On the move

Family portrait by the water

I recently found myself in Missouri. Not passing through mind you but actually visiting. Why? Well my good friends, Adam & Kristy, decided to pursue their higher educational goals here. So off they moved from Fairborn, Ohio to Springfield, Missouri. Quite frankly after all those years visiting my friends, Ohio held very little of my attention outside of Hocking Hills & Cedar Point. I'm a fan of the outdoors when I travel and Ohio isn't dynamic in its features. After one trip to Missouri my curiosity has already been peaked.

Due to an unforeseen set of situations (nothing bad mind you), I found myself trekking up to visit the Batchelders. I took a slow pace up there not certain of what to expect since this was my virgin journey on this route. I actually stopped off in Plano to visit with my college friend, Todd. Things sure have changed here since I last visited. That's for another blog.

I made it to Springfield the next day and got to see my favorite girls. Their dad was at work or something like that. It was a short trip with me really only spending 1 full day and 2 half days there. But as always these moments bring me a piece of mind that I can have friends like them.



The Batchelders took me to the Bass Pro Shop, which incidentally is the largest one. And it indeed was gigantic. Bigger than the LL Bean Flagship store in Freeport, Maine. The only thing that might be bigger would be the REI Flagship store in Washington. It was an amazing store with huge fish tanks and lots of outdoors equipment. I could spend a whole day looking at camping/hiking stuff. Being in there really made me want to strap on my backpack and hike to a campsite and pitch up a tent. My friends even got me a camelbak while we were there. It was my birthday gift. I little late or early depending on how I look at it.





I also got to go fishing with my best bud. But for some reason we didn't seem to catch anything. Since I have never really been fortunate at fishing unless of course it was ordering off a menu, it didn't bother me too much. The time was an opputunity for me to "shoot the shit" with my friend in the solitude of nature and away from the daily hum drum. Though this time I believe I was doing more of the talking than Adam, which is unusual.



Did I mention Lamberts? Well the Batchelders took me to this unique restaurant. The food wasn't great. I'm a little picky about throwing around that designation. It was classic Americana country food, but the food was very good. It really was the whole package that made it great. Let's just say the whole experience was hard to beat. I loved being there with my friends.



We spent one afternoon and evening in Branson on Saturday. Amazingly I have not heard much of this place considering how popular the whole area is once I did see the crowds. Hmmmm. Must be outside the interests of those in my circle. I did get to spend the afternoon with the Batchelders walking the streets of the outside mall in Branson. And then we went to a show. The area is littered with hundreds of shows, well I might be exaggerating. But not by much. The show we ended up attending was the "Road to Rock" and I have to say I was quite entertained. I'm easily amused. And everyone seemed to have a good time as well.



Ok this is getting a little long. Wrap up time.

I once again had a terrific time with my friends as short as it was. There was a time when I was able to spend a whole week and even sometimes 2 weeks with Adam & his family. Somewhere along the way, work and obligations to other friends and family have changed the length of my visits. But I feel the same every time I visit. Like I belong.



(And I can't believe Adam posted a blog about this trip before I did. The apocayplse is coming!)