Dixon, MO

It was so hot in Arizona, 112º, that we decided to leave a couple of days early to head to Missouri and visit Melissa, Mark and grandkids. We originally intended to make the 1,300+ mile trip in four days, but we ended up doing it in three days.  It was about 20 hours of driving…

Read More

Ogallala, NE

We were up early and left for Ogallala, Nebraska, in the southwest corner of the state, where we had reservations at a KOA camp. On the way we stopped at Great Platte River Road Archway, a museum that chronicles how the west was settled, from the early 1800s to the early 1900s, when wagon trains…

Read More

Rich Harvest Winery – Syracuse, NE

We arrived in Syracuse Nebraska, about 12:30 pm.  Syracuse is situated between Omaha and Lincoln. Since we were early, we stopped at a little thrift store in town. Neat little place that had rooms set up and decorated for their different categories, like books, sports equipment, electronics, men’s clothes, women’s clothes and accessories. Rich Harvest…

Read More

Joplin, MO

On Melissa’s Birthday we had a sleep-over in the trailer in Joplin, MO.  It turns out that she was heading to Austin, TX for a meet-up with her Wayward ’67, a classic ’67 Impala that she turned into a replica from the show “Supernatural”. Since we were heading the same direction, we folded down the…

Read More

Melissa & Marks – Dixon, MO – Spring 2024

We arrived at Melissa and Mark’s on April 6th in 75 degree sunshine.  Their farm looked a lot different from last time. They had cleared most of the brush around the perimeter of their yard. They also had a lot more animals.  Now they have three pigs, two goats, five dogs (including a livestock guard…

Read More

Bennett Springs State Park – Lebanon, MO

We spent our last night of travel before reaching Melissa and Mark’s farm at Bennett Springs State Park in Lebanon, MO. On the way there, we stopped at two more Route 66 roadside attractions, the Blue Whale of Canoosa and a restored gas station called Gary’s Gay Parita Sinclair Gas Station, named after the original…

Read More

Melissa & Mark’s Missouri Farm

We took the short one-hour drive from Bennett Springs State Park to Melissa & Mark’s Missouri farm, stopping for some groceries at Walmart along the way. Having only seen the farm in pictures, the excitement was building as we took the final dirt roads that led to their 120 acre homestead. We were greeted by…

Read More

Bennett Springs State Park, Missouri

Our last travel day before arriving at Melissa and Mark’s, was sunny and hot, 90+. It was our second time staying in Missouri, after staying at a KOA in west St. Louis last summer. Bennett Springs State Park was absolutely beautiful!  The camp sites were spacious, with paved parking pads, grassy surroundings, mature trees and…

Read More

KOA – West St. Louis

Our next destination was a KOA camp in West St. Louis. On the way, we decided to check out the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.  We made our first stop at Bulleit Distillery.  At 11am I had a delicious slushy made of cold brew coffee, bourbon and Bailey’s Irish Cream.  So delicious!  Then before we bought a…

Read More