photos by Elaine A. Russell
So -- yesterday's travels took me from Rolla, Mo to El Reno, Oklahoma.
I started off with a really good breakfast from the hotel. French toast, orange juice and coffee. I haven't had french toast in years... and it was really good. I also grabbed a piece of sausage for Sabrina, who licked it up pretty quickly :)
The first stop of the day was at the Heartland Antique Mall in Lebanon, MO. I always stop there.. it is just full of so many cool things. This time, I picked up a couple of state quarters that my dad is missing, a couple really old hammers, a couple vintage Japanese bowls, and a carved piece of carnelian stone that looks like a locust bug.. made into a bead. I love this kind of stuff.
I also stopped at the Cheese Outlet and got some churro nuggets (told you they were addictive).
Brina and I stopped for lunch at a McDonald's along the route. They had a gazebo in the lot (for smokers) but it was the only shady spot... so we grabbed it to eat our lunch in. We ended up talking to a local young guy. He's had a rough life. Divorced parents, older brothers who are in trouble with the law... a car that's literally falling apart. He is trying to make it. Trying to work two part time jobs, trying to stay clean and out of trouble... I'm sure this is a pretty normal story for alot of people. I think it proves how many people are really trying hard.. in spite of the economy and all kinds of struggles.
The rest of the afternoon was a blur of gas/pit stops.
Stopped at a Starbucks in Tulsa Ok, and talked to a nice couple on their first date :)
Stopped for the night at a Motel 6 in El Reno OK. It is right next to a Taco Bell (taco salad for supper !) and right down from a Walgreens.. so I could get my photos onto cd.
The car is doing really well... but somewhere along the way I lost the door cover to my gas tank nozzle. Not a big deal.. just odd. Not sure if it fell off, or what.
One more day of traveling to go !
I started off with a really good breakfast from the hotel. French toast, orange juice and coffee. I haven't had french toast in years... and it was really good. I also grabbed a piece of sausage for Sabrina, who licked it up pretty quickly :)
The first stop of the day was at the Heartland Antique Mall in Lebanon, MO. I always stop there.. it is just full of so many cool things. This time, I picked up a couple of state quarters that my dad is missing, a couple really old hammers, a couple vintage Japanese bowls, and a carved piece of carnelian stone that looks like a locust bug.. made into a bead. I love this kind of stuff.
I also stopped at the Cheese Outlet and got some churro nuggets (told you they were addictive).
Brina and I stopped for lunch at a McDonald's along the route. They had a gazebo in the lot (for smokers) but it was the only shady spot... so we grabbed it to eat our lunch in. We ended up talking to a local young guy. He's had a rough life. Divorced parents, older brothers who are in trouble with the law... a car that's literally falling apart. He is trying to make it. Trying to work two part time jobs, trying to stay clean and out of trouble... I'm sure this is a pretty normal story for alot of people. I think it proves how many people are really trying hard.. in spite of the economy and all kinds of struggles.
The rest of the afternoon was a blur of gas/pit stops.
Stopped at a Starbucks in Tulsa Ok, and talked to a nice couple on their first date :)
Stopped for the night at a Motel 6 in El Reno OK. It is right next to a Taco Bell (taco salad for supper !) and right down from a Walgreens.. so I could get my photos onto cd.
The car is doing really well... but somewhere along the way I lost the door cover to my gas tank nozzle. Not a big deal.. just odd. Not sure if it fell off, or what.
One more day of traveling to go !