Hot Brown! 11sept2016

When I was a kid my family didn’t normally do big vacations… With one exception. In 1976 my mom and dad loaded me and my two sisters in a mint green Oldsmobile with only two doors – if I remember correctly. We drove. Literally. We drove through nine states in ten days. I always think about that trip when I travel. I would’ve bet a lot that I would never do that again. Ha! I just hit nine states in FIVE days! Really, really not the same. I barely touched some states on this trip. And I wasn’t getting licked by my sisters while my parents burned cigarette holes in the roof liner of the Olds!

Today I started in Missouri and then hit Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky ending in Ohio. Early this morning I went down to the waterfront in St. Louis to see the Gateway Arch. You know I always thought it was white? It’s stainless steel and super shiny. It’s really big but I thought it would be bigger. It’s literally right on the Mississippi River. The river was huge, muddy and full of logs and gunk and stuff. I stuck in my toe in solidarity with Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. But it was pretty gross. 

I went into Louisville and thought I should at least drive by the Brown Hotel and see if there was any chance I could park my rig. No problemo! It’s after tourist season. So, I went on in and had a Hot Brown and a bourbon cocktail (a Kentucky Derby). The bar was lovely and food was delicious. It was very rich and I only ate about half. However, that was on my bucket list, too. I wasn’t planning on checking it off – I want to go to the derby one year. But then I thought it might be easier now without the crowds. Check!  It wasn’t a total win – I ate shit outside on the sidewalk in front of a bus full of people. And broke my most comfy (but old and crusty) flip flops. Shocking, eh?

I took a scenic drive along the Ohio River and looked at gorgeous estates. Ones with winding drives, rolling hills and huge trees. I couldn’t get good pictures because the road was tiny and full of impatient drivers. And then on to Cincinnati. I have to say that Cincinnati is the prettiest city I’ve seen on this trip arising in the distance. Tomorrow I think I’ll check it out. I’m right on schedule so it’s time to fuck that up for sure! 

I’m staying in, you guessed it, a Walmart parking lot. I have to do some cutting to afford all my fancy food! But, I got channels on my RV TV! Yippity! Football! (Stupid Cowboys).