On The Road - Day 5 - Lebanon to Branson

Thursday 10^th May

Yawn, slow start this morning, we are taking a side trip to Branson a 45 minute detour off Route 66. 

Dropping the key off and to say goodbye at the Munger Moss took quite some time as conversation about the road drew out stories from the other departing couple who where from Indianna and heading home.  They travel Route 66 in segments and have been doing so for quite a bit.  We are really enjoying the friendly Americans and the conversations that are so readily started.

Breakfast was at Fays Diner as recommended by Ramona.  We cautiously entered amidst all the memorabilia at the entrance to a room full of locals who all gazed upon us as we took our seat amongst the dozens and dozens of American number plates. 

 What to order?  French toast looked pretty good to me and Nev also decided to go for that.  However he was also able to have a pancake  with blueberries (cooked in the pancake) the waitress was a tad surprised that we didn’t want meat or eggs.  She said no meat?? No eggs?? No thanks.  The food was excellent.  As we enjoyed our last remnants of the ever filled coffee I decided we need a photo of the two local guys sitting across from us, so I walked over to ask them if it was ok to take there photos with the number plates and classic car.  They said they would move but – no I wanted them in it if that was ok.  Of course – they smiled. 

So photos taken (not a good one either as seen) then one of the guys came over to chat with us.  He was a Viet vet and had the US Navy cap on.  He chatted away about how wonderful it was to be alonsside the Aussies, how much fun they were and how much beer they could drink.  He was very disappointed he missed his schedule trip to Australia due to his return to USA. 

Eventually we were on the road again.  Branson here we come.  Well not quite – must stop at the Russell Stover chocolate outlet and oh yes there is an antique mall next door – just a quick look – wow so much good stuff!!  B/ought a John deere thermometer for” Club Veg”.  There is also a Wisconsin Cheese outlet in the complex – have a quick look and decide we need to slow down our intake.  Chocolate is ok though.  $14 later and a bag full of chocolate, pecans and caramel concoctions we finally get on the road.

We have missed so many of the recommended sites, due to wrong turns and crisscrossing roads, but it doesnt matter we have decided. It would take a year to see every little thing logged in these guides. We have the feel, we are in the zone!! Ha ha!!. We will not be getting out and walking every piece of ancient pavement!! So moving along we had hoped to get a photo of a quarter scale model of the Hubble Space Telescope in the home town of Dr Edwin Hubble - Marshfield. I don't know what went wrong - we didnt get the photo - I dont know where the darn town went, but we were not turning back. 

Turning off at Springfield - no more Route 66 today.

Put away the maps and the guide - we are going to Branson - no more navigating today.

The World's largest everything in this country!!

Checked into a reasonable priced motel and collected our tickets to see Shoji Tobuchi, did LOTS of shopping – ahh we love American shopping.  Best part now Nev is retired I have taught him how to shop!!  Loaded up with bags of clothes and shoes hurried back to motel to change for show.

The show was very spectacular with plenty of glitz but was not as good as the one I had seen 12 years ago with my friend Anne.  Late dinner at Red Lobster – yes must remember why we stopped going there.  Last time.  Late night, no blogging, midnight to bed.  We figured over 600 miles to Amarillo by Sunday night.  Have to figure out how this is going to happen?  No accommodation booked between here and there so we will play it all by ear.