2021-08-06 Brandeburg KY to Chester IL - 292 miles

 Today was pretty full up. It felt like a pinball machine after adding in bridges and people short cuts, and getting lost (the fun stuff) now and again. And lots of long conversations with local folks. Kentucky takes today's prize for friendliest people, hands down.

Brandenburg is a "return to some day" city with it's rich history, beautiful buildings and right on the river park. It was low 70's this morning and topped out near 90, but as long as we kept moving, the mesh jackets kept us nice and cool. More hot weather coming in this next week so we got to get past St Louis and further north on the Missouri River to stay a little cooler.

But we just ran into so many nice folks to talk to, we didn't get that far. The first great folks were a father and son in the paving business and they have been talking about taking a motorcycle trip in a year when his son graduates from high school. They explained the crops (tobacco was the one we couldn't figure out) and how they plant seed right on top of the wheat stubble, which baffled us as well. Nice to see father and son working together!! Buy two VStroms 650s and go for it!

Then we got confused trying to figure out how to cross the Wabash River. Google maps did not show a bridge and Dave's 1927 Rand McNally said there was a bridge (and a buggy whip shop, apothecary, and horse shoeing concern..). Time for a new map.. Sure enough another crazy friendly guy stopped and told us the bridge is gone (and the  buggy whip shop) and we could go north to cross or south to cross or there was a county fair down the road we could go to ($2 entrance fee). Man these folks are friendly.

So north we went, crossed the bridge on the big highway and then back down on Rt 14, a sleepy 2 laner.

We wiggled around all day stopping for gas and drinks as required. Our stop at Huck's Quick Stop for gas and water led us to what we now refer to as the chicken gizzard experience. Dave asked what the pile of deep fried something was and was told it was fried chicken gizzards. Now I don't know about you, but when life presents new things, you gotta try it. So I went back into Huck's and told them I'm in for chicken gizzards. They assured me they were their most popular item. And they were actually pretty good. Kinda like calamari, chewy. So check that box!

So back on the road and end the day in Chester IL, home of Popeye. The artist who created the cartoon came from Chester and to the town is covered with statues and murals of all the Popeye characters.

So we toured the town and found a great brew-pub right on the river, had a cold pint and salad (to offset the chicken gizzards), chatted up the bartender (Junior in College, Marketing, local boy), chatted up a couple on the way out (locals, beef farmer, dairy farmer) then back to the hotel. 

We are pleasantly all chatted out, a little sunburned, but happy to be on the road.

Oh, yea, our beloved coffee source,McDonald's is starting to shut down their lobbies due to the Covid Delta variant numbers going up so we will have to roll the dice on roadside coffee...

Odometer 3297-3005=292 miles