St. Louis

German footprint seems to be everywhere throughout the Midwest in general, and Missouri in particular. The wineries along Missouri river is their  handy work, and they even called it Rhineland. It reality, it's nothing like Rhine valley in Germany. For one thing, it's not a valley; it's mostly prairie and the wineries are located in rolling hills away from the river. For another, the rivers are different. Missouri is slow flowing and murky unlike fast flowing Rhine that inspired Loreli legend.

I left Kansas City in the afternoon and headed to Saline Valley State Wildlife Area to camp out for a couple of days. I could use some rest after the bedbug fiasco. But it was in the upper 80s with humidity there. It wasn't going to be restful if it is hot and humid. I can't camp past Missouri River because of the heat and humidity, and I can't sleep in motels because of bedbugs. The only option left from now on is to sleep in the car at Walmart parking lots.

Jefferson City, the jump off point for the Rhineland drive was near by. I got there after noon and it took all afternoon to get through the drive. Did I say that it was nothing like Rhine Valley already? The wineries along the route was nothing much to write home about, at least if you've been to Napa Valley. I was running out of electrons after Daniel Boon grave anyway, so I drove straight to St. Louis after paying the respect for the dead. Reader's Digest 150 Most Scenic Drives has been but a disappointment in this trip. I suppose everything would be after spending 2 months in Utah and Colorado.

The Walmart happened to be just across the road from Tesla supercharger in St. Charles. After the dinner at Sushi Ai, a phony Japanese restaurant, I went over and bedded down there.