Not a tight schedule, so no alarm this AM. But we were both up by 6 AM. BB had gone to bed last night by 7:30 and I by 9 PM.

Still very few cars in the parking lot, we wait until breakfast opens at 7 before going down, still very little is set up. Fridge is still locked. I take the usual, eggs, sausage, yogurt and juice. I usually complain or comment to the staff on the food at least once every couple of weeks. But this morning the eggs were so bad that BB complained. It might be the first time this year that she has had something to say about the food to anyone other than me. They were cold, runny and had the texture like someone had added dry egg mix to yesterdays left over eggs.

Got out of the motel about 7:45, got to Davis, OK rest area for our first stop. It was easy to see that there had been a cattle trailer in the truck parking lot. Piles of evidence.

It's been quite a while since I've been on this stretch of road. Some things are new, others are gone, some things have just changed. In OKC I have seen places where they have oil wells right in town. One parking lot they are drilling another well right next to the freeway. I think most of the wells are shielded in some way, high wall, fully enclosed.

Lots of road construction, it looked like we lost most of a half hour this AM because of slow downs. Did see a few mixes heading south, I couldn't read the transport names on the sides, but they were not my 2nd company, could have been company #1. Later we saw an RV being transported. They have them front wrapped so they don't get rock chips already. (Already, coming from TX. Not sure what it has been like in IA/MN.)

Next stop for fuel and food was in Blackwell. We stopped at the Pilot and Taco Bell. Gas is still under $2 so we fill even though I am only down to a 1/2. I remembered where most businesses were along here, but I had combined the two Blackwell exits. The south exit has most stuff on the west side and the north exit has all stuff on the east side.

Roady's is one the largest truck stop group and I had never picked up a rewards card. So today while we were eating lunch I looked up where the stations were on the way home. There is one in MN by the old stockyards, but there is also one 2 hours from where we ate lunch. So that was our next stop.

Computer said to stay off the toll roads because of delays. We didn't and there wasn't. I-35 is toll from the OK border until Emporia. $8.50. We originally had talked about stopping at the Flying J, but that is a few blocks off the freeway. So instead we are stopping at Roady's, it's only a block off the freeway. I got my rewards card, used the restroom and saw that they had replaced their Chick-Witch with a Duncan Donuts.

Back on the road and our next stop was the only north bound rest area in MO. Holt, MO. We had talked about staying the night different places, but if we make it to Bethany it will make for an easy day tomorrow. We weren't sure we'd make it all the way but we've made good time yesterday and today. And if we get home Monday I can work Tuesday. Don't need to, but I really wan to keep that job also and they don't bug me about not working one day out of every 30 as long as I am around every quarter end to help move buses.

Another thing we had talked about was eating at Strouds in Kansas City. But we were in the area by 4:30 and either of us was hungry. Good thing we weren't. When we drove past, the place was already packed. Likely had a line waiting based on all the cars in the lot. And that was at 4:30.

Instead we ate at Toots in Bethany. We have always gotten the buffet but you can also order off a menu. Plenty to eat, meatloaf and potato salad was the best. Other stuff was still good, there just always has to be something that is best.

Another mile and we are at the hotel, Quality Inn. Used to be a Comfort Inn. Tomorrow we if we get going by 8 AM we should be home before 4.

In case I forget to close with this tomorrow ... we will be off the road now until after the 4th of January.

We've looked at our upcoming events and we have three weeks between my 1st and 2nd dentist appointment. Then nothing until the end of March when I like to be back for quarter end. After being gone three weeks this time we will likely try to be home a couple of days every couple of weeks. But life always has a way of filling in our calendar.