I don't recall exactly where the four-lane took over but it was going
strong as I headed out of Springfield and I would remain on four-lane
until near the very edge of Missouri. But, even when viewed from a big
divided highway, the country, much of it part of the
Mark Twain National
Forest, is quite scenic. I remember the tipping &
slipping sign assembly from my 2004 drive through here. Some rain hit near
Poplar Bluff but it wasn't particularly heavy and it was probably over in
twenty minutes or so.
About ten miles from the state line, US-62 crosses I-57, on which US-60
has been piggybacking, and the two US routes head off together. I'm back on
two-lane for awhile. It's two-lane that leads to the two bridges at Cairo,
Illinois. The first crosses the Mississippi to Illinois and the second
crosses the Ohio into Kentucky.
The rain returned with a vengeance at Paducah. The Valiant is hardy ideal
for foul weather travel and I pulled into a parking lot while the worst of
it passed. I had intended to get a bit further east before ending the
day but the GPS told me there was a Motel 6 less than two miles from the
lot I was in and, once the rain had lightened considerably, I went to roost.
