It has been a long standing family tradition from the time I was a small child that family members gather to wish you a bon voyage the day before you left for a trip. I'm not sure whether it was just a good excuse to get together or my aunts didn't want to have a guilty conscience in case something happened to us. So Thursday night in family tradition, we got together to celebrate my birthday and for a traditional family send off.
We thought we would get in the spirit of the trip and start celebrating the wilderness early, so we went to Bugaboo Steakhouse, where stuffed wild animals abounded and Jo Ann was kissed by a moose singing happy birthday.
We started off early for the long drive to Missouri. Not really thinking that the ride from Maryland would be an adventure too, I didn't put any planning into the sights along the way. By the time we reached Illinois, I was noticing a number of interesting roadside sites, lots of places associated with Abe Lincoln, caverns where Jesse James hid out, but the most memorial being the most gigantic cross I have ever seen.
It was erected besides I70 in Effingham, Illinois. Being the second large metal cross we had seen on the trip, I started surfing the web and found that the cross in Effingham boasts being the worlds largest cross, 198 feet high. Just under the 200 foot FAA limit. Once 200 feet, the FAA requires a flashing red light on top.
In the process of researching the cross, I found a great website that you can query by state and city to find lots of unique oddities to visit along the way. Did you know that the worlds largest cross and the largest bottle of ketsup both are located in Illinois? That and other fun facts are located at this website, http://www.roadsideamerica.com/. More info on roadside attractions later, however for more fun facts about the cross, click here: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/search/tip.
On a sad note for the farmers, you could really see the effects of the drought driving across the midwest. Field after field of corn stalks that were either dead in the field or stunted and shriveled. I'm sure its devastating to the region and the farmers. Well we made it to Kansas city after driving 18 hours and 1100 miles. Over halfway to our destination in Wall, South Dakota.
Saturday we will get up and do it again.
So glad to hear that you guys are well on your way, and that you're having lots of fun as you go! The trivia is awesome (and must give you something to do on the long stretches of road)!
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