Making Tracks

We were delighted to finally pull out of Crossville this morning. After an early morning call to the Nashville Freightliner service facility, we learned that the earliest we could be serviced was "oh maybe sometime Monday." Because the repair needs to happen soon, but not immediately, we looked for other service options on our route. Paducah was a possibility. So was St. Louis. Columbia was another. And, it seems that our native Kansas City is a Freightliner hot bed, offering us a choice of three locations there.

With some viable service options down the road, we decided to make some serious tracks. We readied ourselves for a long travel day and hit the road. One of us kept nervous eyes on the air gauges for the first 100 miles or so, but the moose maintained adequate pressure all day. With its faulty air dryer bypassed, the Big Bull sounded like a rolling machine gun every time the air compressor kicked on. I had long since taken my eyes off the air gauges before I got used to that periodic rat-a-tat-tatt!

Our decision to rack up the miles put a real crimp in our social plans. We reluctantly decided to cancel our get together with the Hembree clan. We are sorry we couldn't make it work. But, we promise we will next time! It was still early afternoon when we arrived in Paducah, our first possible stopping point. With a well-behaved moose, good weather and plenty of energy, we kept going. As we crossed into Illinois, we considered our options. We decided to park here in south central Illinois, which leaves us just 350 miles to Kansas City. So, we're going to blow off another couple of friends were were planning to see in St. Louis. We really have some making up to do!

Tomorrow our goal is Worlds of Fun, the great park that sits next to the big coasters and just around the corner from Kansas City Freightliner. We'll spend Monday night there and get the moose in for service first thing Tuesday. With any luck we'll be parked in our home park in Kansas City later that afternoon. And, if not, we can easily load up the squirrel and camp with family.

While we were making tracks today, we passed through some beautiful country and places in these three states that we definitely want to come back to explore. And, those friends we passed by? We really, really hope you understand!