It took 1,000 miles but the snow is finally gone

Our quest to get out of the snow started out with more snow this morning in Pacific, Missouri. Schools in the St. Louis area were closed this morning because of what was basically an inch of snow. The panic-filled weather forecast for a moment had me considering a two-hour delay in our departure.

Not free of the snow yet

Then I remembered a lesson I learned during 30 years of newspaper work: Don’t believe what you hear or read on the news. So I picked up my laptop, did a quick search for a local Missouri radar and found that we were on the very west edge of a very small front moving through.

So I dusted the snow off the car and we departed a few minutes before our scheduled sail time of 9 a.m.

The roads were a little slushy, but once on the freeway we were free of snow and ice within 9 miles. Our departure temperature of 26 degrees rose quickly as we headed west and by 10:40 a.m. at Mile Marker 146 (we started at 257) we saw our first non-freezing temperature since, well, forever it seems.

Snow, but not on the road, that's a good thing

I have to back up a little to correct something (Joan is making me) I wrote yesterday. I may have exaggerated just a bit when I was relating my anger at “many” motorists. The fact is I probably only maligned two mothers by referring to them as b-witches, so it wasn’t as bad as it sounded. I still apologize to those two women, who are probably wonderful mothers and deserve a better offspring result than they received.

Also on the news last night, they announced the closing of the rotating restaurant in downtown St. Louis. The interesting part of this to us is this is the place that I proposed to Joan so many years ago. On the news story it referred to the fact that the restaurant was a favorite place for wedding proposals so we were sure they were referring to us. Sorry to see it close as it was a very nice place in the Millenium Hotel, which is not what it was called when we were there, seeing as how the Millenium had not yet happened.

To pass some of our short travel time today (anything less than 500 miles is a short travel day for us) we listened to a “Jersey Boys” CD that was given to us by a good friend. It was fun to remember going to the musical with Pam and Greg and we truly enjoyed the music again.

Joan (left) walking to a Missouri rest area

Joan has picked up the interesting habit of going “wheeee” and raising her arms whenever we cross a state border. Our new daughter-in-law Toni taught her that cute little maneuver during a recent long distance trip to Virginia in October.

With a short travel day, we decided to stop and sample some of the Native American culture here in Oklahoma at the Buffalo Run Casino just inside the border with Missouri. Joan is more of a gambler than I, but when I found out they were giving out $5 in free play for new members, I joined. Heck, I’ll join any club that will give me $5 just to belong.

I quickly lost my $5 and then graciously donated $10 of my own. Joan, on the other hand, parlayed her $5 into a $49 win. Between the two of us, my losses and her wins we left about $35 richer than when we went in an hour earlier.

With my previous toll evasions here in Oklahoma I figure I am about $50 to the good when it comes to fleecing the State of Oklahoma. Gas is cheaper here and we filled up for $2.95 a gallon, but saw it as cheap as $2.78.

Buffalo Run, we took 'er for $35

Speaking of tolls, when we went through the toll plaza along the turnpike between the Missouri border and Tulsa, Oklahoma we pulled into the booth and ended up with the same toll taker we had last year when we traveled through.

Now, I know what you’re asking, “Jim, how would you know that you had the same toll taker as last year?”

Well, let me tell you how. Last year I had a rather animated discussion with the woman about my total lack of need for a receipt for my $4. She insisted I take the receipt and I insisted I didn’t need it. She finally gave up and let me drive on without the receipt. I couldn’t figure out why she was so insistent until we traveled on last year and realized if I had to get off the turnpike I would have to pay all over again if for some reason I had to leave at one of the exits.

This year I took the receipt without complaint. I’m pretty sure she didn’t recognize me. I’ll bet she sees lot of people every day.

The last part of the trip between Tulsa and Oklahoma City was made during a pretty steady mist, but with temperatures in the high 30s it was not a concern. The snow that had been our scenery for much of the past two days is now completely gone here in Oklahoma City.

On the way today we were laughing about our granddaughter last year who told her parents “We haven’t taken a long road trip in awhile.” What she didn’t know was her parents at that very moment were planning a quick trip to Tucson last year from Michigan over Spring break.

Her mother told her “be careful what you wish for.”  So just a few short weeks later she and her brother were trapped in a car for a 2 ½ -day trip to Tucson with a similar trip back. Later she whispered in my ear that she knew all along they were going to Arizona.

Good food, better music

We really like the Texas Roadhouse restaurant here in Oklahoma City so we stopped there at 5:51 p.m. before checking into the Governor’s Suites Hotel, which is also a favorite stop of ours. It is on a par with Embassy Suites at half the price.

By the way here's a little tip for you. One of the reasons Joan likes the restaurant besides the food is the wonderful country music they play very loudly. Joan is a real fan of classic country, so if you want to surprise her or get on her good side she would always love getting a boxed set of Hank Snow, Hank Williams, Roy Acuff or Ernest Tubb's CDs.

Tomorrow’s destination: Gallup, New Mexico. Only three more "wheees" to go before our final destination. Hopefully I can find a restaurant in Gallup that plays good country music.

Mileage out: 67611

Time out: 8:40 a.m.

Mileage in: 68093

Time in: 6:49 p.m.