I moved into the core of Branson. Obnoxious. Crawling traffic. Outlet stores. Buffets. Dick Clark’s American Bandstand. Look! The Titanic! Go cart tracks. A gazillion massive stage theatres with sterile designs. Outlet stores. Wax museums.
So there I am motoring along this remote country road rolling among the hills and come upon this intersection with a guy set up with a tent and smoker in front of a junk shop. Who could pass that up?
Carthage has a deep history and a magnificent town square courthouse. At El Quetzal a cart fresh out of the oven narrowed down the decision. Then a stop for a beverage at a classic fountain on that town square.
Am I the only Milwaukeean to have the compulsion to sample custard across the country? Andy’s got the stamp of approval with dense creaminess and clean vanilla flavor.
Sunday, November 29th, 2009
In central Missouri Osage Beach is the heart of the Ozarks.
Couple stops in Rolla. First for a Toasted Coconut Donut and then to see the half-sized replica of Stonehenge on the University of Missouri campus. It wasn’t quite the same as seeing the real thing.
Union.
Hermann has a German heritage.
That Teutonic connection gives the town a proud character supported by the old world charm of the architecture.
In March of 1946 Sir Winston Churchill traveled to Westminster College in Fulton to delivery what would be known as the “Iron Curtain” speech.
In the 1960s a 15th century church was moved from London to the campus and the Winston Churchill Memorial and Museum was built underneath it.
The displays trace the life of this remarkable man. It is always mesmerizing to peer into the mind and heart of this great leader.
Lexington.
Monday, November 30th, 2009
The rising sun cast an ethereal golden glow over the rolling plains of northwestern Missouri.
Along a working class street in St. Joseph there was no way to pass up this classic donut shop.
Melissa and I worked together a couple years ago, but never met. She was in a South Dakota office and I in Wisconsin. She moved to St. Joseph for a job making it a fantastic opportunity to meet up and have superb company for breakfast.
The Civil War era town square of Liberty.
If not for the cars this scene from Independence’s town square could be from decades ago.
Despite a vast edifice the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum has the lightest amount of information of the 5 presidential libraries I’ve visited (all Republican).
The main galleries jump right into the presidency documenting the post war economic slump and start of the cold war. A replica of the Oval Office is the only attempt of an intricate display.
It took going to a downstairs gallery to learn of Truman’s early life. A nice courtyard is the final resting place of Harry and Bess Truman.
Despite the lack of impressive displays and information I enjoyed more exposure to learning about the challenges of 1940s America and our role in the international scene.
It seems many political biographies and autobiographies refer to politicians seeking Truman’s blessing for something from the porch of his Independence home.
Built from a World War I streetcar the Trolley Diner doesn’t show its age thanks to a bright interior and super nice couple running it.
All fat and sugar. Man was it good. Dave's Bakery, also in Independence.
Over in Blue Springs it was 2 for 1 to celebrate LaMar’s 10th anniversary. The French Crueller was the winner with the expected lightness highlighted with a creamy interior.
Marshall.
Slater was the boyhood home of Steve McQueen.
Keeping it festive at Sonic with a Holiday Mint Blast. It was so good I almost had half of it.
This was the final Sonic of the trip bringing the grand total to 104 Sonics in 19 states with 105 menu items enjoyed.
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009
On the way to check out downtown Columbia swung into Daylight Donuts for chocolaty goodness.
To see the site of Mark Twain’s birthplace site it is requires driving 20 miles on a narrow country road then turning off onto a narrow peninsula for a few more.
Hannibal plays its ties to Mark Twain to the hilt.
The historic district is most quaint and walkable.
The sites tied to the author start with an Interpretive Center tracing his biography. Then there are several buildings to tour.
Mark Twain’s Boyhood Home.
Becky Thatcher’s House.
A Museum Gallery does a respectable job interpreting some of Mark Twain’s most popular novels.
The 18 Wheeler Restaurant in tiny Taylor. Alton Brown ate here. Now I have.
Cracked Pepper Bakery in Peoria. What to have…what to have? Blueberry scone.
Despite many previous visits there was no way to be near Eureka and not stop.
A respectable display commemorates the life of their most famous alumnus. Ronald Reagan attended 1928-1932.
Made haste bulleting up I-55 to Highway 34 to get to Dad’s in the western Chicago suburbs.
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009
Went up to Algonquin with Dad and Brenda for breakfast at Bella’s Short Stack. Then a final hour and a half of driving to get back to home sweet home.