Soggy but not stormy

Today was a long day. To make up for lost time, we drive through the night passing through the impressive tunnels along the PA turnpike, before cutting into MD along I-70 and I-68. We moved through WV in the small hours of the morning, convinced that to save money, the state uses the same backdrops and road alignments time and time again. By sunrise, we were in KY, heading past the Marathon/Speedway refinery (and learning they were the same company). We crossed KY on a long diagonal and did it early enough that there was no chance to eat at a KFC in KY, always a trip sidelight highlight. As KY had recently upped the speed limit to 70, we made good time except around Lexington. We left KY by the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers (see photo) and stopped to take photographs at Fort Defiance Park in IL. The park is an amazing point of U.S. geography, but so poorly maintained and under appreciated that it is appalling. Trash litters the banks of both rivers as they merge and the degraded habitats are not particularly appealing to people or wildlife.

In the afternoon, we hoped to find some storms in southwestern MO, but except for showers that became heavier as we headed toward Springfield, nothing chasible developed. Even the National Weather Service's (NWS) server watch for the area was cancelled. Some storms in TX were more severe, but we were no where near enough to consider trying to observe them.

For the evening, we headed to Branson, MO. Neither of us had been there, so we decided to check out this tourist mecca. The rolling hills and thick forests provide a beautiful backdrop, especially in the early yellow-green of spring. The town is very commercial and filled with chains and franchises of every sort. The place is clean and well organized and is the epitomy of American consumerism.

For Tuesday we will head to TX, where the set up for storms in the panhandle seems good.