Friday, 29 Sept - St. Joseph, MO

No travel today. (Also no photo ops.) Instead we picked up our mail – thanks to our house sitter, Pratt; Margaret got a pedicure; we had two really great meals out (no home cooking this time); and visited the Pony Express museum here in St. Joseph, MO.

We also spent much of the day cleaning, vacuuming, cleaning cat litter box, and other little things that take time and can’t be done enroute. We also took the time to go through the mail. I did get my new license plate for the motor home so I’m now legit. Don’t tell the highway patrol, I had been running around with an “illegal” plate (moved from the truck). I wasn’t extremely worried since I had all the sale paperwork, but if the police ran a check on the previous license plate, it would have been a little touchy.

There was a sight to see this a.m. in St. Joseph. As we started our rounds, we thought we’d stop at McDonalds for an Egg McMuffin. When we turned into the parking lot, I thought I was in the wrong place. There were TWO drive-through windows, each line was backed-up out into the street. The parking lot – quite large – was full, no room to pull in. And Margaret looked inside and there were lines at the counter. Never seen anything like it. Everyone in St. Joseph must spend their time eating out – at least in the morning.

We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant that was highly recommended by the RV park staff. It was quite good – at least the two margaritas were good! No actually, the food was excellent – La Mesa in St. Joseph for the next time you’re in town.

We’ll be turning in the rental car tomorrow a.m. and heading east. My computer trip planning software says go through Kansas City, but there is a NASCAR event there this weekend and the KC Chiefs are playing at home, so we thought it best to give it a wide berth.

Today’s photo is for those of you, like me, who were wondering what would be inside a “Corn Palace” in Mitchell, SD. It is a version of the usual arena complex, currently configured to play basketball. Obviously when there are musical performances, they change the seating. But the motif of using “raw” corn on the outside is carried inside. All the wall decorations reflect the year’s theme and constructed entirely of corn and corn related products.