It’s a cold and drizzly 40 degrees, but we’re headed to Purina Farms in Grays Summit, MO.  There is a Frisbee dog competition scheduled for today, so we’re packed up, an making our way there by 11 am.  We stop along the way to photograph some old signs, and another abandoned motel.  Man, it’s cold!  I wish I had taken the time to locate my gloves before leaving FL, but when it’s 80 degrees, it’s hard to imagine that you’ll really need them.  At least I have my hat, even if it was ridiculed by my more fashionable friends, my ears like it!

We arrive at Purina only to find that the dog event has been canceled, due to the cold.  Determined to make the best of it, we head to the theater to watch the movie, which features tips on how to be safe around pets.  The most important point being to “Act like a tree”(standing still, legs together, arms pressed to sides, no eye contact) if a stray dog comes up to you, and “Be a rock” (which means curl up in a ball, with a fist over each ear) if you happen to be on the ground when that stray dog approaches.  Good advice for anyone to file away.

After the movie, we head over to the petting area, where we get up close and personal with some sheep, goats and cows.  We see a cow being milked, and then it’s off to visit with the dogs.  Lots of barking going on; not much else.

A quick visit to the gift shop, where we bought some shirts, and the “Crazy Cat Lady Action Figure”, an odd marketing choice for Purina, but funny, nonetheless.

When we finished having all the fun we could at Purina, we headed west on Route 66, in search of photo ops.  We stopped at the still in operation Sunset Motel, where I discovered the tip of the day “Don’t stand downwind from Road kill”.

We stopped at the Voss Truck Stop in Cuba, MO, where you could eat, get your haircut, purchase one of 8 types of coffee from the automatic cappuccino machine, or purchase a 12-volt curling iron.  Surprisingly, we didn't need any of these things.

We drove down I-44 to exit 163, where we were expecting to find the HOOD motel and Truck Stop, which we had stayed at during ROADTRIP 2000.  It’s not where we expect it to be, but we’re hungry, so we get a bite at Sweetwater BBQ, and Mary consults her notes to find a typo, and the truck stop motel is really at exit 63, not 163.  Ooops. 

Caryn makes some calls, and finds an Econolodge in Lebanon MO with WiFi for $35/night.  We unpack and unwind, then head out to find a grocery store, and to pick up some dinner at Dowd’s Catfish House and BBQ, a place that specializes (like may places in these parts), in fried.  The owner, Gary, who reminds Mary of a heavy version of Louie Anderson is a the register, and takes our order.  Mary can’t bring herself to ask him for a low fat dressing, to go with her fried catfish salad, and settles on thousand island.  As we wait for our order, Caryn is amused when Gary asks each paying customer if they’ve had enough to eat.  We head back to the hotel to eat our salad, and two types of hush puppies.

Sunday April 24

It’s a beautiful day, but Mary hangs out at the hotel to work on the website, while Caryn heads off to do laundry.  Caryn calls to report that she has taken some great photos at the Laundromat, and to say she’ll stop to pick up dinner.  Not being bashful, she returns with smoked chicken, and low fat dressing from Dowd’s.  After dinner she shows Mary her photos, and there are some real do-zzies.

Monday, April 25

Caryn heads to the dry cleaner, to drop off some dress up clothes that had gotten wet when the cooler leaked.  She can have then the next morning, but there will be an extra charge.  $1.  “Each piece?” She questions.  “No, for the whole order.”  Another small town perk. 

For lunch we walk next door to the truck stop, where Mary orders the $3.49 lunch special of a bowl of tomato soup and grilled cheese, and Caryn orders the open face roast beef sandwich (on whole wheat) with mashed potatoes.  While we wait for our order, Mary soaks up the ambiance, including the young woman discussing her children’s illnesses, which include scarletina fever and something festering with pus, while Caryn photographs items for sale, most of which are creepy dolls of all sizes.  This is not the first truck stop where we have seen these types of items.  Tip of the day " don’t date a trucker - they must buy this crap for gifts".

As we walk across the street to a crappy outlet store, we begin to feel the effects of the abuse we’ve just unleashed on our stomachs. Caryn is amazed by the hordes of miniature shoe figurines for sale, and photographs a selection of them.  Mary is fearful that they are going to be arrested for photographing the merchandise, and tries to disassociate herself.

We get back to the room just in time, because the rain is coming down hard.  We hang out until it’s time to head over to Dowd’s, for one final dinner in town.  Mary is craving vegetables, but besides salad, the only options are fried okra, fried onion rings, or fried dill pickles, serve with ranch dressing.  By now we’re fully immersed in our addiction of bad eating, and dive right in again.  In the middle of dinner, Mary flashes back to the scene of SUPERSIZE ME where Morgan is eating in his truck, and can barely get it down.  Luckily the sky has begun to turn a deep blue � it’s “Mary Time” and we rush off to take some photos of neon signs at dusk, which takes our minds off our aching bellies, but not before we declare that this way of eating must stop!

We drive over to The Munger Moss Motel, which has a beautiful neon sign.  Across the street is Starlite Lanes, a bowling alley with some nice neon also.  The new tripod works great, and we keep at it until the rain comes.

Back at the motel, Caryn declares “We’ve got to get to a granola town soon!”

Tuesday April 26

We pack up and reorganize the car, then pick up the dry cleaning, and head back to the bowling alley, for some daytime photos.  We stop for a late breakfast at a Country Kitchen restaurant, with a sign advertising Multigrain pancakes, which seem like a good transition to better eating.  By the time we’ve finished, it is pouring again, so we jump on Interstate 77 and begin the drive to Caryn’s chosen destination of Nebraska, for a visit to Carhenge.  We switch to Hwy 30 which is a great road.  It has two lanes in each direction, decent speed limit, and plenty to see.  We make a few detours off the main road to visit the towns of Humansville, MO (that apparently has a meth problem, according to signs around town) and the town of Peculiar, MO. (we don't know what of problems they have!)

By 8:30 pm we’re getting hungry, and we consult the AAA guide for something somewhat healthy to eat in Nebraska City, NE. (Home of Arbor Day). We were intrigued by the description of a restaurant called Runza, and the recommendation of the dish called “The Runza”. We discovered that the Runza is a combination of chop meat, cabbage and onions wrapped in dough, and baked.  Interesting, but we decide to go for a salad, and a chicken sandwich.  We drive on until about 10pm, and then check into a Microtel in Lincoln NE.  Once in the room, we read up on Nebraska attractions, and are delighted to see that there is a Vietnamese restaurant in town, as well as a Starbucks.  (We do have our Italia with us, but tend not to set it up if we’re only staying somewhere one night)  We decide that since we’ve come this far, we might as well continue north, and visit Mt Rushmore.  (Mary has never been there, and Caryn has only vague memories of it, from her “teen tour”.)