July 21, 2014 - Centerville, MO - population 191

Post date: Jul 21, 2014 10:52:21 PM

We got in late from the Cardinal baseball game last night. This morning we drove 1:40 hours back to Coffman, MO to rejoin the route after a day off in St. Louis.

We had lunch at Pilot Knob, MO – population 746. It was a very cute motel/restaurant with patriotic window art. Across the street there was an historic marker about a civil war battle that happened in the area, complete with cannons. I know my history buff hubby will fill you in on all those details.

I thought I would use my ipod on this trip, but I haven’t turned it on once. I am actually really enjoying finding local country stations, or any station that will come in. I even heard Neil Diamond singing ‘Kentucky Woman’ soon after I left Kentucky. They are playing more Alan Jackson and Dixie Chicks than they do at home in Portland. While checking out the stations for my drive today, I stumbled on ‘The Trading Post’ segment on one country station near the booming metropolis of Farmington, MO, population 16,310. On this show, the host says, “Caller #1” and the caller says, “I have a bunch of size 18 dresses that I will sell for $5.00 each. My number is xxx-xxxx”. The host repeats the phone number and says, “Thanks. Caller #2...” He never varied from this script. Even the guy that called selling his wife’s wheelchair after she was admitted to the hospital and didn’t come home, didn’t get an “Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.” It was the same thing, repeat the number and move on to the next caller. I heard an old farmer selling his riding lawn mower, referring to it as ‘she’. There were nail guns and Nintendo games, along with everything else under the sun. After #5, I scanned the stations for something else, but when it came around again, I listened up to #25 and then it was back to the music on that station. It was really quite entertaining to hear the variety of things people had to sell. My smart phone has a visual voicemail feature that types out the phone message that someone has left. This was like listening to a garage sale.

After 6 nights of camping, we are springing for a motel. There is only 1 motel in the next town and no reviews. I say no reviews is better than a bad review, so we will give it a go.

Love Rocks:

#19 Marion, VA

#20 Counsil, VA – Community Center

#21 Booneville, KY – Presbyterian Church

#22 Richmond, KY

#23 Elizabethtown, KY

#24 Utica, KY Firehouse

#25 Marion, KY United Methodist Church

#26, #27 The Arch – St. Louis, MO