Four States and a Cloud of Dust

Today was catch-up day.  It was time to make some mileage on the road.  And 456 miles out of Joplin, MO, I finally rolled into Tupelo, Mississippi about 8:00 PM. The drive took me to the northern and eastern edges of the Ozark Mountains.  My father grew up in the heart of the Ozarks, and most every summer vacation centered around him going home, to Jasper, Arkansas.  He's the last living sibling of seven or eight (hard to remember how many there were).  I have fond memories of trips to those mountains.

On the eastern edge of the Ozarks is Hardy, Arkansas.  It was 2:30 PM today, and my push yo make miles was overpowered by my hunger for lunch, so I pulled off the highway into Hardy, and the first thing I see is the "Down Home Country Kitchen."  Above the name was "Southern Style Food with an Ozark Blessing."  And all the waitresses were wearing tie-dye shirts, well, the picture shows it better:

Oh yeah, then there was the food.  It was authentic Southern Style, as advertised!  It' shard to find a restaurant these days that cooks catfish in cornmeal batter, so I was thrilled to see it on their menu.  And it was done to perfection!  

I've seen a lot of odd and peculiar names of towns across the country.  The most peculiar of these was yesterday when I saw the exit for the town of Peculiar, Missouri.  There are differing stories on how the town got it' shame, so if you're curious, go to http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peculiar,_Missouri

There's less than 400 miles left now on the return trip, so I should complete the last leg tomorrow.

Travel Log - Monday, September 22, 2014

Departed from Joplin, Missouri at 11:00 AM

Arrived in Tupelo, Mississippi at 8:00 PM

425 miles

States today:

Missouri

Arkansas

Tennessee

Mississippi

Prior to today on return trip: 

Kansas

Colorado

Utah

Idaho

Oregon

Washington