Saturday July 9, 2011

We decided on an early start and so we left our camp at 7:02 am.  (For those of you who know Yvonne you know what a sacrifice this was.)

Today’s drive took us on the Western Kentucky Drive Way (I64 still) through stunningly beautiful green pasture lands.  We suddenly realized that this was the land of the thorough bred race horses.  The houses and stables proved that there was some money in this project.  The parkway winds its way through Kentucky farmland and soon we found ourselves ready to cross the Mississippi River for the second time.  Rosemary’s directions told us to turn left to follow highway 60 into Missouri.  After we crossed the river there were large barricades blocking our entrance into Missouri and looking ahead we saw the highway descend into the farmlands that the Mississippi had flooded.  Instead we turned right and followed interstate 57 and were surprised to find ourselves driving through Cairo Illinois.  We were in this state for a whole 10 minutes but we get to count it as one of the states that we visited on this trip. 

We got back on Highway 60 when it reemerged from the flood lands and continued to Poplar Bluff where we succumbed to freeway food and ate at Applebee’s.  We stuttered a bit when asked for smoking or nonsmoking because we were so surprised by the question. 

Leaving Poplar Bluff we continued along the southern edge of Missouri on a country highway that would double as a roller coaster pasting farms and corn fields.  Missouri’s county roads are designated by letters (A – ZZ) that are not sequential but we did find road J (with Rosemary’s help) and turned south into Arkansas. 

We arrived at Dennis and Margot Serdahl’s in Mountain Home Arkansas.  It was hot, again, but they were waiting with their wonderful air-conditioned house.

This was a long day on the road.  There were definitely sights that we should have stopped at.  For Stanley it was the tour of the Bourbon Distilleries and for Yvonne it was Lincoln’s home.  Next time (if there is a next time) we will not have these long days just to get to the next campground.