Day 3: Woke up a little early to get going. The third leg was going to be the longest. 730 miles and an estimated 11.5 hours, and all I could think of was how I really didn't want to be in the car for that long. Everything on satellite was starting to repeat. Everything. I even started listening to the pop channels to get something different, albeit they repeat more than others so that got old pretty fast. I ended up hooking up my iPod and listening to podcasts. Who doesn't like to listen to the Brewing Nation while they are driving? Because stupid me forgot to download some audio books before embarking on this trip. God knows I could have been "reading" the Game of Thrones books.
So I was told before I left that Nebraska sucks. In fact, I believe the exact words were "That is the shittiest place I have ever driven". Not my words. And this same sentiment came from three different people who have had to drive across country. Well, chose to. I fear for any situation in which someone has to drive across country, but I guess it could happen. The feeling I got were that driving through Nebraska was like waiting for pitch to drop from a funnel (that there is a scientific reference, let me help you if you don't understand Google That Shit!). All this being said, Nebraska wasn't bad. I had expected the worst, and was pleasantly surprised, although these little buggers are everywhere.
Yes, corn! When they say the midwest is corn bred, they mean it. There was almost nothing to see on the side of the road from Sidney, NE to St. Louis, MO but corn. An ocean of green and yellow, and sadly brown in the fields that were dying. There were some interesting things along the road (though they were few and far between). This happened to be one of them.
I kinda wish I would have stopped to find out what it was. It just looked like a causeway, but why would there be a causeway in the middle of nowhere? If it were a bridge over the freeway, why would it need to be enclosed? But sadly, I could not stop. Half because I had missed the exit for it, and the other half because I was driving 11.5 hours and couldn't really spare the time. Obviously since I was driving and taking pictures at the same time, the time frame was more important than my safety. I also made the mistake of not fully reading my directions before I got started. Sure, drive east. From Sidney, NE you just head east on I-80 for almost the majority of the state. What I didn't realize was that when you forked a little south and got on NE-2 heading east, it will take you right in to Iowa. I was under the impression I was going to head south before hitting Iowa, and transition straight from Nebraska to Missouri. Suffice to say, I freaked out a little when I got in to Iowa, but my directions were right on my phone. I hit I-29 and just headed south. Spent a total of about 13 miles in Iowa.
I almost had to take a detour when I was coming in to St. Joseph, MO. Not for any sensible reason, like a historical landmark or a good food restaurant, but for a small town along route 36. Nothing special, except it's name.
Skirted along the edges of Kansas City. Kinda wanted to stop and find a BBQ place, but ran in to the time issue again. Basically nothing else of interest happened. It was a long drive and when I checked in to the hotel, I was exhausted, but also hungry. Lucky for me there happened to be a Cracker Barrel right across the street. I had never had it before, but was told exactly what to order by my Girlfriend. And it was delicious. I would definitely eat there again. The hotel, that was kinda weird though. Got a room with one bed, so the rest of the room had a couch and a coffee table in it. Not a problem. They also had a desk in the corner, what I believed to be a computer desk, but there was no chair. In fact, there were no chairs in the entire room. Apparently if you wanted to use the desk, you have to sit on the coffee table? Those were just some thoughts I pondered. Once I was laying in the bed after dinner there was no way I was getting back up until morning.
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