I'll Be Home for Christmas 2014: Day 4

Briefly, I got ready and Jolene and I went to the cheese factory.

 

I got some photos, then Dad gave me a final Christmas gift by putting air in my tires before I left.

Before I left, we had to do the pitchfork photo.

 

 

Dad scratched his cow's back.

I stopped at the World's Largest Culver's for the World's Most Overwhelming Meal, and I only got a single burger.

I drove and drove and drove through Illinois.

  

Taking photos while driving is a really stupid thing to do.

My favorite blogger lives in Peoria. I was so close!

Beautiful sunset in Illinois.

I went through Springfield at dusk, just as I had when I arrived. I passed a minor traffic back-up due to an accident, and then was off to St. Louis. I stopped at Exit 4B at a Pilot Travel Center to get some consumables and check in. Then I was off, through St. Louis, with a great view of the Arch, and down through Missouri.

I almost made it through the whole state without stopping, but I decided to stop at a rest area to get out of the car, change phone batteries, and take my final antibiotic before going into The Promised Land, I mean Arkansas. I was planning to do Memphis, but it was getting late, so I stopped at a Super 8 in Blytheville. I chilled out, then put on some Michael Jackson videos, after a friend mentioned that her favorite Michael Jackson song was Man in the Mirror. It's in my top 5, but I could never really pick a favorite. I'm not even sure if I could pick a top 5 - top 10 maybe. 15 for sure, I think.

I also purchased tickets for a special side trip tomorrow. I need to leave here at 8am to get to my destination on time.