The very long drive from Columbus to Hannibal, MO, was exhausting and stressful It took over ten hours because I had to stop often to walk around and stay alert. As I drove through Illinois, I realized that I was low on gas, but there were no gas stations for mile after mile. I finally spotted an ad for one, so exited the highway and drove along the small, winding, local road to find it. When I did (thinking "Whew - just in time" because the gas gauge was almost on empty), I discovered that both pumps were "out of service." The small store the pumps belonged to was still open, so I went in, panicked, and asked if surely at least one was working. I was told that no, they were being serviced. The next closest gas station was back the way I had come, about 8 miles, or another about 17 miles in the other direction. I didn't think I would make the 17 mile away one, so I drove along the back roads, desperately hoping I would make it. The gas light went on about half way there, but I did, finally, make it. THIS station was open and functioning. After gassing up the Patty-wagon, I drove back to the highway and continued on, even more exhausted.
Hannibal, MO, was closer than Mark Twain State Park, which would have taken about another 45 minutes to get to once I had arrived in Hannibal, so I opted to camp at a campground near Hannibal - the Injun Joe campground. The weather was cold and wet - it had rained for much of the trip throughout the day, and was still lightly raining. I opted to sleep in the back of the van on my army cot I put there for that purpose, rather than set up a tent. The site I was given was uneven, which made my head much higher than my feet while I slept - good for my acid reflux, but not so good for my swollen ankles. The showers and toilet stalls were dirty, and since the campground is located right next to a local highway, I heard trucks passing throughout the night. Still, I was exhausted so I slept fairly well, but I left pretty early in the morning and headed to the city of Hannibal to see all of the sites related to Mark Twain. I am sitting in Java Jive, "the first coffee shop west of the Mississippi," a lovely coffee shop with wonderful local art work on the walls and delicious coffee and muffins. As soon as my laptop is re-charged, I am heading off to explore the Mark Twain sites.
Hannibal, MO, was closer than Mark Twain State Park, which would have taken about another 45 minutes to get to once I had arrived in Hannibal, so I opted to camp at a campground near Hannibal - the Injun Joe campground. The weather was cold and wet - it had rained for much of the trip throughout the day, and was still lightly raining. I opted to sleep in the back of the van on my army cot I put there for that purpose, rather than set up a tent. The site I was given was uneven, which made my head much higher than my feet while I slept - good for my acid reflux, but not so good for my swollen ankles. The showers and toilet stalls were dirty, and since the campground is located right next to a local highway, I heard trucks passing throughout the night. Still, I was exhausted so I slept fairly well, but I left pretty early in the morning and headed to the city of Hannibal to see all of the sites related to Mark Twain. I am sitting in Java Jive, "the first coffee shop west of the Mississippi," a lovely coffee shop with wonderful local art work on the walls and delicious coffee and muffins. As soon as my laptop is re-charged, I am heading off to explore the Mark Twain sites.