The fog did not let up. So I just kept driving . . . all the way to Missouri. I did make a few stops at some rest areas and a gas station ($1.849/gal). I also spotted early on in the state a winery with a cool name: Prairie Fire Winery, so I stopped there.

I am not a wine drinker, but I owed a friend a bottle as a thank you for some help a while back. I hit the jackpot there, walking away with some farm fresh cheese from a local Mennonite farm, some farm summer sausage (which I was gambling on, as I never had it before), and some locally made salsa. All that in addition to the bottle of wine that I hope is good. I didn’t do the wine tasting as I have no idea what good wine is. I took the proprietor’s word on what would be closest to a Cabernet Sauvignon.

I missed taking the Welcome to Missouri sign as it came upon me quite quickly and there were too many cars on the road to safely pull over. I am sure I while have another opportunity at some point and I know I have gotten it in the past. I stopped at the visitor information center in Kansas City (the Missouri side) just before closing. There is an interesting museum inside that has information regarding the three trails westward that diverged from that point: California, Oregon, and Santa Fe Trails. The Lewis and Clark Trail also passed that point. Perhaps I will get back there to check it out in more detail sometime in the not too distant future.

I have made some changes to my travel plans and will be heading back to Florida to see my parents. My mom was supposed to fly home this coming week for a short stay, but instead I will be going to get her and will return her home a few weeks later. My flexibility has been an asset. Reducing the places I am visiting has left a little more time for me to do some program related work. That is a positive effect. Hopefully my college visits will be able to resume during the second leg of my sabbatical journey. For now I have a lot of great information to work with.

In case you are wondering, I started the trip with disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer (you never know when you need some), I have many tricks to avoiding touching public surfaces (not all of course), and I am very diligent about washing my hands. Most of the time I am outdoors or in my car, so being close to people isn’t the norm. When I do go into stores and other places where I am bound to interact with people, I tend to keep a healthy distance.