We left Omaha a little late this morning, not departing until 9:00. Since we lack Nelson's legendary virile manliness, we needed a little extra rest after two fairly rigorous days. So we both slept late. Once on the road we found Highway 75, designated scenic by whomever makes those decisions.Omaha, Nebraska, to Independence, Missouri

230 Miles

2639 Total Miles

We left Omaha a little late this morning, not departing until 9:00. Since we lack Nelson's legendary manliness, we needed a little extra rest after two fairly rigorous days. So we both slept late. Once on the road we found Highway 75, designated scenic by whomever makes those decisions.

We reached La Platta, Nebraska, and stopped to refuel and have breakfast. The clerk at the c-store recommended the Lodge Bar and Grill, a seedy little establishment that's probably a dangerous place to be on Saturday night. Actually, it appeared a little dangerous on Sunday morning. Breakfast was served by Tracie, who sported a tattoo that spread from shoulder blade to shoulder blade. We ordered biscuits, sausage and gravy. We were served plates of sausage gravy with two biscuits hiding under there somewhere. A clean plate would have required immediate coronary by-pass surgery. We dug around under the gravy for a while and found our biscuits. We barely made a dent in the gravy.

We continued down Highway 75, making frequent stops to cool off.

A few days ago we whined incessantly about cool, rainy weather. They say to be careful what you ask for. Today, we got what we asked for. We drove in perfectly dry, perfectly hot weather from Omaha to Independence. Hot to the tune of 96 degrees. We both carry vests that are made of the same material as those bandannas you soak in water and tie around your neck to cool off. Without them, we would have stopped at noon and called it a day.

We stopped in Acheson, Kansas, for lunch at Lin's Chinese Buffet. The food was good, but most importantly, the air conditioner was on maximum high.

While in Acheson, we stopped by Amelia Earhart's birthplace. It was located in a beautiful neighborhood of older homes that was testimony to Acheson's earlier prosperity as a railroad town.

The Earhart residence

Late in the day we reached Leavenworth, home of the federal prison. We pulled onto the prison grounds and stopped to take a picture. We wanted a photo of the two of us standing in front of the prison. A guard immediately pulled up and asked just what we were doing. We told him and he let us know that we were not taking any pictures and that we should leave. So, we were thrown out of Leavenworth Prison. Do you know anyone else who's been ejected, banished, expelled from Leavenworth Prison? That's either good for your reputation or bad, depending on the company you're keeping.

In either event, we found our way to Kansas City and negotiated a harrowing interstate ride on route to Independence.

Tomorrow, we visit the Truman Library. We then plan to make our way south into Arkansas to explore the Ozark Mountains.