376 miles via I-55, TN 175, US 78, I-22, Natchez Trace Parkway and MS 178, with lunch and refueling stops. Cumulative TS8 route miles: 1997. Cumulative car miles: 2316. Miles since the end of Hop 6: 418. Most of the 52 extra car miles were due to the trip to the St Louis Zoo.
This was a very long travel day that started with a steady rain for the first hour. It eventually turned sunny and very warm. We made one rest area stop before lunch, which we tried to have at a Perkins in Blytheville. But after standing for 10 minutes waiting to be seated (the restaurant was busy but there were at least 10 empty tables), we were told that we would have to stand for another 15 minutes “until they got caught up.” We weren’t even offered the option of waiting at one of the open tables. We left. We got lunch at a Huddle House about 15 miles further south, in Osceola. I hadn’t eaten at a Huddle House in many years – probably over 20 – but it was quite good, with a cheerful waitress.
The GPS confused us for a bit south of Memphis when it told us to exit I-55 earlier than I expected. I pulled over to review the route and decided that it was acceptable. But after going over 5 miles on a local road and, after turning onto US 78, being told that we were to continue on that road (which was pretty crappy) for another 83 miles, we got concerned. But a quick glance at the GPS convinced me that this was a case where a crappy US highway would morph into an interstate highway. And after about 5 miles of crappy road it did, indeed, become a pretty nice interstate route, I-22.
Our home in St Louis was the Fairfield Inn and Suites South. The room we were given initially had a very noisy bathroom fan that could not be turned off, but after complaining they quickly shifted us to a room with a quiet fan. It was a very nice room with a comfortable king bed, a coffee maker (but not a Keurig), a microwave and a refrigerator. Also a very large bathroom with a beautiful shower. The best thing about the hotel, though, was the free breakfast. Tasty scrambled eggs and delicious bacon. Very few hotels serve bacon at breakfast now – we hadn’t had any since Erie – so I loaded up.
The fitness center had a scale and I summoned up the courage to use it. I have gained about 3 pounds on this trip, which I think is not too bad considering how well we have been eating.
Speaking of eating well, we dined at Bartolino’s on Saturday night. We made a reservation and it is a good thing we did because the place was packed (we had to park a half block away). I don’t know the complete history, but this seems like a St Louis institution that has been around for a half century or more. The food was terrific. Ooma had escargot and I had a house salad with olives and bacon – both very good. Then we split an entree of Angel Hair Roseanne, a pasta dish with scallops and shrimp. Superb and very large – Ooma was unable to finish her half.