1 bus to Cincinnati OH

... spending the night in Mount Vernon IL

More breakfast choices at this motel. We grabbed a couple of Pop Tarts until we realized they were fudge. Ended up with fruit, tried the juice, OJ was warm and apple was water so I threw it. They did also have muffins and breakfast bars but we both had chicken from last night so that was breakfast.

When we checked out, I did make a point of telling the desk clerk how clean things were. If I'm going to complain I should also compliment.

9 AM and we were rolling. 360 miles to go today. If we have to push 600+ some day it is going to be really hard.

1st stop is the rest area near Conway. Quick in and out.

2nd stop is for fuel in Pacific. This place is a pain all the way around. First, they have closed the exit from the freeway so you have to get off a ways before heading east and take the city street. Same way to get back on the freeway.

Next, the fuel area is small so trucks wait in one line for the next open pump. But I have to back in so I backed in behind someone before they pulled out. That confused people. Then someone pulled into line at the pump past me that was closed. But because they didn't pull all the way in, they blocked my pump for the next person who wanted to use it. I didn't have any problems pumping, but this is the first time I have had to back through because someone had blocked me from getting back out.

And the fuel islands are quite a few steps higher than the store so when we came back out, BB was winded. I didn't realize that was why she was just standing there. This was a Pilot, inside was a Subway and we ate inside. Only three tables open and we got one of them.

Six Flags in St Louis is still closed. Don't think I mentioned that the amusement park in OKC was open yesterday when we went through.

Going through St Louis is a pain on any day so we decided to go the beltway. After looking at the options we went the way that only added about five miles. Maps said the beltway would be closed AT I-64 so we thought we would be able to get on that freeway. First signs said the same thing, but as we got closer the signs said beltway closed at IL-15 which was before the freeway. We stayed on the freeway until we had to exit ... the wrong direction. So we did three leafs of a cloverleaf and got going the correct direction.

Truckers seemed lost but we had looked at a map and BB turned her GPS on. There was a whole bunch of trucks that had been following me but somehow I lost them all. Cloverleaf slowed us down more than anything. And we were back on the freeway.

3rd and final stop is the Comfort Inn in Mount Vernon. We had looked at O'Fallon IL but I wanted to be a little further out of St Louis and we didn't find a good place to say. We've stayed at this Comfort Inn before and many times at the Super 8 across the street.

After we check in, we walk across the parking lot to Bandana's. We've eaten at a number of their locations. Right now it looks like no indoor seating for anyone. This place had 8 or 10 tables outside. We got one no waiting but by the time we left there was a line. BB had chicken and turkey with coleslaw. I had the chicken with potato salad. The server never did bring the BBQ sauces, but I was fine with that, chicken was roasted with just the right flavor. Potato salad was really good too.

Across the street next to the Super 8 there is a building that used to be a breakfast place, then it was closed. Now it's open again under a new pancake name.

Once we were done eating we walked for a half hour or so. Sidewalk, not much traffic, but in the mid 80's.

Tomorrow we only have 200 miles to do so we will check out when we have to, then drive, eat and drive and we should get there when we can check in.

Looks like the loadboard dropped by about 10 today for IA. Longest trip on the total board is out of IA, to Bend OR. I think there has been at least some OR loads out there everyday for the last couple of weeks.

Sounds like covid numbers for MN are still going down, but not so for other places in the country. Looks like we are going to have to be at least aware of what's happening for the next few weeks/months.