Days Five and Six: Southern Hospitality and July Fourth Mixed
Happy Independence Day to all! I'm posting from Litchfield, IL, where we stooped after day six of our journey. I didn't get a chance to post from Pete and Eileen's house in Shell Knob, MO because they don't live there full time and therefore haven't started paying for internet service. I think the disconnection from the WWW made the place even more relaxing.
Yesterday was a busy day, as we drove the 188 miles from southern Tulsa to their lakeside (and golf-course adjacent) home south of Springfield, MO. Stopping to do some banking and gas filling made the trip longer than normal, as did the windy and hilly country road we took down there. Truckers drive like madmen down there on two-lane roads with no shoulder. Yikes! We got to the house in the late afternoon, relaxed on the porch overlooking the lake, and enjoyed the warm and momentarily rainy weather. They took us to a favorite local restaurant for catfish, chips and beer, with pie for desert, mm-mm. All home cooked, even the potato chips, fried fresh. We relaxed all evening with the deer and lightning bugs, then fell asleep to lightning and thunder. Best sleep all trip.
Today we slept in, then made our way over to Branson to see the new outdoor mall at Branson Landings on the White River. Shops and attractions right on the river front, across the street from a GIANT new Hyatt convention center (which i neglected to photograph). Lovely weather made it a nice comfy walk around, while we chatted and looked at the condos for rent/sale in the same Hyatt complex. After saying our goodbyes from there, since P&E had plans for the fourth, we set out north to our destination tonight in Litchfield, but not before sampling some BBQ at the Rib Crib, which is a chain of roadhouses in Missouri. Fabulous St. Louis-style ribs and babybacks. Needless to say I bought a couple bottles of sauce to bring home with me. Our evening ended with a view of the flooded Missisipi River, the famous St. Louis skyline, Cubs vs Cardinals on the radio, and scattered fireworks here in Litchfield as we drove down the last stretch of I-55.
Heres the last two days in pictures:
