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Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Had words with the GPS today!

Oops meant to hit “control” “end” but instead hit “control” “delete” thank goodness for undo.
Tonight we are in Lebanon, MO. 220 miles further west. The MiFi is working like a charm but again either too many clouds or too many trees so no TV. That’s okay – good night to read or knit.
Before we even got started this morning we got a notice from our credit card company – “Fraud Alert” – I figured it was because I’d put a travel notification on it and they were checking that. So I wasn’t even going to call them. Good thing I did 'cause someone charged some advertising? in the U.K. on it. Company took care of it but told me to keep close watch to make sure nothing else gets charged. Why didn’t this happen last week when we were still home?
When we first got up it was warm but gray and misty – that soon turned to a light rain. So we watched the Weather Channel – boy am I glad we didn’t decide to take the 70 to Colorado. Nasty.  The rain stopped so we started off around 9:30 again. Just kind of dreary out.
Then the sun popped out for a little bit – just enough to make a weak shadow.
All the time I was watching Weather Bug on the phone and seeing the rain all around us – little pop up showers to the south and west of us and a great big storm to the east and behind us.
Ah Saint Louis my favorite city.
From Saint Louis we were supposed to take the I-44 towards Joplin. And that of course becomes a sad story. Last year when we went through Saint Louis I had Bill take a wrong turn right in the middle of the city and we ended up having to take a surface street to get back on the I-44. So I was being extra careful this year and watching that DA-N GPS very carefully. “Wait a minute. We’re supposed to be going to Tulsa not this way.” Too late – same mistake again. But now I know why – that is the way the GPS said to go and I was following it very carefully. It took us down the 64/40 then getting off the 64 onto a surface street and going to the 44 instead of making the easy split to the 44. And she didn’t even Recalculate so that is the way she wanted to go! She rode on the floor for a while after that. Next year we'll take the 270 all the way around the city - even if it is longer. 
Stopped for gas and lunch at a Flying J with a Denny’s had one of the best BLTs I’ve ever had and delicious crunchy fries.
Back on the road and thinking about going all the way to Branson, but more and more showers were showing up on the radar. And the sky was starting to look ominous around us too.  A nasty black cloud.Tornado weather???
And then rain.
So I called an RV park in Lebanon and got a space for the night. Then wouldn’t you know it the sun came out in force –[note to self – don’t travel west after 2:30 in the afternoon] The big windshield on the Alfa just magnifies the heat.

Settled in now – had the AC on HIGH for a while just to cool me down – froze poor Bill. Called Branson and made reservations for tomorrow and a few more nights. Updated my trip journal and downloaded my pictures so now just going to veg out with a good nook book. 

4 comments:

  1. Just got home Tuesday and catching up on your blog. Yep, you are early leaving. Since you maybe past Amado for your birthday, maybe we can get together for Carrot Cake anyway.

    Safe travels.

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  2. Watch the weather, I saw on accuweather there's supposed to be a huge (50-60 mph wind and tornados) going right up thru the area you're in! Right in the center of the mid-west and extending from Tx to Ws. Think it starts Fri...Just be careful!

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  3. I was on the outskirts of St Louis once ten years or so ago, and got hit with utterly insane weather: deluge, wind, and I am sure things were as close to a tornado as you can get (actually lived through a tornado in Colombia (the country) several years ago...that was interesting...). Be careful!

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  4. Keep traveling safely. SO glad that you bring us along, even when the GPS misbehaves.....

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