Friday, September 22, 2017

GPS, I LOVE YOU BUT…


Another fun adventure today.  This time in the Springfield, Missouri area.  First, we headed out to explore the Ozark Mountains but we got sidetracked when we stopped in Camping World and as we left Charlie, the salesman said, “You should take time to stop at Lambert’s Cafe.  Only if you go, go early as if you wait until 5 p.m. you won’t get in until after 8 p.m.”
Having Lambert’s Cafe on our to-do list we looked at each other and decided lunch first would be a good idea.  Now if you have not heard of Lambert’s Cafe in Springfield, you are missing something fun and good!  We first became aware of it on Diners and Dives.  Its reputation is known for its down-home cooking and throwing the rolls at you.  Yes, I said throwing the rolls.  Hot Rolls.  So hot that when you catch them you are shocked at the heat!

The food was good old-fashioned comfort food.  Fried chicken and hamburger steak were our choices and they brought enough for two people to eat off of one plate.  But that was not all.  They have what they call “pass arounds.”  People would come by with a large bucket of either fried okra, macaroni, and cheese with tomatoes, fried potatoes, or black-eyed peas on top of that and serve you up just as much as you like.  Still not full?  Well just let them know and they would have brought another entree portion of the meat!

At 11:30 a.m. we found the place packed! We managed to get right in and served.  When we left an hour later we found a waiting line already out to the parking lot!  The place was jumping but I tell you if you ever find yourself near Springfield make it a point to drop in!

 After our lunch, we plugged Ozark Mountains into our GPS.  It took us through Branson Missouri, which was an interesting place to drive through.  I hear the shows are great but the town leaves a lot to be desired in looks.  It feels and acts more like a circus!  And if you ever go shop around.  We stopped at a Visitor’s center just as we entered Branson and it turned out they were a sales company disguised as a visitor center wanting to sell you tickets and accommodations with promises to save you 50%.  As we drove through we saw signs that announced 70% off ticket prices.  Duped is how one must feel if they order tickets ahead of time at full price!  There were ticket brokers from one end of town to another!

The peak in the Ozark Mountains
Once through there and Table Rock Lake, our GPS continued to direct us to the “Ozark Mountains.”  Let me say right off, that relying solely on GPS can be risky.  We found we also needed maps and at times with the maps and GPS we were making adjustments.  Today we had no maps.  So we let the GPS guide us into the hills and hollers of the mountain.  Rolling hills, peaks that looked down over rolling hills, and poverty are what we found.  We found the GPS directed us to a dead-end street somewhere in the mountains.  I guess that was the middle of the Ozarks?  We found it does this when we just put in a town…it directs us  to the center of town and says, “You have arrived.”  We reached an area where we had no service so we had to pick a direction and drive, laughing that we could find ourselves lost forever in the hills we kept driving hoping that service would return and we would find our way out.  We eventually did of course but discovered we came out somewhere down in Arkansas!  Another state on our list!  


Having a GPS is great when it works, but learning to never take it for granted is important!  Keeping a road atlas and/or local maps with you is all important because the GPS will sometimes take you down roads that in itself could be an adventure!  Ask us about it sometime!

No comments:

Post a Comment