LOOKING BACK AT 2023 AND AHEAD TO 2024.

Tonight the ball will drop and the curtain will fall on 2023 and we will welcome 2024. As I look back on this past year it was filled with some personal challenges that I won’t bore you with, but I also some wonderful adventures. Anytime that I am on the road exploring America is a great time. 

I hit the road for the first time back in March with a short three-day Tombstone Adventure to North Carolina. Most of you know that I like visiting cemeteries and finding historic and famous graves. Some people call this morbid and weird, but I have always found cemeteries and the people who are resting there interesting. Everyone has a story and just because they died doesn’t mean their story dies with them.

On this trip, I visited the graves of NASCAR personalities T. Wayne Robinson, Ralph Seagraves and Buck Baker. In addition to NASCAR, North Carolina was home to one of the Most Successful Professional Wresting Promotions in the Country. Jim Crockett Promotions, and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. They brough us such stars as Blackjack Mulligan, The Minnesota Wrecking Crew, Gen and Ole Anderson and The Nature Boy Rick Flair.  During this trip I visited the graves of two stars of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Sylvester Ritter who is better known as “The Junkyard Dog,” and “The Russian Bear” Ivan Koloff, whose real name was Oreal Perras.

I managed to record a lot of content that will eventually end up on my Tombstone and Travels YouTube Channel. There are over 150 short videos on the Channel and I invite you to take a look. If you like what you see I hope you will leave a comment and subscribe while giving the videos that you watch a Thumbs up.  Here is the link to the channel.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Il-isbz2iBFtmNE_VnP9Q

In April I took a short trip to Richmond and Visited Hollywood Cemetery where famous Civil War Generals George Pickett and J. E. B. Stuart are resting along with the Only President of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis.  Two United States Presidents are also buried here, James Monroe and John Tyler.

While in Richmond I managed to take a Little Side Trip up to Maryland where I toured the home of Doctor Samuel Mudd.  For those that don’t remember their history, Dr. Mudd was the Doctor that Treated John Wilkes Booth’s broken leg in the early morning hours following Booths Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.

I had attempted to tour the house on a couple of Previous occasions, but it only opens seasonably during the spring, summer, and fall. The tour was excellent and lasted just a little over an hour. Most of the furniture in the house belonged to the Doctor and his family, including the Sofa and Bed where Booth rested while he was treated by Dr. Mudd.

The easiest way to check for tour information is to visit the Doctor Mudd Home website. Here is a link:

https://drmudd.org/

After leaving the Mudd Home, I managed to visit several of the site that were on John Wilkes Booth Escape route including the site of the Garrett Farm where Booth was killed in a tobacco barn. There is nothing left of the Garrett Farm, as it was destroyed years ago. Today the actual site of the Garrett house and barn is in overgrown median of Highway 301 south of Port Royal, Virginia.

In May, I took off on another Tombstone Adventure through Dixie.  My first stop on this adventure was in Lynchburg, Tennessee where I toured the Jack Daniels Distillery and visited the grave of Gentleman Jack in the Lynchburg Cemetery.

In Alabama I made a quick stop at the U. S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. I have been here before and always found it very interesting, but this time I caught them changing out exhibits and only the Rocket Garden was available.  Even though most of the indoor exhibits were closed, they didn’t lower their price which kind of ticked me off.

 From Huntsville I was off to Birmingham where I visited the Graves of several Notable People, including two of the all-time winningest college football coaches, Paul “Bear” Bryant and Bobby Bowden.

 While in the Birmingham area I also visited the graves of NASCAR Personalities, Davey Allison, and Neil Bonnet along with Pro Football Hall of Famer Bart Starr.

 In this day and age, I don’t like spending the night in large cities so, I headed about 40-miles north of Birmingham and spent the night in Jasper, Alabama. It was here that what little plan I had changed. After talking to the breakfast attendant at the Hotel. I discovered the Jasper was the final resting place of George “Goober” Lindsey.

I couldn’t pass up the chance to “Say Hey to Goober.”  After leaving the cemetery I stopped for some coffee and was talking to a local to was kind enough to tell me that the Man who Played Mr. Haney on the TV Series ‘Green Acres” was buried in a small church cemetery just a few miles away. Off I went and spent a few minutes with Pat Butram.

With my original plan out the window, I decided to make my way over toward Tupelo, Mississippi. Along the way, I visited the Graves of Country Music Star Sonny James and an early star of the Grand Ole Opry, Rod Brassfield.

In Tupelo, I visited the birthplace of Elvis Presley.  I never was an Elvis Fan and the birthplace while Interesting just wasn’t my cup of tea. Like Graceland, the Birthplace is basically an overpriced tourist trap.

From Tupelo, I made my way to Corinth, Mississippi where I spent the Night. The next morning, I started the day by visiting the site where Sheriff Buford Pusser died in a car crash (photo left) on August 21, 1974.  Then it was a stop at the Adamsville Cemetery to pay my respects to Sheriff Pusser and His family.

My final Stop was at the Pusser Home and Museum in Adamsville.  The Home and Museum are closed on Monday’s and guess what, I was there on a Monday. So, From Adamsville, I made my way over to the Shiloh National Military Park.

The permanent visitor’s center at Shiloh was closed for renovations, and I had to find one of the Rangers to get a driving tour Map.  I spent the rest of the morning driving around the Battlefield, ending my tour on the Banks of the Tennessee River at Pittsburgh Landing.

After leaving Shiloh, I decided to head toward home, and scooted around Nashville a few hours later. In the pouring rain I decided to spend the Night in Cookeville, Tennessee. From there it was an easy drive home the next day.

 I stayed home in June, in preparation for my Canyonlands Adventure with Sunshine Bus Tours.  It was an amazing trip that I enjoyed the tip very much.  If you haven’t already done so, be sure to go back and read the daily Canyonland blogs.

 After returning from the Canyonlands Adventure, I stayed close to home and only took a few short-day trips and a couple of overnight trips just to get more footage for some future YouTube videos.

 So, with the curtain falling on 2023, what are my plans for 2024. While Nothing is etched in stone, I am looking at several different options, including taking another long-distance Amtrak Trip. I absolutely loved my 2018 Amtrak Trip and have started exploring my Amtrak options.

 I am also Look at several long driving trips.  One would take me up through New England in the early summer.  Another driving Option would be a tour of the Presidential sites in Ohio and then up to the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. I would also like to head over to Grand Rapids and visit the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum.

 Another option would be returning to Texas and visiting some of the sites I missed during the 2018 Texas Adventures and then returning to and spending more time in Colorado.

 
One thing for sure is, I am not getting any younger and I want to continue traveling as long as I can. So, in the weeks to come the 2024 Travel Season will begin to fall into place. I will keep you posted here. Until then I hope each of you have a very HAPPY NEW YEAR.

MEMORIES OF GROWING UP IN A SMALL TOWN

 

I was very lucky to be born and raised in a small town. Tazewell is a place where your neighbors were also your friends. A place that is rich in History and Tradition. A place where that history is embraced and appreciated, and those traditions are cherished. A place where even today those traditions, some of which have been passed down from generation to generation are still practiced.

Traditions, Like on Friday nights in the fall, most of the community would gather at the High School Football Field, to eat hot dogs and drink hot chocolate that you bought from the Lion Club Concession Stand while cheering on the Bulldogs.  

Traditions like coming to town on Saturday, and shopping on Main Street. Buying shoes from Hughes, or just stopping in to visit Sheffey Massie, Miss Flora Jones and Mr. Herbert Ward at Jeff Wards store.  Or drinking a cold Cherry Smash from the Soda Fountain at Jackson’s. 

Then on the way back home as the sun was setting over the banks of Ole Plum Creek, a stop at Frog Level was in order. The kids would busy themselves chasing lightning bugs while the grown-ups would just sit and talk, until someone would show up with fiddle, or a guitar or a banjo. And before you knew it, music was echoing throughout the hill on the bank of Plum Creek.

Then on Sunday’s, no matter what, you went to church, where the people of the community would gather to give thanks for the blessing of the past week and to pray for guidance and protection in the week ahead

A place where the community would gather at Christmas time to watch the children of the community perform their Christmas Program. To those of us in our small town, those little church Christmas Programs were better than any Broadway Play. A place where after the play, a simple brown paper bag filled with an apple, an orange, a candy cane, and a small toy would bring a smile to young and old alike. 

Yes, I was blessed to come from a place where we said and still say “Bless Your Heart,” “Merry Christmas”, and “God Bless You.” Today, I returned to that small town for just a couple of hours, and as I walked about looking at those same Christmas Decoration on Main Street that I remembered as a child, I realized just how blessed I am to have come from such a special place. 

No matter where I go or how far I travel, this place called Tazewell, will always be the Place I call Home.

HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF - MENDING FENCES IN TEXAS.

 

History has a way of repeating itself. The Republican Party of today is in total disarray just as the democrats were some 6-decades ago. Let’s look back 60 years ago when First Term President John F. Kennedy was faced was a total split in the Democrat Party much like the Republicans are facing today.

 It was a well-known fact that the Kennedy Clan detested Lyndon Johnson and those loyal to the Vice President. The only reason Johnson was on the ticket was because he was a powerful member of the party and Kennedy needed him on the ticket to deliver Texas in both the 1960 and the upcoming 1964 elections.

The democrat party in Texas was in bad shape as Governor John Connally and Senator Ralph Yarborough were engaged in a long running and bitter Feud that was threatening to split the state. Connally was perceived to be the leader of the conservative wing of the party and Yarborough was the head of the party’s liberal wing.

Even with Johnson on the Ticket, if the Texas Democrat Party continued the infighting, Kennedy stood little chance of being reelected. The conflict was further enhanced by the mutual dislike between President Kennedy and Johnson. As the saying goes, “Politics make strange be fellows.”

 But, as much as President Kennedy disliked his own Vice President, it could not hold a light to the pure mutual hatred that existed between the President’s Brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy, and Johnson. If Kennedy was to be reelected, he would have to carry Texas and in order to do that President Kennedy would have to find a way to unify the party and settle the Texas Feud. 

It was because of the turmoil in the Lone Star State that a plan was conceived for President Kennedy,
Vice President Johnson, and Governor John Connally and other prominent democrats to make a grand tour around state. In Connally’s own words, “This trip was a political fence mending trip.” 

During the tour, party unity and fund raising would be the name of the game. The tour would take place in Late November 1963. 

No one in the administration thought the trip was a good Idea and warned the President Not to Go. But the Party leadership convinced the President that it was the only way he would stand a chance of carrying the state in 1964. Without Texas there was no path for reelection.

The Texas Unity tour was a rocky road and didn’t go as Planned. With stops in Houston, San Antonio and Fort Worth the infighting escalated. Johnson, who nobody would call a conservative, was accused by Yarborough of selling out and kissing Connally and Kennedy’s Ass. Senator Yarborough and Governor Connally refused to appear in the same room at the same time much less be seated on the same stage. When Vice President Johnson interceded it only made things worse, and Yarborough told Johnson to basically “go to Hell.”

By the time the tour reached Fort Worth, the Party was even more fractured and in danger of imploding. The plans for a motorcade through Dallas were finalized while the principals were in Fort Worth. It was decided that Governor and Mrs. Connally would ride in the Presidential Limousine with the President on Mrs. Kennedy. The Presidential Limousine would be followed by the Secret Service and behind the Secret Service Car would be the car carrying Vice President and Mrs. Johnson.

It was decided that Senator Yarborough would ride in the Car with the Vice President. Several reports indicate that when Johnson was told of the arrangements, he “blew a gasket” which eventually resulted in a heated conversation between Kennedy and Johnson with Robert Kennedy chiming in by Telephone from Washington. Bobby’s involvement further infuriated Johnson. He accused both the President and the Attorney General of trying to embarrass him in his own state. Later that night, President Kennedy called his brother back. According to some of those in the room, the Attorney General did not hold back on his hatred for Johnson and encouraged his brother to “step on Johnson and step on him hard.”

By the same token, when Senator Yarborough was told that he would be riding with Vice President Johnson, he flat refused telling President Kennedy’s assistant Kenny O’Donnell and Secret Service Agent Rufus Youngblood, “I am not riding in the same car with that son of a bitch!”  

The next morning before the large breakfast at the Hotel Texas in Fort Worth, President Kennedy was notified that Yarborough was refusing to ride in the Johnson Car. The entire Texas Unity Trip was falling apart, and it was up to President Kennedy to personally intercede in the Texas Size Feud.

Meeting with Yarborough, in the Hotel Texas, The President told Yarborough in no Uncertain Terms that he would be riding with the Vice President or Not at all. When Yarborough continued to object President Kennedy told him he had no choice and walked out of the Room.  On the way to the breakfast, President Kennedy told Special Agent Rufus Youngblood that he wanted Yarborough in that car and “I don’t care if you have to pick the Son of a Bitch up and thrown him in.”

When Air Force One landed at Dallas Love Field the President made his way to the fence to shake hand with the enthusiastic crowd. During that time the motorcade was formed, and the members of the motorcade made their way to their assigned cars.  One nearby reporter watched as Yarborough was involved in a heated conversation with Kennedy aides. That discussion got even more heated when Vice President Johnson walked right by Yarborough and got in the car without saying a word. The reporter said that it appeared that Special Agent Rufus Youngblood was nudging Yarborough not so gently toward the open door of the car. 

Yarborough eventually got into the car just as the motorcade was leaving Love Field. Agent Youngblood later said that there was not a single word uttered between Johnson and Yarborough. He said as they made their way through the streets of Dallas, the tension in the car was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. 

As the motorcade made its way down Elm Street in front of the Texas School Book Depository, shots rang out. Both Governor Connally and President Kennedy was struck by the gunfire. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35^th President of the Unites States died a short time later at Parkland Hospital.

Suddenly the turmoil that had engulfed the democrats no longer existed. Everyone in the party, except for Bobby Kennedy and those most loyal to him united behind the New President. 

For the next 5-years the Bobby Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson Feud intensified. Then in June 1968, for the second time, a Kennedy fell victim to an assassin’s bullet. Bobby Kennedy was shot and killed in the Kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. 

For the second time in 5-years President Lyndon Johnson found himself at the funeral of a Kennedy. I told you that history has a way of repeating itself, if you think about it the Republican Party of today is fractured much like the democrats were some 60 years ago.

2023 CANYONLANDS ADVENTURE - THE END OF THE TRAIL

 

DAY #15 – SUNDAY – JULY 16, 2023

MT. VERNON, IL - HOME

602 – MILES / 5,064 – TOTAL MILES

Because our group was scattered across three hotels, and John would have to load luggage at each stop, those of us had to bring out own luggage down when we boarded the bus.  Also, with this being the last day the luggage had to be loaded in a specific order so that it could be unloaded quickly when we started dropping folks off.

With us being scattered those of us at the Holiday Inn were the first to board the bus at 7 a.m. Then at 7:15 we picked up the Fairfield Inn group. Finally, at 7:30 we arrived at the Drury Inn to pick up the last group. Most were ready but as usual the same four were late.

Hoping to be on the road by 7:30, we pulled out onto Interstate 64 and headed east at 7:40 a.m. A few miles into the long mileage day we hit a traffic jam. For this entire trip this was the only traffic issue that we had.

I looked at the Traffic layer on Google Maps and it showed a backup of about 4-miles. I looked at the News Apps and found out that the reason for the back up was caused by a traffic crash and all east bound traffic was stopped so that a medical helicopter could land.

Finally, a little over an hour later, traffic began to move, and we made our way past the scene. The vehicle was destroyed, partly because of the crash, and partly because of what the rescue workers had to do to get the victim out of the car.

Once we were past the scene it was smooth sailing to Haubstadt, Indiana where we stopped at the Loves for our morning break. I grabbed a large cup of coffee and a snack. A little over 30 minutes later we were back on the road. An hour or so later we crossed the Ohio River and left Indiana and entered the Bluegrass State of Kentucky.

Being Sunday, traffic was light, and we zipped right through downtown Louisville and made our way toward Frankfort where we made our Lunch stop. We stopped at exit 53 on Interstate 64 and stopped at a shopping complex that had several fast-food restaurants nearby.

Once again, we scatter and did not crash one single restaurant. The majority of the back of the bus bunch chose to eat at the Steak’n’Shake. Others went to Taco Bell & Fazoli’s.  As usual it took us a full hour to complete our lunch stop.

It’s 2:30 p.m. when we leave Frankfort and continue our journey east on Interstate 64. A couple of hours later we crossed the Big Sandy River and moved into West Virginia.  Shortly after crossing into West Virginia, we stopped at the West Virginia Welcome Center for out afternoon break.

The break at the rest area took lest time than usual because there was no shopping. So, as quickly as everyone used the facilities we were back on the road. We quickly made our way through Charleston, passing the West Virginia State Capitol.

At Charleston, Interstates 77/64 are one interstate known as the West Virginia Turnpike. We headed south on the Turnpike and a little over an hour later we pulled off at the Bob Evans Restaurant in Beckley. He those that want to have supper can do so.

Beckley is where we begin to say goodbye to some of our traveling companions. Where many of our group are having supper at Bob Evans John take those that are leaving us to their nearby drop-off lot. We lose three couples here and while John is unloading their luggage, we exchange contact information and promise to keep in touch.

Bob Evans was ill prepared to handle the number of people who hit their dining room all at once. As a result, it was well over an hour before we were back on our way. The next stop was at the Old K-Mart lot in Bluefield where we lost a few more of our group left us.

From Bluefield it was on to Wytheville where a few more of our group left us.

Next stop was at the Sunshine Office in Dublin where My new friends Dan and Sallie left us. We exchanged contact information and said our goodbyes. Dan and Sallie, we are just two of several new friends that I have mad on this trip.

Finally, it was a short 30-minute drive from Dublin to the Park and Ride at Exit 118. It was here 15 days ago that I embarked on this magnificent adventure, and it is here that this adventure ends. As we pulled into the park and ride, I say my goodbyes to Miss Mary Ann and Miss Jenny and what was left of the Back of the Bus Bunch.

This adventure was full of wonderful sights that I will always remember. But what I will also remember are the wonder new friends the I have made on this wonderful Journey.

So, after 15-day and 5,064 mile, and a bunch a new friends again my 2023 Great Canyonlands Adventure has come to an end.

Now it is time to kick back, rest up and start planning my next great adventure.

2023 CANYONLANDS ADVENTURE - GOING TO THE TOP OF THE ARCH

 

DAY #14 – SATURDAY – JULY 15, 2023

TOPEKA, KS – MT. VERNON, IL

392 – MILES / 4,462 – TOTAL MILES

The Country Inn & Suites here in Topeka was a very nice hotel. The rooms were clean and the bed comfortable. Today was another early departure, and because our bus driver John was doing the job of baggage handler, we had to have them outside our room by 6 a.m. so that he could get everything loaded by our 7:30 a.m. departure time.

After having breakfast and making one final check of my room, I grabbed a cup of hotel coffee to take with me on the bus.  I boarded the bus at 7:20 and by 7:30 almost everyone was seated and ready to depart. I said almost everybody because the usual parties were late again. So, we waited, and we waited and we waited some more. At 7:40, Michelle tried calling the four missing travelers and no answer.

She then went to their rooms.  While she was doing that Dan and I got off the bus to make a stop at the restroom and grab another cup of coffee. When we go to the breakfast area, what do we find. Yep, our four missing travelers sitting at table finishing up breakfast like they didn’t have a care in the world.

Dan, and I went over to let them know that Michelle was looking for them and that everyone was on the bus waiting. The #1 complainer of the group acted surprised claiming that they were told we were scheduled for an 8 a.m. departure.  Dan and I both told them it was 7:30. To which she replied, “when did she change it.”

Just in time Michelle spotted us and came over and told them everyone was waiting, and they needed to board the bus “without further delay.”  Our #1 complainer said they thought it was an 8 a.m. departure. Michelle told her no it’s 7:30 and asked that they get onboard as soon as possible.

They said they had to go back to their rooms and get their carry-on bags and take care of some personal needs. So, the rest of us waited and waited.  Finally, they boarded, and we pull out of the hotel, 20- minutes late at 8 a.m.

Our #1 complainer, proclaimed to anyone and everyone who would listen that “if she is going to change the departure time, she needs to make sure everyone gets notified.” A couple of people told here that everyone else heard “7:30” and they didn’t know where they got 8 a.m.

Anyway, we pulled back onto Interstate 70-east and headed toward our first stop of the day in Kansas City. An hour and a half later we pulled into the Hallmark Greeting Card Visitors Center.  Since it was a weekend, a guided tour of the plant was not available, but a very nice lady who worked in the visitor’s center gave us an overview of the company and we were able to watch a brief film about the company’s History.

Hallmark Visitor's Center

It was here in Kansas City a young teenager from Nebraska named J. C. Hall, arrived in 1910 with two shoeboxes of cards under his arm. From that humble beginning, J. C. Hall founded the Hallmark Greeting Card Company, that is today the best known and most successful greeting card company in the world.

After our greeting and orientation, we were free to walk through the small but very nice museum that was filled with artifacts and exhibits from those early days right up until the 202s official White House Christmas Card.

Now, You would think that this being the Official Hallmark Visitor’s Center they would have a selection of greeting cards and other Hallmark Gifts for sale. Well, they don’t. Those in our group that wanted to make a purchase were directed to their retail store at a nearby mall. Needless to say, some in our group were disappointed. I wasn’t one of them.

After spending a little over an hour at Hallmark, we made out way back to the interstate and began our trek across the Show Me State of Missouri. We went right through downtown Kansas Center and a few Minutes later we pass the Harry S. Truman Sports Complex off to our right. This is the home of Arrowhead Stadium, where the Kansas City Chiefs Play and to Royal Stadium with the Kansas City Royals play baseball.

Some two hours later we stop in Columbia Missouri for our Lunch break.  There are several choices here and thankfully everyone goes in different directions.  Most of the choices are fast food, like McDonalds, Burger King, and Wendy’s. A couple of people chose the Cracker Barrel.

With Everyone going to different places, none of the restaurants were overwhelmed and service was generally pretty quick. Myself and a couple of the other back of the bus bunch chose Wendys. Lunch generally takes close to an hour and since our service at Wendy was quick, I still had about 30 minutes before I needed to be back on the bus. So, I walked across the street to the “Quick Trip” for a cup of coffee and a few afternoon snacks.

We departed Columbia and resumed our trip east toward our Next stop of the day in St. Louis. Two and a half hours later we made our way through downtown St. Louis passing historic Bellefontaine Cemetery off to our left before making our way up past Busch Stadium to the Old Courthouse. John Found a parking place nearby and we left the bus to begin our tour of Gateway Arch.

Now, I have visited the Arch several time over the years and been to the top of the Arch three different times. Today I decided rather than going to the top again I wanted to spend my time walking through the museum. But as I was walking through towards security, Miss Jenny, one of the back of the bus bunch came up and asked me if I would go to the top with her.

Early on in this adventure, it was well known that Miss Jenny was scared of heights. Earlier in this adventure during our visit to the Royal Gorge Bridge, I had convinced Miss Jenny to walk across the Bridge with me. Along the way we got closer and closer to the side of the bridge.

Going to the Top of the Arch

Finally with a death grip on my arm, Miss Jenny finally looked over the sides of the bridge at the Arkansas River some 950 feet below.  Several times during our walk across the bridge we peered over the side of the bridge together. 

After our walk across the bridge, I suggested that we ride the gondola across the canyon. At first, she was dead set against it and I didn’t push the issue. A little while later, Miss Jenny came up to me and said, “I’ll ride it, it you will ride it with me.”

So, away we went. The Gondola Ride was included in our ticket, and we quickly got in line. Thank goodness the line was short, and she didn’t have much of a chance to change her mind. With her having another death grip on my arm, we boarded the Gondola with a couple of others in our group and began our trip across the canyon.

Miss Jenny at the Top of the Arch

Miss Jenny never releases the grip on my arm as she kept saying over and over, “Oh my Goodness, this is amazing.” When we got to the other side, she was in tears just about, telling me, “I can believe I did that. Nobody back home will believe it.”

So, fast forward to today, here in St. Louis.  Miss Jenny wanted to go to the top but would only do it if I went with her. So, we got in line and crowded into the small 5-person pod with three others for the almost 4-minute ride to the top.

Once we get to the top and exit the pod, we walked up to the top of the viewing area at the very top of top of the arch where the small windows are that afford you magnificent views of St. Louis on one side and the Mississippi River on the other side.  

“Oh, My Goodness, I never Thought I would see anything like this. Wow amazing,” was all Miss Jenny could say as we moved from window to window. We even took pictures so she could prove to her friends back home in West Virginia that she actually went to “The Top of The Arch.”

Back on the ground, we only had a very few minutes before we had to be back on the bus. I made a quick walk through the gift shop, but the lines were long, and I have several souvenirs from past visits, so I didn’t get anything.

It was a little after 5:30 p.m. when we pulled back onto Interstate 70 and crossed the Mighty Mississippi into Illinois. By crossing the Mississippi River, I considered us officially back in the east. A few miles later we merged onto Interstate 64 and headed toward Mount Vernon Illinois which would be our home for the night.

View from the Top

At 6:30 p.m. we arrived at Exit 95 on Interstate 64 where we were scheduled to spend the Night at the Holiday Inn. It was here that we encountered a serious problem. Usually, when we pull up to the hotel, Michelle goes in and picks up the packet that contains our room assignments and key cards.

This time we waited, and we waited until John our driver went in to see what the hold-up was. And we continued to wait. Finally, after about 40 minutes, Michell and John returned to the bus to explain that due to a slip up somewhere along the way the Holiday Inn did NOT have enough rooms for our group.

Michelle went on to explain that she had called some nearby hotels and had secured enough room to accommodate our group. A few of us would stay at the Holiday Inn. Others in our group would be staying at the adjacent Fairfield Inn and the rest would be at a nearby Drury Inn.

I, along with Dan and Sally and two other couples would be spending the night at the Holiday Inn. The rest would be taken to the Fairfield Inn and Drury Inn. The Holiday Inn was nice enough but I kind of hoped that I would get the Drury just because of the Nightly “Kickback” dinner that is served for guests. Plus, the breakfast was as good as or better and nothing was going.

But I was at the Holiday Inn and ended up walking down to a nearby Cracker Barrell for Supper. After finishing supper, I walked back to my room, stopping along the way to pick up a few evening snacks.

Tonight is my last night on the road. If all goes well, tomorrow night I will be sleeping in my own bed. We are still more than 600-miles from home and there are no planned tour stops. According to our schedule I should be arriving back at the 118 Park and Ride somewhere around 10 p.m.

The Adventure continues, for one more day.