Day 5 -- It Rained and I'm Soaked!

Today I made 207 miles. As the crow flies, it is only 77 miles from Carthage MO to Butler MO – guess I made a few ‘side trips!”  Arrived at Butler MO mid-afternoon – no mom-pop motels so checked in to a Super8 - - No Microwave and No refrig – what a rip off!  But there is a TV so I can catch up on the news!  At least I have a coffee pot and coffee – so I won’t have to brew my own by putting coffee grounds in the bottom of my travel mug – adding hot water from the bathroom sink and letting it set until it looked and smelled right – then it was a challenge to get the coffee out of the mug without the grounds!  But, where there’s a will, there’s a way and I managed! 

Left Carthage MO about 8:30 AM – headed north to just north of Jasper, then to Hwy 126 across to Pittsburg KS, then up the road to Arma, back-tracked to Hwy 160 and headed back to MO.  Did some site seeing in Lamar, traveled up Hwy 71 to Nevada MO – more sites to see and then over to Fort Scott KS.  North out of Fort Scott to Pleasanton, KS and then it was back to Missouri – Will do the sites in Butler in the AM – but I’m in for the nite.  

                                                 I love the Welcome Sign at Jasper MO!

I need to dry out – in and out of rain, I’m SOAKED!   I was almost glad when I read the sign near Pleasanton that Hwy 52 west going out the battlefield was closed.  When I checked at the gas station for an alternate route to get there, I realized the longer the directions became – turn here, turn there – I was NOT going to see THAT battlefield!  Maybe I’m old, Maybe I’m senile, Maybe I’m stupid, but those directions left me out in the middle of Kansas somewhere!  Especially since it was still raining, and I was already soaked, it was not a difficult decision to avoid that stop.  I must say, there was much more rain in Kansas than in Missouri.

Missed a few sights in Lamar – the city square and surrounding streets were blocked off – they had a carnival in town.  WHOOPEE!!   Doesn’t anyone go to school anymore!  The other day the kids were out and parading in Vinita OK --- guess there are things more important than learnin’!

                       The Carnival was in  Lamar MO - nearly impossible to drive around town!

I’m looking at about 300 miles from Butler MO to Marshalltown IA – but I know my running about will add some extra miles to that – so I’m not sure how the trip will pan out Saturday and Sunday.