Day 6: The advantages of taking the backroads

When we aren't "temporarily misplaced," our trip takes us on a lot of Frontage Roads, Service Roads, Outer Roads, etc. There are a lot of advantages to this. We get to see some really great things that you will miss from the highways. Like, grapes! Who knew there were wineries in Missouri!?!?! We passed acres and acres of grapes. The one and only winery we actually saw was, I think, closed, but the grapes were a nice change from corn and beans.

We also traveled on a roller-coaster road. Hazel had a wee of a time winding Baby up and flying over the hills (oh God, oh God, oh God!). Mom, remember that road on the way to the farm? Well, this road had THREE hills like that. I think my stomach was left somewhere in the first dip!

The disadvantage to traveling the backroads is that we miss a some of the attractions like the caves. No biggie...too many kids in tight spaces might make us do something dire.

It was so incredibly hot yesterday that we didn't have the top down until after 6:00 and then we stopped for the evening. We stopped at the Indian Harvest Trading Post as there were cow skull, teepees, and blankets out for display. Thinking this would be a great photo opp, we pulled in and whipped out the boys, posed Mikey for a shot, and then this skinny little woman came running out of one of the teepees letting us know, in no uncertain terms, that we COULD NOT TAKE ANY PICTURES until we had paid admission to the gift shop. Our $2.00 admission fee would be deducted from our purchases. OK, being good travelers, we agreed to $2.00 each and were led to the primary teepee/gift shop. This scrawney little person positioned herself between us and the door and stood there with hand out waiting for her $4.00 before she would unlock the door. Of course we forked it over thinking that if everything was so top secret it had to be wonderful! As we entered, we were made to understand that YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE PICTURES INSIDE THE STORE!


Understand that we were able to stand in the center of the teepee and turn in a circle and see everything...and let me tell you, this little store could use some silver polish and a dust rag. As we stood there wondering what was so special about her stuff, she got a call to make sure she collected the money. She assured the caller that she had collected $2.00 from each of us and we were not taking pictures. She asked what we wanted to buy, and we politely....OK, that's a lie....told her we didn't see anything we wanted. We just wanted to take a couple of pictures. We were told that we COULD NOT GO PAST THE BARREL. Well, we snapped the pics and left.

If you are going to go to Missours, do not stop at the Indian Harvest Trading Post. There is nothing there to see that you won't see at other, bigger, more friendly stores like the Mule Trading Post. Ail Smith is a great guy, and his wares are bigger and better, (the silver jewelery is polished), and he is just a very sweet man.

Cuba, Missouri is known in our EZ 66 Travel Guide as the Route 66 Mural City. Cuba has embraced it relationship with Route 66 with banners all along the route, and several artists have painted these huge murals on the sides of at least 11 buildings. Each mural depicts a different era of the town (100 years worth). I applaud Cuba for their artwork (these are great), and their pride in Route 66.

OK, Hazel is chomping at the bit to get on the road (I blog in the mornings before we leave), so I have to wrap this up.

Love to all,
Penny