Farmington, MO

August and I were up and going at a good hour this morning, motivated by the breakfast buffet where we were planning to meet Janet and Sam! Matt had found a place called Reid's Smorgasbord along their route with a $6.50 all-you-can-eat breakfast. I have eaten at more buffets in the last two weeks than I have in the last two years I think! Anyway, word from the guys who ate there three hours before us was that it was tasty. So we headed from Murphysboro to Chester to see for ourselves.

Chester sits along the Mississippi River in Illinois and was home to the creator of Popeye. It takes about two seconds of being in Chester to figure this out.

The breakfast buffet was actually pretty good, and I couldn't believe how cheap it was. It had poached eggs, which you don't see on many buffets. Poached eggs with a side of biscuits and gravy is one of my favorite country breakfasts. Sam, who is heading into his freshman year of high school, got two full plates of bacon and two plates of french toast. My kind of kid! August was happy with some scrambled eggs and strawberries.

After eating we pointed the caravan towards Farmington and took off. Matt ended up cramping too much to make it all the way to Farmington, but he did put in a good 30 miles or so. It was really nice visiting the Craigs! Janet was so thoughtful she brought a bag full of road snacks for me and The Augster. Sam often helps take care of our dog when we are out of town, mow our grass and things like that, and we are happy to have his good help nearby.

This afternoon August and I found a nice little town park while we were waiting for Chris, and then took off to the Farmington Family Center water park. We were glad to cool off and it's always nice finding kid-friendly places. We thought the brakes on the RV might need some work, so we took it to Meineke and ended up getting the rear brake pads replaced. Chris, of course, is kicking himself for not replacing them himself before we left at a fraction of the cost. He had replaced the front but hadn't thought about the rear needing it. As I told him, you can't win 'em all! If a brake job is the biggest RV expense we have on this adventure, we'll be lucky.

My dad is in town visiting too, and took us out for Thai food at the Pad Thai Kitchen tonight. It is a house converted to a restaurant, and the food was excellent, though spicy. Hopefully he didn't feel too taken as we tend to order a lot when we find a delicious Thai place. Tonight was no exception, we finished an appetizer sampler, mussaman curry, red curry, pad thai, and a dessert of mango and sticky rice. Thanks, Dad!

Tomorrow we are taking a rest day in observance of Flag Day. Chris is excited about sleeping in and we are excited to have him around all day.

Carbondale, IL and Lake Murphysboro State Park

This morning found us in Cave-in-Rock, hitting the playground early for some energy burning. I don't think I mentioned yesterday that the campground there is quite nice. All of the sites are situated on a large oval with this view. Pretty great, if you ask me.

We didn't waste time after playing and decided to head towards Carbondale straightaway knowing we had some "city errands" to do this afternoon. On the way there we were needing to stock up on groceries and August was getting a little squirrelly in the car seat, so I was all too happy to come across an Aldi in Harrisburg. It was the first one I'd seen on the trip, and is one of my favorites to shop back home. Indiana shoppers don't seem to engage in the Illinois trend of catching someone who hasn't put their cart up yet, and just handing them your quarter in exchange for their cart. Let's make it catch on, Hoosier friends. Our tiny fridge is filled to the brim again, and August was much happier after a snack in the parking lot.

It was an easy drive to Carbondale after that. I had a couple things I wanted to do while we were in one of the largest cities on the route, so August and Chris went to a bike shop and got some ice cream. The go-to guidebook written about this route mentioned that Illinois is prone to thunderstorms in the summer, which seemed a little silly to me because Indiana and Illinois have largely the same climate and topography, and I wouldn't consider either of them to be any more prone than any other state in the Midwest. But sure enough, the first full day here there was a pop-up thunderstorm while we were in Carbondale. That Donna Ikenberry knew what she was writing about! Thankfully Chris didn't get stuck in it during his ride.

Our campground tonight at Lake Murphysboro State Park is about 7 miles outside of Carbondale. Chris' buddy Matt, who lives less than a mile from us in Plainfield, made the trip down this afternoon with his wife Janet and son Sam to ride tomorrow's miles with him. Very cool, I know. They met us for dinner in Murphysboro at a great little Italian place called Cummare's. I got the bruschetta, which was just what I was in the mood for, nothing too heavy and loaded with fresh ingredients. Chris, healthy little eater he is, got a summer salad, which was spring greens loaded with blueberries, candied pecans, feta, bacon, and blueberry vinaigrette with bread on the side. Probably not what I would be eating if I knew I was burning 8,000 calories a day! He does eat throughout the day but I think the heat makes him not want a heavy dinner.

Silly August, already photobombing. I wonder who he learned that from?

Illinois is the shortest state of the journey, and tomorrow we will be in Missouri already. I know very little about it, but am looking forward to seeing the Ozarks. If you have experience with this area, please comment with travel tips!

Cave-in-Rock State Park

It was another grand day on our great adventure. August was kind enough to sleep in a bit for me, and then we hit up the playground. I feel like I am becoming a connoisseur of play equipment. The set this morning was clean, which is always appreciated, but was definitely designed for kids much older than toddlers. The landing for the slide was about 6 feet off the ground, and the only way to get to the landing was by climbing up these broom-handle type rungs. Obviously, that was not something he could do, but I couldn't even safely climb them while holding him either. We settled for a trip down the slide from midway down (aka, as far as mommy could reach to plop him on it).

Afterwards, we headed down the road towards our next stop, Cave-in-Rock, Illinois. This town has two pretty neat things going on: 1) A ferry that cars and bikes can take across the Ohio River between Kentucky and Illinois, and 2) A cave in the side of a cliff facing the river.

I was a little bummed that our driving route took us in from the other direction so we ended up crossing on a bridge further north and then coming into the town from the other side. Chris took the ferry as part of his route though, and it looked neat. If we have extra time tomorrow, Auggie and I may just ride it for fun.


The cave is also interesting. Legend has it that travelers on the river would seek refuge in the cave during bad weather and at night, only to be robbed and worse by the bandits who would hide in the cave.

I don't know if it's true, but it's a fun story. Here is a picture of the cave from the river, it does look like something that would appeal to a passerby in the 1700s and 1800s.

We walked down the stairs and along the river to get to it, and were able to walk all the way into it. Chris and Auggie were more daring (daring, as in, more willing to walk through mud) and went to very back of it. Chris thought it was very cool that in the tallest part of the cave there is a crack in the ceiling that lets in sunlight. I got a picture of my guys basking in it.

We rode our bikes into town for dinner, which has quickly become one of our favorite things to do. Rose's Kountry Kitchen was pretty good, and I liked the sign out front. We are still discussing whether Rose is welcoming motorcyclists or bicyclists, as this town sees plenty of both. Chris thinks it was referring to motorcycles, as he knew there was a rally nearby.

I have my own theory as I saw several cyclists on our way in, and also noticed that the town has an affinity for the non-motorized kind as a decor item. Someone decided to spray paint old bikes fun colors, and fill the baskets with flowers, and these can be found on many street corners, flagpoles and storefronts. I'm not much of a decorator, but I think this is the cutest idea ever for a small town.

Pure Sunshine!

Mama Bike and Baby Bike!

America!

Playground redemption happened here at the Cave-in-Rock State Park campground. The set right across from our site is very Auggie-friendly. He could climb the stairs up to the slide landings without help and the slides are just the right height. You can tell he was a happy guy to do this! He really likes slides and isn't afraid to go down them by himself, though he is cautious about not going too fast. It is a real joy to watch him play his heart out.

Owensboro, KY and Moonlite Bar-B-Que

This morning I looked at the map and realized our driving route today would take us through Owensboro. I lived in Newburgh, a suburb of Evansville, for five years when I was a kid and remembered a barbecue place in Owensboro that was my favorite. Upon further investigation, I saw that my place, the Moonlite Bar-B-Que, was basically right on the route. I had to stop there and introduce August to the legend!

The drive was very pleasant today, under an hour and a half again and pretty easy for the most part. We made it to Owensboro right at lunch and headed directly to the Moonlite. I learned that I've had better barbecue since I was 13, but the buffet was out of this world.

Mac and cheese, green beans with new potatoes, baked apples, mashed potatoes and gravy, barbecue beans, 8 different styles of smoked meat (chopped pork and chopped beef are my favorites), cornbread muffins, rolls, salad bar, and even several desserts (I had the blackberry cobbler). I ate myself miserable, and would do it again. The lunch buffet is only $11, which is really reasonable considering the quality and variety of food on there, especially meat for those that like to eat a lot of it.

August practiced his fork skills with the apples and rolls. Yes, we head to the buffet in the name of early childhood development! Of course, we brought Daddy some since he can always use the calories and we didn't want him to miss out on the good food.

Then it was on to the campground, which was only another 10 minutes down the road. Our generalization of private versus state campgrounds has held true again. The place we're at tonight, Diamond Lake Resort, has tons of amenities, including a nice pool, shower houses, laundry etc. It was only about $6 more than our site last night, so not bad. Also, we haven't been hassled by the crusty park "ranger" like we were yesterday at the state campground. And for the record, he was not a ranger in any official capacity, he was a guy on a jazzy scooter who worked for the campground and liked to call himself a ranger and yell at guests.

Our week of visitors continued, and we had a fun visit from my bestie Carrie, her husband Scott and their daughter Hannah.

They live in Evansville which is only about 45 minutes from here. Chris made a gourmet meal of stroganoff Hamburger Helper and a caesar salad, and then we all went for a swim in the pool. Hannah and August took turns being sad that the other one was using her/his float, but still had a good time.


Afterwards Chris built a fire and we made s'mores. I don't think there's anything cuter than little kids and the mess of graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate!

One more day in Kentucky! The last few days here have treated us well. Anyone who knows me knows I love making Kentucky jokes (it was bred into me at a young age living in southern Indiana), but our experiences here have actually made me like it more. Don't expect the jabs about shoes being optional in the bluegrass state to stop though.

Bike Blog

If you didn't know, Chris is also blogging specifically about his bicycling at:

https://chillbikeacrossamerica.wordpress.com/.

I like seeing his stats every day!

Falls of Rough, KY and COLD AIR!

This morning started out the way many glorious mornings start out: with a trip to the HVAC shop!

We had tried unsuccessfully to get the part we needed for the A/C unit yesterday afternoon, so it was up to me and Auggie to get the job done today before leaving Bardstown. Chris had talked to the owner yesterday and they were pretty sure they had what we needed, but since we were having trouble making any calls on our phones in the area, I basically had to show up with a list and pictures from Chris. Although I'm not afraid to do it, being the messenger like that always reminds me of how little I know about some things. August waited patiently like the awesome little guy he is.

A couple of the workers went out of their way to make sure we got the right part, and even climbed up on the roof and installed it for us at no charge to verify it would work. It took them a little while to find the right part, and they actually ended up installing it twice because they didn't think the first one they put in would last us very long. After all of that and the owner coming in to give advice on the best type of capacitor for our needs, they basically only charged me for the part! I guess there are benefits to looking like a drifter woman in an RV with a baby. I can't say enough good things about our experience with this place, so if you're ever in Bardstown in need of anything HVAC be sure to call Brown's.

Afterwards we went back to My Old Kentucky Home State Park and made a quick drive through the park itself. I would have liked to see the Federal Hill Mansion there that legend has it inspired the song "My Old Kentucky Home", but it was naptime by then and August was already asleep so there was only one thing to do - make the drive to our next stop.

Our trek was less than an hour and a half today, which was much appreciated. We drove to Rough River Dam State Park and found a campsite right on the lake here.

Chris' dad and stepmom were down in Kentucky for a big sale yesterday, so today they came down and took us out for pizza at Little Dave's. It was a good visit, and the pizza (we learned that Rick, Sally and I all like "the works") was especially delicious. Chris got a huge calzone bigger than his plate and had no trouble finishing it off of course.

For the first night in a few days, were able to do an early bedtime to help Chris with his early morning starts.

Side note: August wants Grandma Buck to know that Mommy is doing a good job of spoiling him in her absence this summer on the trip - he got a new hat he picked out at a gas station today.

My Old Kentucky Home State Park

It was Tavern Day for me and The Augster today! By chance we ended up at two different taverns. And before you judge, keep in mind that the primary historical definition of tavern was a place for travelers to stay. Today we encountered the Kentucky I'm familiar with - rolling horse farms and a very Midwestern feel. I didn't feel like I'd seen much at all of Berea yesterday, so we decided to do some more exploring before leaving town. It's a town with a lot of character, and a gem of Kentucky.

At the heart of Berea is Berea College, a fascinating school. It was founded in 1855 by abolitionist John Gregg Fee, and was the first college in the South to allow both women and people of any race to attend. It's astounding to think of how progressive that concept was in those days. It is a liberal arts work college, meaning that students are not charged tuition but instead agree to work at least 10 hours a week for the school as part of their commitment. It focuses especially on admitting academically promising students from Appalachia. An interesting business model for a school to be sure, but to see how it operates in person was quite impressive.

I had heard that the Historic Boone Tavern was a great way to experience the way the college uses the craft of its students to support the concept, so we stopped in for a visit. I thought the RV added a lot of class to the historical charm. Berea College owns the restaurant and hotel, and its students make up over 50% of the staff. I met half a dozen students during our short visit, all of them bright and earnest.

First up we went to the Dining Room and enjoyed an early lunch. Normally I wouldn't take August somewhere so fancy, but I was really craving a good salad and the menu looked promising. Wow, was it delicious. Our server recommended the fried green tomato salad, and it was excellent. Two fried green tomato slices atop a bed of baby spinach, with grated white cheddar and fried country ham on top, and served with the best ranch dressing I've ever had. So good! We also had the special accompaniment of the house - Spoon Bread.

It seemed to be a cross between a cornbread and a souffle. August loved it. Would definitely recommend if you're in the area. Also, I saw a group of wise women friends getting together for their weekly lunch, and one of them ordered a bottle of wine right off the bat. They looked like they were having a great time!

Afterwards we stopped by the Gift Shop and Gallery which features the handiwork of, you guessed it, Berea College students.

Ceramics, woven items, and brooms seem to be the specialty. August has a real obsession with brooms right now, so I couldn't resist buying him one of the colorful ones. All of the guest rooms at the inn include solid wood furniture made by woodworking students. I also learned that the Historic Boone Tavern is the only hotel in Kentucky that is LEED certified, an energy and environmental design benchmark. While I was checking out, the gift shop student let Auggie come behind the counter with him to take a call.

Then it was on to our next destination - My Old Kentucky Home State Park in Bardstown, KY. The drive took about 2 hours, which is an improvement over the last couple of days. It was nap time and August slept for the whole trip. As soon as Chris made it to our meetup point, the sky opened up and it started raining for the first time all day. Chris was really glad to have a day where he didn't get soaked.

Tonight we had the pleasure of a visit from our good friend Bryan. He has a beautiful country homestead about half an hour from here and is a reservist at Fort Knox after serving his country in Iraq and Afghanistan during his active duty. He made the drive after work to see us and showed us around town. We are not drinkers, but are smack dab on the bourbon trail here. There are several distilleries in the immediate area, and if we had more time we'd probably take in a tour.

So, we saw the town and ate dinner at the Talbott Tavern. I am learning that my Hot Brown ordering rule I mentioned yesterday is going to lead to a lot of Hot Brown eating for me down here! It was tasty, and the building it's in is truly unique, having been built in 1779.

It was a great way to end the day, and great catching up with Bryan, who brought August this adorable Army teddy bear and a touch piece for both Chris and me. Chris' coin is for good luck and safe travels, and mine is the pin for his unit, whose motto is "I am ready" to represent us standing by as a support for Chris' adventure. How cool is that! Very thoughtful that guy is.