Family run motels can be a favourite, but occasionally family run motels have hordes of family kids running around..We weren't quite sure why some of them were running from one end of the motel to the other banging on doors..the owners seemed nonchalant. Breakfast was supposed to be from 6 to 10am, we noticed a lineup of military personnel at the breakfast room door. It was 10 past 6 and no sign of the owner! Eventually a gentleman of Indian persuasion (the sub continent Indian) appeared in shorts and thongs. He appeared bedraggled and tired...and we suspected that the hordes of kids running riot had had their effect on the owner.

The Army gentlemen were not impressed (there's a major Army base nearby - Fort Leonard Wood). The military chaps poked around the stale looking donuts - there was no coffee or anything else...while the Army guys grumbled out the back door, we stood our ground - eventually getting our toast and jam! We weren't sure what was going on with the jam, but we couldn't spread it - it rolled around on the bread like a soft tennis ball!! So much for breakfast! we better get on with the day...

Our destination today is Mena, Arkansas...where we will be trying to meet up with our friend David Powell. The forecast outlook was for high based thunderstorms, but after yesterday's storms and heat, temperatures had plummeted to between 4 and 6C across southern Missouri after the cold front passage. We head SW along I-44 and then do a cross country run into NW Arkansas, passing through spectacular forests and pleasant towns. Northwestern Arkansas holds the state's highest mountain, Magazine Mountain reaching 2,753'. There are numerous streams and rivers, it's a high rainfall region. The atmosphere is gloomy with a low layer of stratiform and as we arrive in Mena we hear a rumble....these are not chaser's storms, they are completely hidden by low cloud. A ripper deluge flash floods Mena while we sip coffee at the True North Cafe. We miss our friend who is at a function and we haven't got time to stay longer. After enjoying the flash flood at Mena, we head south to DeQueen and then west into Oklahoma. Today is really a transitional day to get into western Texas for the offchance of storms tomorrow.

Empty coal train near Springfield, Missouri

Mega FedEx road freight depot near Springfield, Missouri

Arkansas Hills, NW Arkansas

Bobby Hopper Tunnel on I-540, NW Arkansas

Curious vapour funnels rotating above trees near Rich Mtn, W Arkansas

Traffic stops in both directions for a schoolbus, W Arkansas

Mist and fog obliterates the sky near Hugo

Another quality eating location E Oklahoma

An American front verandah, Oklahoma