12-23-16  On to St. Louis---

Back to passing the time on our long ride by looking for photo ops.  At least this time we were on a different highway then we usually are.  Since we were leaving from Knoxville, we took I-40 to Nashville where we connected up with I-24 again.
The mountains along this route don't seem to be as high, but they still make for an interesting ride.

 It was another beautiful day to be stuck in a car all day.

More barns and farms to look out for.

I wonder who designs all these barns?  They're all so different!

Heading through the mountains.

 another barn

love looking at interesting clouds, too.

 and catching the occasional surpise.  Smoky Strong is a saying that has come about after the especially tough wild fire season we had this fall.  Even Gatlinburg was hit hard by fires.

 Don't see a lot of silos anymore.

 the stereo-typical red barn

rustic barns

 an unusual green barn

 even saw an occasional flock of birds.

 Bet this could be made into an interesting "home".

 hay barns

 white barns

tall barns

 the clouds built as we got farther West.

 Even the cows were on the mooooove.

Almost to Illinois!

 The bridge over the Ohio River at the border between Kentucky and Illinois.

 Of course, once we got into Illinois, the rains came!

 highway 37 at Rend Lake.

 more of Rend Lake.

Shortly after this, we were in Mt. Vernon where we met up with my brother and sister-in-law for dinner.  Always love visiting with them.  And hearing about the trials and tribulations of there experiences fostering teenagers!  They have an especially difficult one this time!  He keeps running away, stealing things, getting high, and being returned when he's hungry or needs a change of clothes.  Yet DCFS thinks it's a good sign that this 14 year old can live on his own for days at a time---regardless that he's high and a thief.  No wonder our youth are so messed up---even those who are suppose to be helping them are clueless!  They even decided that he should be in charge of his own medicines so that when he's on the run he will have his meds!  Yet, when he breaks the law over and over again, he won't be arrested because the state won't prosecute him----yet!  Makes us really happy that all our own kids all turned out so good!