Monday, March 7, Day 3, 532.5 miles to Gainesville, FL

Just figured out MPG, only 29.3. It only goes south from here. We took off again at 7:30am after a light breakfast at the hotel. We travel at 72MPH avg or 2 miles over the posted. When on the road besides looking at the great American scenery it’s time to eat again. We travelled off the highway in Macon Georgia to find a different place to eat, not a franchise. We found an S&S Cafeteria. The place had a lot of cars so we made the stop. It had a nice display of the foods, Shirleen asked for an ambrosia, red potatoes, broccoli with cheese and both of us had fried chicken, I also had spinach and macaroni and cheese. Good value for a total of $13. The waitress asked if I wanted a bottle of tabasco Peppers, actual peppers in vinegar. Either use the vinegar on spinach or chard OR eat the pepper by itself, which I did. WOW, what a bite but good.

We travelled down the road and needed gas. It cost $3.64/ gallon at a BP, finally a station that charged more per gallon than North Mankato. Now down the line and at mile 442 of the day we arrive at the Florida state line visitor’s center. We walked to the front door and a couple coming out said, we saw you at the hotel this morning, coming down in the elevator. We had 7 hours in between our last meeting. They are going down to Key West for a couple weeks. They are from 40 mile south of Topeka. We chuckled and went in for our orange juice, picked up materials and off. We were passed by a corvette like ours with a brown top not a black like ours, license plate Guvnor. Tonight we ate at Carrabba’s Italian Grill in Gainesville. We had a glass of cab and a nicely spiced EVO with bread, we split a pepperoni, fresh mushroom and tomatoes. It was fired in a wood fired oven. I asked where I could hand wash the car, right across from where we are staying, got that done. Tomorrow, Mary Ann and Steve’s for a couple days. Jerry

Sunday, March 6, Day 2, 598 miles to Manchester TN

A long day, we left Mt Pleasant at 7:25 went straight south on 218 to 61 onto 70 into St. Louis. 67 MPH saw few cars till I70. We stopped for lunch at Ruby Tuesday’s in Fairviewheights, IL, nice buffet, even though it is not what one expected. Shirleen ordered the fruit fill, cranapples, I chicken benedicts – nicely prepared. The salad bar was like most this one had butter lettuce and a corn black bean relish.

When headed south out of Nashville, the road was 4 lane on our side, for 23 miles to Murphysboro TN. We stopped for the night in Manchester TN. Ate at a favorite, O’Charley’s. Tow for one Fetzers cab and I Sam Adams Boston Lager, both had the fish and chips. The fish was deep fried with panko read crumbs, thick fleshy fish, Yummy.

jerr