The Journey Begins! Cape to Joplin, MO

What a pleasant surprise to find that our journey began on the road to Success! Yes, Success Arkansas. After all the preparations and planning and preparations and some worries; some triumphs in projects and frustrations, too... our drive began today. Out the driveway, down the street, and Julie commented that it was just like any other drive down the street. Except this one will be a bit longer before we come back around the corner past the day lilies.

The car is driving great. It was great having air conditioning today. We took turns driving and now are stopped now for dinner in Springfield, Missouri. We figure on staying overnight in Joplin after following old Route 66 from Springfield to Joplin. Then tomorrow we'll savor the section of Route 66 through Kansas.

On the way south to snag Arkansas we stopped for gas in Poplar Bluff. The owner came running out and asked if we were the folks who were on the news last night and this morning! Then she and a customer took our pictures. We travelled a short distance in Arkansas and that's when we discovered Success. There's some pretty rolling hills in that part of Arkansas and also in Missouri. Some of the rolling hills reminded me of parts of Switzerland, not the Alps. A little later we both noted that the rolling terrain was similar to Badlands that we saw last summer.... but what a contrast of green here versus not green there. --Mark

During today I thought of how much we are going to see in the next four weeks. Already today we've seen flat farmland in Missouri and Arkansas, then hilly forested land in Mark Twain National Park back in Missouri. And this is only two states so far... --Julie