Looking for things to do...

We found the perfect bike path, practically in our back yard!!! Oh yeah, we have no bikes.☹  That's ok, we still have what's important--each other.  I see more clearly now, than when we began this journey.  The world, and how I see it, has changed, and changed me (hopefully, for the better).

We set off Sunday to check out the rail trail that is about 15 minutes, walking that is, from us.  Such a beautiful walk, and that was before we reached the path.  First we walked past the old route 66 Drive-In Theater that is next to our campground. It is still operating and hope it opens before we leave. There was a house where the beekeeper, decked out in his protective clothing was tending his bee houses--there's probably a technical term for those.  My daughter-in-law's Aunt Jordana would be able to tell me!  He had one beehive house on one side of his house, and a beehive house by each tree in his small orchard that was on the other side of his house.

Beehive houses

Further down the road were cows.  Reminded me of my serious biking days in Williamsburg, IA.  Every day the same group of cows would come out to greet me.  Pat said I'd lost my mind because I would stop and talk to them.  Don't judge me.  Anyway, I think the farmer had a talk with the cows today, because I swear they were social distancing.

My cow friends socially distancing

Then we came to the rail trail.  It wasn't as wide as some, but it was perfect for bike riding and walking.  It was well packed crushed limestone, and even though it had rained in the morning, it was dry and in perfect condition.

I'm still having major butt/leg and back problems, so Pat kept asking every minute or 2 if I needed to head back.  We walked a total of about 3 miles and I did pretty good, having to stop and rest my back a couple of times close to the end.  The true test will be tonight.  Hopefully we can keep it up while we're here for the month.


Today, Monday, Pat decided to make the neighbors jealous.  He fried up some bacon outside on the camp stove for our lunch BLTs.  They tasted sooo good!  He made extra bacon to have with our grilled chicken tonight.  Our goal is to make it till the end of the month before we go to the store.  We have plenty of food. but the produce and fruit is getting low.

Chicken with a Raspberry Jalepeno Sauce, topped with Swiss cheese and bacon

Our car needed a bath, so we took an auto tour of Carthage.  In the past 1 1/2 months we have not eaten out at all, and had drinks at Sonic 2 times, now 3.  Carthage not only had a Sonic, it's the first Sonic since last fall that has had cheddar bites!  A great find for us.  It doesn't take much to thrill us, obviously.

Carthage is "Americas Maple Leaf City," and it is the seat of Jasper County.   The courthouse is very majestic and the clock tower was neat. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and was built in 1884-1885 of Carthage Stone.  Carthage, a border state during the civil war, was known for 2 civil war battles.

Carthage, MO Courthouse

We followed the old route 66 throughout most of Carthage today.  Route 66, also called the "Main Street of America," or the "Mother Road" is a National Scenic Byway, and has changed routes through the town several times over the years.

This morning was the "fun" part of RVing.  We had to have a ?chip repaired in the windshield.  Pat thinks it was a BB hole, but Safelite seemed to think it was a rock chip.  Either way, glad it could be repaired.  These windows can be a little pricey I've heard!  I also got a new phone.  Haven't set it up yet but hoping for a little longer battery life.

Rock or BB??