on the road again

ok, so...i left home around 2:00 pm yesterday, heading toward st. louis....i had forgotten thaqt this drive is a straight shot on i-64...long but straight.....i had come upon eureka as a destination when i was trying to find trader joe's in the st louis area......there are 5 locations.....a few off of the interstate though off of my projectary....and so i figured that if i could find a motel nearby i could justify the off-route stop.....but the st louis motels were at least twice of those on down i-44......eureka's other claim to fame is a 6-flags park, which meant ample crowds and dining choices as opposed to a lonely stop along the highway.....my motel is family-run and 3 doors down from an applebee's......which was rocking last night when i was tired and starving, and somewhat cranky from getting lost trying to find the access road where the services promised by the interstate signs were located.....ah well.....i ate quickly and made it back to my motel in time to watch mystery in pbs.....a miss marple that was a tad too confusing for a weary traveler to follow.....i may have to find the original story to figure out why the siblings masquarading as other people tried to kill the lady of the house with snake venom.....yikes.....so now i am plotting my route on mapquest.....i could turnback a bit and take i-70 to the kansas city area, and then head southwest toward wichita (7 hours).....the city nearest to the cycling route i hope to locate...this option cuts several hours off of my day.......my planned route is on locally accesses roads and i could expect at least 9 hours as my cyclist expected to be beyond wichita at the end of the day's ride.....ah well.....i am enjoying the extra hour that i gained by going west.....and because i am considering this trip an adventure rather than a chore i am in no hurry....especially because there is at least 1 trader joe's between me and the interstate leading to kansas......